COUNTY WORKERS: Princeton High wrestler Andrew Wenzler ties up a foe in recent action. Last weekend, senior Wenzler took sixth at 132 pounds at the Mercer County Tournament (MCT). Other Little Tigers also starred at the MCT as senior Nick Gillette won the heavyweight class with Tim Miranda taking third at 113 and David Klinges placing fifth at 152. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Injuries robbed the Princeton High wrestling team of any chance it had to contend for the title at the Mercer County Tournament (MCT) last weekend.

While PHS didn’t enter wrestlers in four of the weight classes due to health issues, the Little Tigers who did compete certainly made an impact.

Senior Nick Gillette won the heavyweight class with Tim Miranda taking third at 113 pounds, David Klinges placing fifth at 152, and Andrew Wenzler coming in sixth at 132.

PHS head coach Rashone Johnson credited his wrestlers for hanging in there through adversity.

“I have been challenging them,” said Johnson, whose squad was 11th of 16 schools in the MCT team standings in the competition held at Robbinsville High which was won by Hopewell Valley.

“We have had so many injuries and it is late in the season. The winter season is the longest so it is natural for people to get tired. These guys have been putting in a lot of training. I have been giving them challenges to keep them fresh.”

Nobody gave Gillette much of a challenge for the heavyweight title as he crushed the competition.

“Nick has been getting in the workouts,” said Johnson. “He really wanted to win this. He had a pin in every match; it doesn’t get any better than that.”

Miranda showed some character as he rebounded from a tough loss to James Mottram of Allentown in the semis to top Hopewell’s Mark Gerstacker in the third-place match.

“Tim is solid but he had a bad match in the semis; he had beaten Mottram in a dual match earlier this season,” said Johnson.

“Maybe he was looking ahead but even in shortcoming something positive came out of it. He avenged an earlier loss to get third.”

PHS also got positive work from Klinges and Wenzler. “Klinges did a great job; he wrestled Bethea tough (Raamiah Bethea, voted the meet’s Outstanding Wrestler),” said Johnson, noting that Tom Miers (106), Matt Wong (138), and Jeff Barsamian (182) each went 2-2 at the MCT.

“I thought he would get third place but he got a quick pin to get fifth. Andrew wrestled tremendously; he had a kick-butt weekend. He is a tough kid.”

The program’s group of seniors has displayed plenty of toughness as they helped PHS  break through with a 9-7 record last winter.

“It is a good group when we are all together,” said Johnson, whose group of seniors includes Ian Snyder and Frank Bozich in addition to Gillette, Miranda, Klinges, Wenzler, and Barsamian. “The seniors helped bring it back for us, we had a lot riding on this season.”

Johnson is hoping that the Little Tigers can do some big things over the remainder of the season.

“We are going to focus on the matches wrestled and not worry about team scores,” said Johnson, whose team faces Cedar Grove and WW/P-S in a tri-meet on February 4.

“It is what it is with the injuries. It will all be worthwhile if we can get some wrestlers to Atlantic City (for the state finals). I think Nick can do it; he has the ability to do it. He only started wrestling in high school and he has been improving as the season has gone on.”