Sports
Bundy Ends Season After Close State Champs Match
Despite the loss, the SP-F High wrestler turned in an impressive season overall.
It's that time again - the NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. A two-hour car ride, a season of top-notch wrestling, and a pass are all you need to get to this showcase for premier wrestlers across the state.
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High Senior Tristan Bundy made the trip as the lone competitor from the school, and at 35-2 on the season, he looked poised to take his regular season success to the top of a tough bracket.
Pitted against a formidable foe in Cresskill High School's 30-1 Senior Alex Preefer, Bundy ultimately came up short in a close contest at 125 pounds, falling to Preefer 7-6. Preefer would go on to lose in the next round to Corey Kozimor of Hackettstown 6-1, and the 125-pound champion remains anyone's guess.
Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
While the loss was surely disappointing to Bundy, no one can deny that he turned in impressive performances throughout the season. He won the 125-pound UCT title and the 125-pound District 11 title and had an outstanding runner-up performance in the Region finals last weekend.
Success is sure to follow him as he continues with the sport.
Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Among other highlights on the first night of the state tournament was an impressive match between Bound Brook's superstar wrestler Andrew Capolattano (38-1), who was undefeated until his senior year, and Brandon Vorrius (36-2) of Middletown North. Vorrius held the lead in the third period, but Campolattano retook the lead with less than a minute remaining in the match, winning narrowly and keeping his hopes of a fourth state championship alive, 5-4.
Bundy's performance was indicative of the rigorous win-or-go-home format of the event.
Coaches, fans, and undoubtedly wrestlers questioned whether or not a preliminary round in which a competitor can be eliminated in the first round is worth the long ride "down the shore." Despite the gripes, one would be hard-pressed to convince Bundy or any of the other fierce competitors to stay home.
The competition comes to a close this Sunday.
