Middletown, Lincroft

Mar 14, 2023

Thompson Wrestling Repeats as Shore Conference Tournament Champions

By Les Pierce

Aiden Addessi pins his opponent to win the 158-pound SCT title.

The Thompson Middle School wrestling squad captured the Shore Conference of Middle Schools Tournament for the second consecutive year. The Lions scored 150 points to claim the victory with William R. Satz School (130) and Thorne Middle School (75) finishing second and third. Twenty weight classes were contested in a tourney that was held at Raritan High School on Feb. 4.

Thompson wrestlers picked up 14 medals, five gold, six silver and three bronze.  

Gold medals went to Ryder Hartman (75 pounds), Ryan Romano (110), Max Alweiss (120), Aiden Addessi (158) and Liam Brett (170). Romano is a repeat gold medal winner; he garnered the 95 pound title in 2022. Collecting silver were Peter Trezza (80), John Pratt (85), Daniel Heaney (90), Nathan Jackson (115), Tyler McDougall (126) and Ryan Kraft (144). Joseph Reno (70), Timothy Heaney (132) and Mason Kushwara (HWT) brought home bronze medals.

Prior to the tournament, the squad went undefeated during the dual meet season, ending with a 14-0 record. This followed a 12-0 record last year for the first set of consecutive undefeated seasons in the program’s history.

Three wrestlers finished the 2022-23 campaign undefeated: Ryder Hartman (14-0 record), Aiden Addessi (16-0) and Liam Brett (16-0). Addessi was a dominant force in dual meets, with every win coming via the pin. Brett pinned every opponent he faced except one.  

Ryder Hartman wins the 75-pound SCT final.

Ryan Romano (16-1), Peter Trezza (15-1) and Timothy Heaney (16-1) incurred just a single loss on the season. Others posting excellent records were John Pratt (12-2), Daniel Heaney (10-2), Nathan Jackson (13-4), Tyler McDougall (11-2), Ryan Kraft (13-2), Joseph Reno (13-4), Thomas Gelpke (13-3), Alex Testa (7-2), Mason Kushwara (5-2) and Aiden Cohen (5-3).  Gelpke scored 12 pins within his 13 victories.  

It’s likely that seventh-year Head Coach Matt Rosner may not have anticipated this level of success when the season started. He staffed 15 of the team’s 20 slots with wrestlers who had zero experience or saw no varsity action.  

“Our mantra was ‘One Job,’” Rosner said. “This team bought into that belief from day one and, with improvement and consistency throughout the year, saw success individually and as a team by the end of their season. Every dual meet, every match and every point was earned through hard work and a solid understanding of what their job was when they stepped up against the competition. If their job was to pin, they got it. If it was to win by points, they did it. At times, their job might have been to not win at all, but to not get pinned and save points, they were successful. This team’s overall unity and drive to succeed was unmatched this season. I am proud of each and every one of them.”

Rosner’s coaching record at Thompson stands at 82-9, including a 47-1 run over the past four years. During his high school wrestling career, Rosner captured heavyweight District championship crowns in 2003 and 2004.

Collaborating with Rosner was sixth-year Assistant Coach Brian Winz. Erik Cook assisted the coaching staff on a consulting basis.