It was not your typical setting for a wrestling tournament.
Usually, it is a gym with mats in the middle of a room.
But on Friday the Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge wrestlers and wrestlers from five other schools broke out of that gym mold and took to battle against other wrestlers at Depken Field where usually one would see football, soccer or baseball games along with track and field meets.
It was a great time to give the young wrestlers a chance to get out of the stuffy wrestling room and the gyms during the hot, sizzling summer months.
For the second straight year Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge wrestlers ventured outside on a summer night to work on their skills at Depken Field.
It was the second annual Rumble in Heights under the Lights.
In the inaugural Rumble there were four schools and this season there were a couple of more schools added including Central Regional High School that is coached by Mike Bischoff, a Hasbrouck Heights alumni wrestler.
A few years ago Craig Messery was talking to his former coach mate Rick Babitts, who is now the Northern Highlands head coach, about how Ramsey had held outdoor wrestling match and how it would be great to hold another one.
Messery went to the former Hasbrouck Heights athletic director John Tessaro to get the okay to hold at Depken Field. "He said go for it," said Messery.
With the help of Bob Spindler, superintendent of the Hasbrouck Heights Department of Public Works and the first Heights state wrestling champion back in the 1970's, they were able to bring down the wrestling mats from Heights for the first one.
And for the second one on Friday, Spindler helped haul not only Heights mats, but Hackensack High School's mat. "We couldn't have done it without him (Spindler)," said Messery.
While the wrestlers are competitive during the night, it is set with a background of 'fun' atmosphere. "There are not many times you can have it in a fun atmosphere," said Mike Scuilla, the current Hasbrouck Heights athletic director and the former Aviators wrestling coach, pointing to some of the kids playing football on the field behind the wrestling mats.
Scuilla gave the kudos to Messery for the success of the night. "He deserves all the credit and he took up the challenge," said Scuilla.
Every wrestler received at least two or sometimes three matches on the night for wrestlers from incoming freshmen to incoming seniors. "We tried to get as many wrestlers as possible," said Messery.
The Heights/Wood-Ridge head coach had between 13 or 14 wrestlers from the Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge team at the night.
For Messery this event and also a future wrestling meet in Hopatcong High School in northwest New Jersey will help his wrestlers for next winter.
The following Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge wrestlers competed at the Rumble including Ed Cox, Anthony Cirincione, Victor Arias, Ryan Paladino, Andrew Alvarez, Giacomo Cirincione, Anthony Stepanelli, Adrian Lopez, Robert Spangler, Tom Mucio, Kevin Torres and Matt Innis.