Wrestling Coach Looks for Personal Performance

Young team looks to Captain Greg Delade for leadership.

Chatham High School's varsity wrestling team meets unusual challenges when it starts each season. Some of Chatham's athletes have played their respective sports at the youth level, but because of low numbers wrestling coaches often find themselves recruiting athletes with no wrestling experience. But Chatham's first-year head coach Brian Cassera believes that he could potentially have five of his players qualify for regionals, a feat the wrestling team has never known. "Not a lot of kids come out for the team," said Cassera. "So staying healthy is going to be really important for us." What is also going to be important is replacing graduated stand out Jeff Fricke. Last season Fricke became the only the fourth wrestler in Chatham's history …

• Photos (12)

Fricke's Season Comes to a Close at States

Chatham senior loses in preliminary round but is praised by his coach for a fantastic year.

ATLANTIC CITY — Sometimes it just ends too soon. Chatham senior wrestler Jeff Fricke now knows that all too well after losing in the first round of the NJSIAA Wrestling State Championships at Boardwalk Hall here on Friday. Fricke was the Cougars' lone representative at the meet and was only the third Chatham wrestler to ever go to the state tournament. He qualified for states by taking third place in the Region 3 tournament and appeared poised to build on his 99-win career at Chatham High. Friday night's event included the preliminary and pre-quarterfinal rounds of the tournament. Any wrestler who scored a win in the preliminary round was guaranteed at least two more fights, but any wrestler that lost was eliminated.  Coaches, fans, and …

• Photos (1)

Fricke Headed to State Tournament

Senior is one win shy of becoming the first-ever Cougar with 100 wins.

UNION — In a season filled with injuries and disappointment, there was one bright spot for the Chatham Cougar wrestling team that came in the form of 160-pound senior Jeff Fricke. After taking third in the Region 3 tournament on Saturday at Union High School, Fricke is headed to Atlantic City for a chance to win a state championship. "Awesome. I couldn't be happier right now," Fricke said after the tournament. "I can't even talk right now, that's how excited I am. I'm going to states." Fricke, like almost every other Cougar wrestler, was battling injuries this season so severe that it wasn't clear if he would even be able to wrestle in the district tournament. "He hadn't even wrestled since Feb. 3 when he was injured and we didn't even …

• Photos (34)

Furbish Falls at Region Tournament

Fricke set to wrestle on Friday.

Chatham High School had two members of its wrestling team reach the region tournament this season. On Tuesday at Union High School, one of them had their season ended as senior 215-pounder Jeff Furbish fell to Andrew Tullo of New Providence. Furbish was in a scoreless match in the second period when Tullo secured a cradle, rolling the senior to his back for the pin. "Jeff has had a great career. Today, unfortunately, he made mistake and got pinned. In the regions, you can't make a mistake," Head Coach Mike Carbone said. 160-pound district 10 champion Jeff Fricke, the lone Cougar wrestler still alive, will wrestle in the region quarterfinals Friday at Union High School.

• Photos (1)

Wrestling Recap: Chatham's Fricke and Furbish Advance to Regions

Regional tournament begins Tuesday night in Union.

MILLBURN — Two Chatham wrestlers advanced to this week's regional championships over the weekend after the team sent eight wrestlers to compete in the District 10 quarterfinals at Millburn High School. The districts are the first step in the journey that all New Jersey high school wrestlers seek—a chance to compete in Atlantic City for the state tournament. The top three wrestlers in each weight class from the 32 N.J. districts advance to one of the eight regional tournaments. From there, the wrestlers must again place in the top three at the regional tournament for a chance to go to Atlantic City.   Three Chatham wrestlers—sophomore 112-pounder David Lappin, senior 160-pounder Jeff Fricke and senior 215-pounder Jeff Furbish—advanced into …

• Photos (5)

Injury Plagued Cougars Fall to Scotch Plains-Fanwood

Seven forfeits too much for team to overcome.

It was basically over before the match even began for a depleted Chatham Cougars wrestling team as it was forced to forfeit seven matches to Scotch Plains-Fanwood on Friday night at Scotch Plains High School. Chatham fell, 62-15. "Unfortunately, you can't control the injury bug, and it's hit us hard," Head Coach Mike Carbone said. "In the beginning of the year, we were wrestling with some pretty good teams, and now we can't really compete with anybody because we go into the match down 33-0 or 42-0. It's not a good situation." The latest injury to a team riddled by injuries comes in the worst form possible as 160 pound senior captain Jeff Fricke—who recently took third in the Morris County Tournament—tore cartilage in his ribcage.  "We lost…

• Photos (3)

Millburn Wins Sachsel Cup for Fifth Straight Year Over Chatham

Fricke wins first of day for Cougars.

For five years, the Sachsel Cup has known only one home—Millburn High School. The winner of the annual Chatham vs. Millburn wrestling match is awarded with the Sachsel Cup, named after Gerard Sachsel, the founder of both the Millburn and the Chatham High School wrestling programs. "It's very important," said Millburn head coach Mike Artigliere of the cup. "Ever since we've started it, it has never left Millburn, and we want to keep it that way." On Tuesday night in the fifth installment of the annual event,  the Millburn boys beat a depleted Chatham squad, which was down 24 points before a match was even wrestled due to forfeits. Chatham wound up spotting Millburn 18 by the time it was over. The Millers came away with a 48-22 win in a …

• Photos (6)

Chatham Wrestlers Place at County Championships

Fricke, Furbish take third.

FLANDERS — The Chatham Cougars sent only seven wrestlers into the Morris County Tournament this weekend because of injuries and a skin disorder that plagued the team. So of course, success was going to be limited, but two Chatham wrestlers did manage to place at the tournament at Mount Olive High School. After yesterday's round ended, Chatham Head Coach Mike Carbone admitted, "Our 160-pounder and our 215-pounder need to get to the semis. I think their toughest matches will be in the semis." That was the absolute truth because both seniors fell in their semifinal matchups as Jeff Fricke and Jeff Furbish both left with third place medals. At 160-pounds, Fricke looked strong early as he recorded a first period pin over his first opponent, …

• Photos (10)

Depleted Cougars Advance Two in County Tournament

Furbish, Fricke advance.

FLANDERS — With a few injuries and a skin disorder plaguing a number of wrestlers, the Chatham Cougars wrestling team was forced to send less wrestlers than it had hoped into the Morris County Tournament at Mount Olive High School on Friday night, including a number of junior varsity members. Needless to say, it wasn't the best showing for Chatham overall, but there were a few bright spots on day one for the team's depleted squad of seven. The tournament continues today. Senior 160-pounder Jeff Fricke, seeded third, made easy work of his opponent as he recorded a first period over Delbarton's Kurt Ferdenzi. Fricke will face Slade Eigenmann of Montville in his first match today. At 215 pounds, Chatham senior Jeff Furbuish—also seeded third—…