Saturday,
December 31, 2011
By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director
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Sophomore Johnny Sebastian won his second straight BCCA Holiday Tournament title with a 5-1 win over old rival Matt Dickman in the 160-pound final on Thursday night. |
SUFFERN – With a second place finish in the Beast of the East Tournament earlier this month and as a returning BCCA Holiday Tournament champion, Bergen Catholic sophomore Johnny Sebastian has made his way on the national radar. All of that is great, except Sebastian knows that outside accolades means nothing when the whistle blows and there is an opponent standing on the opposite side of the mid-mat rectangle.
“When you go out and wrestle kids from outside the state and do well, that gives you exposure to other people and it is nice to be noticed, but the kid you are wrestling doesn't care about that and it is actually more motivation for them,” said Sebastian. “For me, I don't think about it. I just go one match at a time, one period at a time and try to do my best.”
And Sebastian figured to have his hands full against Glen Rock/Saddle Brook's Matt Dickman, with whom he split last year's two meetings, with Sebastian winning last season's BCCA Tournament final. It was in the second period that Sebastian took control in the third part of the trilogy, escaping early to take the lead after a scoreless first period. Sebastian added a takedown halfway through the second period and then rode out most of the third from the top position.
Dickman, wrestling with his right should wrapped in a harness, escaped with 11 seconds to go to avoid the shutout, but Sebastian secured a late take down and his second straight BCCA Tournament title in his second try.
“People say that after you go out and wrestle big out of state tournament like the Beast, that you should comeback and the county tournament should be easy,” said Sebastian. “But this county tournament is not easy and Dickman is not easy to beat. There are a lot of teams in this tournament, there are a lot of great wrestlers, so to win it for the second year in a row means a lot. It feels great.”
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