Sports
Two Fort Lee Wrestlers Finish in Top 3 at Scholastic State Championship
Devin Sokolich and Alex Almeyda received medals for their performances at the 2011 Scholastic State Championship Series on Sunday.
Up early, even before the sun, two Fort Lee junior wrestlers along with scores of others from around New Jersey made the pilgrimage to Union High School on Sunday morning in pursuit of a state championship.
With months leading up to the 2011 Scholastic State Championship Series, the student athletes hoped to turn their hard work into heroic memories but only a select few received the distinction of “State Champion.”
Fort Lee’s freshman wrestler Devin Sokolich and second-grader Alex Almeyda both qualified for the event and represented their fellow community.
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Sokolich was first to reach the mats shortly before 9 a.m. and was presented with a unique opportunity – win and the state championship would be his.
In a two-person, one-match, winner-take-all tournament, only Columbia’s Nate Pham could stop Devin.
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The duo were tied mid-way through the second period but Pham pinned Sokolich in the final moments at 4:43 to secure the 85 lb High School Cadet title.
“I think it was an eye opener for him,” said coach Alex Almeyda. “He did very well, and I’m proud for him.”
The coach’s son on the other hand, had to compete against 19 other wrestlers in his class, but was able to win his first match.
The eight-year old wrestler, also named Alex, then had to wait over 200 matches for his next opportunity to compete again. Hundreds of family members packed the Union High School gym, leaving very few open spaces in the stands and only a handful of openings along the protective security gate.
It created a buzz around the facility as six mats were open for competition from 8 a.m. until roughly nine hours later.
Coach Almeyda looked to keep Alex focused during the longer breaks.
“I had to keep him pre-occupied,” said the 20-year wrestling veteran. “It’s a mental grind as opposed to a physical [one].”
And the strategy worked well when the younger athlete returned to the mats with an 8-2 decision over Shane Nelson from Stillwater-Fredon to set up another match against Alex’s rival.
Jospeh Manno (Apex) and Almeyda have wrestled a couple times over the past few years with Manno holding the advantage, despite Alex finally getting a victory last year in double overtime.
Where some people questioned the rankings that paired the wrestlers before the state championship, it didn’t keep more on-lookers from huddling closer to the mat that both Manno and Almeyda occupied.
After wrestling for the full allotted time, Manno would advance with the 6-2 decision.
The younger Almeyda was upset after the bout, but it was the coaches who kept Alex focused for the remainder of the double-elimination tournament.
“It’s tough regrouping mentally especially when the kid, all you know, his goals are high to be a state champion,” said the elder Almeyda. “A loss like that could make him better.”
Alex then returned to the mat by pinning Eric Checinski of Fair Lawn and beating Nelson again 7-1 to medal. Almeyda finished in third place in his 45 lb Bantam class, giving Fort Lee two medalists on the day.
Looking forward, the coach was very pleased with the performance of his wrestlers.
Devin will be back next season with the Bridgemen as a sophomore on the Fort Lee High School team, as the eight-year old Alex will continue to wrestle in some showcases and tournaments as the two still hope to be state champions someday.
