Wrestling: Hopatcong Has Night for the History Buffs (45 Photos!)

Tom Vara looked at the men standing in line, crowding together for the camera before hundreds of people in the stands. Then he turned to Eric Fajerman.

"That's an awful lot of wins standing over there," the athletic director said.

The Chiefs honored their 100-win club during their 42-26 win over Dover at Thursday night.

Hopatcong hung banners for each member in its gymnasium. The banners joined others bookending the basketball court, recognizing the school's 1,000-point scorers.

"It's very exciting to have this kind of talent in the gym at one time," Vara said.

Vara coached Hopatcong wrestling during the 1990s. He remembered a time when the sport was more popular in the borough.

"The gym was packed," Vara said. "We had a lot going on here. You knew you could look over and you had a Bunnicant, or you had a [Jamie] Lijo or a [ Jim] Barringer. I mean, those were the guys on your bench. They are phenomenal. Like Danny Haines, who we have now. But we had more of them. It was an exciting time. A lot of fun."

Most of them were in the gym Thursday, which was also Senior Night, including Lehigh University's Zach Rey, a 2007 graduate and the nation's top ranked Division I heavyweight. He received the biggest ovation. The school also honored its first wrestling coach, Bill Clancy.

Haines, a senior, said it was an honor standing among Hopatcong's wrestling greats.

"It was pretty nice," said Haines, who has 132 career wins—two away from record-holder Gabe Ramos, who couldn't attend the event. Ramos (125 pounds) is a University of Ohio redshirt sophomore. "I'm happy to be recognized with them. I'm pretty honored by that."

Anthony Nicolicchia, a 2004 grad with 124 wins, wasn't at the event. A member of the Army's military police, he's been in Afghanistan since last May and was represented by his father, Tom.

"We're proud of him," Tom Nicolicchia said. "He had a good career."

Keith Bunnicant, a 1997 grad, said he hoped the banners would motivate Hopatcong's youth wrestlers.

"It's nice that there's finally a little recognition for the wrestlers," said Bunnicant, whose older brother, Anthony, was also honored. "I thought it was nice. It was real good. They honored some great wrestlers. Hopefully these kids will have something to look up to."

Fajerman agreed.

"I wish we had them in our lineup," he said. "It's good history. It's good to have these banners on the wall. Hopefully the younger guys have something to look up to and it makes them want to get into the high school program."

Fajerman's squad wrestled inspired. After starting at 145 pounds, the Chiefs rebounded from a 15-3 deficit. Tommy Donnelly notched the night's surprise win, pinning Elliot Loarca at 189 pounds in 1:43.

Haines earned a technical fall over Arturo Garcia and AJ Bongiovanni won via injury default to end the match.

"It was a really good night," Vara said.

One not for the Hopatcong wrestling history books, but buffs.