2006 - RAW Hits the Scholastic Mats
New Jersey Post Season Wrap Up
A.C ‘06!!
2nd Scott Giffin, Eastern 12th grade #1 seed
2nd Anthony Trongone, Camden Catholic 11th grade, unseeded
2nd Demi Hester, Paulsboro, 11th grade #1 seed
3rd Jamelle Jones, Winslow, 11th grade #1 seed
3rd Bryan Tracy, Paulsboro, 12th grade #2 seed
4th Alex Silvestro, Paulsboro, 11th grade #4 seed
5th Anthony Luma, EHT, 9th grade Unseeded
6th Eric Dunnet, Paulsboro, 9th grade
DNP’s-
Weight-
School
Jerile Garrett
125
EHT
John Renard
130
KRHS
Anthony Curcio 103
WTHS
Eddie Aponte
EHT
Tom Frantzen
Matt Lemma
Kyle Packer
135
171
145
125
241 Region Champs
Region 8
1st Eric Dunnet 103 PHS
1st Anthony Luma 119 EHT
1st Jerile Garrett 125 EHT
1st John Renard 130 KRHS
1st Bryan Tracy 140 PHS
Region 7
1st Scott Giffin 160 EHS
PHS
HTHS
CHS
1st Anthony Trongone 171 CCHS
Region 5
1st Tom Frantzen 171 PHS
Final Call
Goodbye to seniors Bryan Tracy (Paulsboro 140 3rd) and Scott Giffin (Eastern 160 2nd). Tracy has been around for his
junior and senior year working with a dedicated group of athletes from Paulsboro with RAW 241. Bryan is Ivy League
bound as he will be at Brown (RI) next season. Keep on truckin’ Bryan. Good Luck at Sr. Nationals and hopefully
Fargo…and of course good luck in the E.I.W.A. next year.
Scott Giffin, the defending state champion has shown me and others why he is a champion. First he began the season in
a “slump” by dropping awkward bouts to eventual state place winners Tommy Spellman and Kyle Kiss. Then Scott
dropped to a more natural weight at 160 but still had tough times with a mere 3-0 win against CHE and close calls at
Absegami. Then…it all came into focus for Scott. He roared back, like a true champion; and again made himself available
for the state finals in A.C. we’ve been working on him since 8th grade. And I couldn’t be prouder of a kid. Off to Michigan
in Ann Arbor. I’m gonna miss ya kid.
Out of State Update
RAW 241 maintains a presence south of the Mason-Dixon line as RAW veterans Cody Gardner, Ian Squires and Drew
Squires put the finishing touches on a great season for Christiansburg High School in Christiansburg, VA. Christiansburg
ended their 2005-2006 campaign ranked #6 in the country and went on to win their 5 th consecutive Virginia AA team state
championships. A junior, Gardner led the way with a 48-0 record (41 of them by pin). Cody recorded 67 takedowns and
gave up zero! The only offensive points scored by his opponents were escapes (2-4-1 at its finest)! Cody won his 3rd
consecutive District, Region and State titles, pinning his State Championship final opponent in 11 seconds! Along the way
he also won titles at the ASICS/Ironman in Ohio, the Beast of the East in Delaware and the Powerade in Pittsburgh. Cody
spent the entire season ranked #1 in the country at 215 lbs. Freshman Ian Squires rang up a 44-8 record (with 31 of his
44 wins for bonus points, including 24 pins. He outscored his opponents 325 – 95 while placing at the ASICS/Ironman, the
Beast of the East and the PowerAde (he pinned his finals opponent). He was also a District and Region champ before
finishing second in the state finals (to a Nationally ranked Top 10 opponent). His twin brother Drew also made his
presence felt in the C’burg HS lineup as he racked up his first District and Region titles on his way to a second place finish
at states. In the process, Drew proved to be a scoring machine as he rang up 393 offensive points on the way to a
respectable 35-11 record. He led the team in Technical Falls with 10, along with 5 major decisions and 5 pins. He also led
the team with 83 near falls (57 for 3 points) and reversals. All three wrestlers return for the Blue Demons in 2006-2007.
John Renard
Nobody knows this kid. He is way off radar until Saturday March 4, 2006. He took it in his own hands (the Region
Competition that is) and molded it into a perfect picture. That picture is a symbol of hard work from the workhorse himself.
John is absolutely one of the hardest working kids at RAW and deserves what he got Saturday night=a Region 8
Championship. He ! beat 2 (two) undefeated kids Saturday to claim gold: #2 seed (31-0) Darren Carrero and #1 seed (330) Aaron Wilcox. Congratulations John!!
Scottie Boy
Giffin (ERHS) is the new school record holder for victories. Not bad… at that HS Former RAW 241 studs Anthony Orio
(State Champ), Nick Orio (State Champ), Micah Khan (2x State Champ) and Clinton Hicks (State Champ) all were
surpassed in the wins column by the new 241 super star. Adding to his list of accomplishments this season with another
District 26 title, another Region 7 title and… stay tuned.
Feeling Great in Region 8
RAW 241 sent 9 to the finals down at Absegami H.S.: Eric Dunnet (PHS-1st ); Anthony Luma (EHT-1st ); Jerile Garrett
(EHT-1st ); John Renard (KRHS-1st ); Eddie Aponte (EHT-2nd ); Bryan Tracy (PHS-1st ); Jamelle Jones (WHS-2nd );
Demitrius Hester (PHS-2nd ); Alex Silvestro (PHS-2nd )… Paulsboro had 7 in the finals not bad!
Region 7 Recap
RAW sent 3 (three) into the finals: Scott Giffin, Matt Lemma And Anthony Trongone. Lemma took 2 nd and Giffin and
Trongone took golds. Kyle Packer took 3rd for a free trip to A.C. next week.
Region 5 Update
Returning/defending Champ Chase Badger was upset in the semis and was forced to battle back to earn bronze for his
pass to A.C. Tom Frantzen was another “Off the Radar” type that has incredible desire and it was visible as he won gold
at 171lb. from his #4 seed. He beat the #1 seed in the semis and then capped the weekend with a title during the evening
session. WAY TO GO FRANTZEN!!
Away Down South in Dixie
RAW wrestlers competing for #6 (nationally) Christiansburg HS finished up their State Championships in Virginia last
weekend (March 3 & 4) as Cody Gardner struck gold once again (the Junior is now a 3X VA state champion), as he
finished off his finals opponent in eleven (11) seconds! Cody finished the season with . He spent a total of 3:30 on the mat
(for 4 matches!) as he pinned all four opponents. Cody pinned 43 of his 48 victims this year! Ian Squires finished as the
103 pound runner up as he pinned his way to the finals before dropping the finals match to the 9th ranked 103 pounder in
the nation. Ian finished the season with more than 30 wins that came as a result of a pin or a technical fall. Drew Squires
also finished as the 119 pound runner up in the state as he entered the finals with a 19-3 drubbing of his semifinals
opponent. Drew lost a close match to an avenging Senior whom he had beaten earlier in the season. Ian finishes his
freshman year with a record of 44 - 8, while Drew led the team in technical falls as he scored a boatload of points in
compiling a record of 35 - 11.
RAW On the Mat - For the Record
Here are some RAW 241 reps records heading into this weekend (March 3-4, 2006) Region (NJ) and State (VA) competition.
103 Ian Squires 41-7, (Virginia AA State Tourney)
103 Eric Dunnett 26-4 (NJ, REGION 8)
103 Anthony Cucio 31-3 (NJ, REGION 8)
119 Anthony Luma 28-0 (NJ, REGION 8)
119 Drew Squires, 32-10, (Virginia AA State Tourney)
125 Kyle Packer 32-4 (NJ, REGION 7)
125 Jerile Garrett 30-2 (NJ, REGION 8)
130 John Renard 27-7 (NJ, REGION 8)
135 Scott Wear 26-2 (NJ, REGION 8)
135 Kieran Higgins 30-3 (NJ, REGION 8)
135 Eddie Aponte 29-2 (NJ, REGION 8)
140 Bryan Tracy 31-0 (NJ, REGION 8)
145 Matt Lemma 32-1 (NJ, REGION 7)
160 Scot Giffin 31-2 (NJ, REGION 7)
171 Anthony Trongone 22-4 (NJ, REGION 7)
189 Jamelle Jones 31-0 (NJ, REGION 8)
189 Ellis Hester 22-6 (NJ, REGION 8)
215 Cody Gardner 44-0, (Virginia AA State Tourney)
215 Alex Slvestro 27-0 (NJ, REGION 8)
HVY Demi Hester 29-0 (NJ, REGION 8)
HVY Charles Weber 41-6, (Virginia AA State Tourney)
Southern Scuffle
4 the hard way: Ian Squires (103), Drew Squires (119), Cody the “Beast” Gardner (215) and Charles Weber (275), all RAW 241’ers
past and or present, and each of them won District and Region Championships in Virginia these past 2 weekends, absolutely
dominating the competition as they compete for Christiansburg HS. They are currently preparing for States are this coming weekend
(March 3rd and 4th).
“Beast” to Tech!!!
Ed and Preston Keifer will like this… Cody Gardner is on his way to Virginia Tech for a wrestling scholarship. Gardner, ranked #1
nationally is a 2x Beast of the East Champ and 2x VA State Champm and has made an early commitment (as a junior) to wrestle for
Head Coach Tom Brands.
For the Record:
Here are some notable records of 241’ers prior to District (NJSIAA) competition…
4x4
This season in South Jersey (Region 7and 8) 4 different wrestlers captured their 4 th district Championship. All 4 have trained with
RAW 241 at some point or another. Three years ago, Notte was at RAW 241 while @ The Spa in Pennsauken. Last year Tejada was
with RAW 241 while being partners with present (as well as then) CHS star Kyle Packer. Tracy has been a 241’er along with the
Hester Brothers, Slivestro, Dunnett, and Cuccinato for 2 years or more. Giffin has been RAW since he was in 8th grade!
March Matness
Get ready! The best state tourney on the east coast is only two weeks away. I get the most hyped this time a year… refreshed and
revitalized. Kids/ young men I train expect to come/ go to the show (A.C.) and show what the hard work has done. Here is a list of the
District domination of RAW 241:
District 17
Tom Frantzen 1st (PHS) 171
Chase Badger1st (ND) 160
District 25
Jerome Friedman 3rd (HW) 135
Geoff Bauma 1st (NBC) 160
District 26
Scott Giffin 1st (ERHS) 160
District 27
Frank Higgins 2nd (BE) 119
Kyle Packer 1st (CHS) 125
District 28
Matt Lemma 1st (HT) 145
Anthony Trongone 1st (CC) 171
District 29
Eric Dunnet 1st (PHS) 103
Scott Wear 1st (CHS) 135
Bryan Tracy 1st (PHS) 140
Ellis Hester 1st (PHS) 189
Alex Silvestro 1st (PHS) 215
Demi Hester 1st (PHS) HVY WT
District 30
Anthony Curcio 1st (WTHS) 103
Jamelle Jones 1st (WHS) 189
District 31
John Renard 2nd (KRHS) 130
Kieran Higgins 1st (SHS) 135
Orlando Cuevas 2nd (KRHS) 135
District 32
Anthony Luma 1st (EHT) 119
Jerile Garrett 1st (EHT) 125
Eddie Aponte 2nd (EHT) 135
Ending Strong
Jamel Jones is ranked #2 nationally (WIN Magazine) behind PA stud Pat Flynn. He is the reigning Beast of the East
champion, 2X Delaware state champion (9th and 10th grade) and is currently undefeated during his junior season and
holds the #1 ranking in New Jersey where he now wrestles for Winslow Twp. Amen!
Mario Mason is ranked #4 nationally and is on fire right now! He has beaten his nemesis, Luke Ashmore (Bishop Lynch,
TX) for the second time in two tries this season. Who is Ashmore? Well, he is just the reigning Cadet (Fargo) National
Champion and OW!! Their first meeting was OT (double to win it) and the second was not close at all, as Mario
dominated. In beating Ashmore, Mario won the National Prep championship.
National Champion
The Champ is here!!
110lb. stud, CJ Cobb, from Williamstown is now your 2006 Tulsa National Champion (12 & under).
As with so many of the RAW kids, CJ has worked tirelessly to accomplish his goal. Being a
national champ can now be scratched off of the list. Single click on the image to enlarge...
CJ's path:
Finals 9-2
Semis 21-6
¼ Q 10-0 inj
PQ Pinned 1st
1st round FF
Other performers from RAW included:
1st Place Chad Walsh
3rd Place Jack Clark
3rd Place Dylan Dobzanski
5th Place Matt Sausman
James Higgins Did not place
Taylor Walsh Did not place
Jared Holliday Did not place but did win the Hard- Luck tourney!