Livingston Grapplers at State Championships

ATLANTIC CITY — Livingston High School had a pair of wrestlers advance into Saturday's NJSIAA First-Round Wrestlebacks at the state championships at Boardwalk Hall, but both ended up losing in later bouts.

Justin Estevez at 135 pounds was able to hold off North Burlington's Wayne Stinson 12-10 in the first round. Estevez, a senior, led 8-7 after two periods but a 2-point reversal by Stinson midway through the third period knotted the bout at nine. Estevez used an escape to gain a 10-9 advantage with nearly one minute remaining, and he added a 2-point take down with just less than 10 seconds left to seal the match.

Brandon Bright was the other Lancer grappler alive in the first round of wrestlebacks. Bright, also a senior, drew a tough assignment in facing Somerville's Micah Blair. Blair was undefeated before falling to Absegami's Shane Robinson (32-4) in the quarterfinals.

Bright and Blair left everything on the mat in what turned out to be a chess match of sorts. With the score deadlocked at zero, Bright began the second period on the mat, and he fought for virtually all three minutes to get up.  Blair wouldn't have it, though, as he kept Bright down for the entire period. After Blair scored a one-point escape to start the third period, Bright went on the attack and did everything in his power to take down the extremely talented Blair. Blair played a game of cat-and-mouse, though, and was able to hold on for a 1-0 victory.

Estevez's triumph in the first-round of wrestlebacks rewarded him with a devastating meeting with senior Nick Heilmann of South Plainfield. Heilman, who was 40-0 entering the morning's action, placed seventh as a junior at 130 and was an important piece of the Tigers' Group III championship squad. Estevez lost by pinfall in just 51 seconds.