The following are the opinions of long time reporter and Hall of Famer Joe Hofmann.
By Joe Hofmann for MorrisCountyHSWrestling.com
One night early last month, Hanover Park’s gym was buzzing. Roxbury came in and the battle between the two best public schools in Morris County was settled early by the Hornets, who wore down the Gaels in the lower and middle weights on the way to a convincing victory.
One thing that struck me was the size and energy of the capacity crowd. There was no room left in the stands (Hanover’s gym has bleachers only on one side). Hanover’s midget wrestlers sat at mat side, soaking it all in (the middle school midget team, I am told, has some terrific kids on the way up. Those kids want to compete for the Hornets and be coached by three-time state James LaValle at Hanover Park).
My question for the day is: Where, oh where, will all of the fans sit when Hanover Park hosts South Plainfield for the Section 2, Group II championship?
We know Hanover fans can pack ‘em in, but not nearly as much as South Plainfield, which can bring close to die-hard and dedicated 1,000 fans (like a P-Burg).
The last time South Plainfield visited Hanover Park was way back in 1997, during LaValle’s illustrious career. Back in those days, the Group championships were not held at Toms River North. High Schools rotated and it was Section 2, Group II's turn (thus Hanover Park’s turn) to host Group II that year. Hanover and South Plainfield were joined by Hopatcong and Kingsway.
Three things I remember from that afternoon:
1. The Kingsway Dragons have the coolest singlets in all of New Jersey.
2. LaValle gave one of the best wrestling exhibitions I have ever seen, taking a 9-0 first-period lead on Hopatcong’s eventual state finalist Keith Bunnicant who, incredibly, came all the way back and beat the exhausted LaValle in OT. Bunnicant’s comeback may have been the guttiest a wrestler has ever had that I have seen. LaValle, incidentally, used that loss to improve his suspect conditioning on the way to a state championship. I know LaValle has “only” three state championships (and not four like Delbarton's Mike Grey), but he is arguably the best wrestler in Morris County in my years covering the sport (since 1991). Just my opinion.
3. As I can recall, about 100 fans were turned away at the door that afternoon. That should never happen at any high school sporting event, but that is what happened that afternoon. And that is why trying to squeeze South Plainfield and all of its fans into Hanover Park’s gym will be very interesting.
