GRAY BEES SHOW PLENTY OF METTLE IN STATEN ISLAND DUALS

December 13, 2009

The St. Benedict’s wrestling team came into the Staten Island Duals missing a few key personnel from its lineup.

But coach Solomon Fleckman’s club didn’t let that deter them. The Gray Bees reeled off six straight victories with a number of wrestlers stepping up to fill the holes and eventually wound up with a very respectable second-place finish over the two-day tournament.

“The Staten Island Duals were, in many ways, just what we needed at this point in the season,” said Fleckman. “We had some students out of the lineup, thus forcing others to fill in holes that needed to be covered in order for the team to have success.”

Terrell Forbes, a freshman, who got some much-needed confidence by reaching the finals in the Caruso Invitational a week earlier, was thrust into a more prominent role in Staten Island.

All Forbes did was register a 6-0 record at 145 pounds, which included four pins. He also picked up a huge 12-1 major decision in a 39-37 victory over Curtis, which vaulted the Gray Bees into the final against Msgr. Farrell.

Also coming up big in the penultimate match against Curtis was heavyweight Chris Reynolds. The junior, who returned to the wrestling mats after giving up the sport as a sophomore to concentrate on music, registered a fall in 1:49 over Ariel Martinez in the final bout against Curtis to rally the Gray Bees to a 39-37 triumph.

The Gray Bees also got solid performances from 119-pounder Zach Jacobs, 125/130-pounder Whitney Forte and 140-punder Matt Aaron, who each reeled off 6-1 records.

But the mainstay of the weekend for Fleckman and company was senior Rob Ranalli, who put forth a dominant 7-0 record, which included four pins and a pair of technical falls.

“This was undoubtedly a pivot point in his career,” said Fleckman, “(and) should help him to bring his potential more into line with his achievements as the season continues.”

And although Fleckman was pleased with the effort, despite missing a few key ingredients, he and the team are far from satisfied with finishing second after a 54-33 setback to Msgr. Farrell in the final.

“We definitely came up short, and everyone who was there felt the sting of yet another missed opportunity to bring home a first place trophy rather than a second,” admitted Fleckman of his team’s second straight  runner-up finish. “The challenge for our group now is to convert these last two ‘learning experiences’ into progress and growth.”

– Ron Jandoli