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Sports

Kalamitziz Captures District Wrestling Title

Westfield advances several grapplers to regional competition.

The Westfield wrestling team went into Saturday's District 11 championships with high hopes, and while they advanced four wrestlers to regions, the day fell short of expectations.

One of the bright spots came at 103 when top-seed Mike Kalamitziz captured the championship for the Blue Devils after another impressive performance.

"I went into the match knowing I had to wrestle my match," said Kalamitziz, who improved to 21-5. "I just wanted to make sure I kept the pressure on him, make sure I kept my head in the match. It means a lot because I put a lot of hard work into it and our whole team works hard. It pays off and makes you feel good".

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Kalamitziz, just a sophomore, has a very bright future, nailing down his first district title.

"I went into the season with my goals up here," added Kalamitziz, "and they're not totally reached yet, but I'm on my way. I gotta keep working hard, not look past anything, I can't walk into a match cocky. I have to keep my head in the match and focus".

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"He was just a lot better than the kid," said Westfield head coach Glen Kurz. "There's not much you can say. He's head and shoulders above the kid. We went into that match pretty confident knowing we were going to win".

Third-seed Troy Skibitsky gave it a strong effort but eventually lost to # 1 seed Tristan Bundy of Scotch Plains-Fanwood 3-1 to take second-place.

Skibitsky is ready to take things a step further.

"Going into the regions, I'm hoping to really be peaking at this time of the season and hoping that all my training throughout the season comes together so that I can get top three in the region and go down to Atlantic City".

"I thought Troy wrestled well in the finals," said Kurz. "He needed to do a better job coming off the bottom but that's been a focus for us all year".

At 140, second-seed Christian Barber was intent on upsetting top-seed Dan Ries of Brearley, but lost in the final moments.

"Obviously it's not the way I was planning," said Barber. "I kind of let down on a takedown again right at the end. I felt better. I opened up a little bit in my shots I tired him out. I mean, that match really didn't mean much because I'm still third-seed in regions anyway even if I beat him. It's just showing I can hang with him in regions and hopefully get that match in and win the region finals so I can advance in the state tournament".

As runner-up, Barber will wrestle in the regions at Union High School.

Brian Henry will move on to the regions thanks to his victory in the consolation match, allowing him to medal for third.

"I'm happy because I'm still going on," said Henry. "I wasn't happy about my first match but I just had to move past it and go to the next one and keep going to regions".

Henry knew he had to deal with the pressure of not making regions, but he had a strategy.

"I got a double hook and tried to get a pin, tiring him out," Henry added. "I had him on his back for most of the second period. Then third period, he was really tired. I just tried to wear him down and got the win".

Bill Kim earned a third-place medal with a 12-2 victory in the consolation bout and a trip to the regions, which is a first for him.

"If you saw my semi-final I wasn't really aggressive enough," said Kim. "I was looking to come back and make a change. I focused mostly on offense and I'm glad I took the risk. I took the guy down. I took the nicest shot of the year with a switch-single in the first period. I wish I went to the finals, but I wrestled my best and I'm proud".

"In the semi-finals, Bill Kim and Brian Henry needed to be a little bit crisper, a little sharper," said coach Kurz. "They wrestled hard, but at this point in the year, they need to be better than that. They both did a great job coming back from third. They showed some resiliency. It's not easy to get your mind frame, here you are in the semi's, you lose, all of a sudden you start feeling sorry for yourself. You don't have time to do that. They did a good job of adjusting their minds, getting ready to go, and came back hard".

Regions begin Tuesday at Union High School and continue Friday when district winners and runner-ups will take center stage.

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