SIR Wrestling

By BRENDAN KUTY

bkuty@njherald.com

Add one more name to the Sussex County grappling annals -- Wallkill Valley's Ryan Callahan, the 2010 New Jersey Herald Wrestler of the Year.

Callahan beat out High Point candidates Nick Francavilla and Ethan Orr for the award, but not by much. Like Callahan, Francavilla (112 pounds) and Orr (152 pounds) each won state titles.

But Callahan, who ended his career as Sussex County's all-time winningest wrestler at 155-12, was perfect. Literally.

The Rangers' 171-pound senior finished 43-0 this season, dominating just about every opponent he faced. Rarely was Callahan threatened. And almost never was he on his back.

Yet, the Wallkill Valley legend wants to be remembered beyond the mat.

"There's an academic side outside of wrestling," said Callahan, who will attend Princeton University next fall. "You can be a state champion, but you can get good grades and all that stuff, too."

Callahan owned his weight class at the state tournament. He breezed through each round before nailing an 8-3 decision over Trenton Central's Canaan Bethea in the finals. After the win, Callahan looked into the crowd, circled the mat and raised his arms in victory.

The celebration was deserved.

Callahan wrestled the whole season as just about everybody's state title pick. He admitted the pressure was a bother at times.

"Anyone who was around the sport knew that I was the favorite coming in," said Callahan, who lost in the 2009 finals to Watchung Hills' Brendan Ard. "They knew it would be an upset to see me lose.

"In the beginning of the season, I thought it was cool (being ranked No. 1). But I don't know. It was getting on my nerves. Rankings don't mean anything. They really don't."

Callahan's supporters had plenty of ammo. He was coming off a great season. And he spent the summer working with SIR Wrestling's Shawn Hall and wrestlers from Blair Academy.

It was with Hall that Callahan fixed what he considered his greatest weakness -- his foot game.

"It's the most important position, being on your feet," Callahan said. "I never felt like I had a problem getting out on bottom, and my ride is the same or a little bit better than last year.

"That's how you win your matches. In overtime, you're on your feet in the first period. If you're good on your feet, you don't even have to wrestle on the mat."

Hall said Callahan improved his offensive repertoire over the summer.

"Like any kid, you have a couple techniques you're really good at," Hall said. "He was able to generate some depth in his offense. Instead of just one move, he had two or three moves he was able to switch off to."

Callahan, who often wrestled at 189 pounds and 215 pounds to help fill holes in the Rangers' lineup, didn't face a real test until meeting Long Branch's Nick Visicaro, the eventual two-time 160-pound state champion, at the All-Star Wrestling Invitational at Brick Memorial High School. Wrestling at 171 pounds, Callahan beat Visicaro, 5-3, but not before falling behind, 2-0, in the first period.

Callahan said training for Visicaro helped him prepare for states.

"I think he was one of the toughest," Callahan said. "He was by far the fastest kid I went against and the most technical on his feet."

Hall believes Callahan placed himself in the discussion of Sussex County's greatest all-time wrestlers.

"You've got some really powerful names that have come through this area," he said.

"I would put him in that elite class."

By BRENDAN KUTY

bkuty@njherald.com

First it was Ohio State. Then it was Virginia Tech. But finally, Will Livingston found a home, and Centenary College found its first All-American.

Livingston, once a Kittatinny grappling star, rebounded from a nomadic college career and major knee surgery to capture a bronze medal at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 12 days ago.

Though the 133-pounder lost his quarterfinal match to eventual titlist University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Bebeto Yewah, Livingston battled back to win four straight wrestleback matches before dropping SUNY Cortland's Aljamain Sterling, 4-3, for the third-place finish. Each weight class' top eight wrestlers earned All-American honors.

For Livingston, it was a dream realized.

"It's been a goal of mine since I left high school," he said, "to become a national All-American."

However, Livingston's road wasn't exactly smooth.

Livingston, who compiled 144 wins and a 130-pound state title in 2006 with the Cougars, spent his freshman year as a Buckeyes starter at 125 pounds. It didn't go too well, and he redshirted his sophomore year.

But Livingston never adjusted to life in Ohio, so he transferred to Virginia Tech, seeking a fresh start. But his time as a Hokie was short-lived due to financial problems, Livingston said, and he left Virginia Tech for New Jersey.

He admitted to feeling homesick during his first two stops.

"It was just more about getting closer to where I came from, coming back home," he said.

So Livingston came back to his Stillwater home last summer, reconnecting with friends and family. That's when he almost lost his wrestling future.

Playing basketball with his sister and a few friends at Sussex County Community College last April, Livingston stopped suddenly with serious pain in his right knee. He later learned it was a torn ACL. He would need surgery if he wanted to keep wrestling.

Livingston had the operation in early June, enrolled at Centenary and didn't return to the mat until January.

Even then, Livingston wasn't sure he'd compete this season. He had to send numerous letters to the NCAA lobbying for his eligibility.

Cyclones head coach John Garriques figured he'd get his star.

"We were optimistic," he said. "There was no clear sign, but we were hoping for the best."

It worked, and in February Livingston joined his third collegiate squad. It welcomed him immediately, and Livingston got off to a blistering start, winning his first five matches before the NCAA tournament began.

"He seemed like he was in good shape," Garriques said. "I would have loved to have another month with him. When he was finally eligible, that's when his switch turned on."

Assistant coach and former Kittatinny state place-winner Anthony Gummerson said the team was pumped by Livingston's addition.

"I think everyone was kind of excited," Gummerson said. "A couple of kids knew him pretty well from state tournaments. We tried not to hype it up too much. But it's always great to have a kid like him come in and help the team out."

Then it was onto Cedar Rapids. Livingston said he knew he was vying to become Centenary's first All-American, but the pressure didn't phase him. After dispatching his pre-quarterfinals opponent, 4-1, Livingston ran into a roadblock in Yewah.

And despite leading most of the match, Livingston lost on a neutral pin at 6:15.

"I wasn't happy about what happened," he said. "But I knew after talking to the coaches, I rested and thought and turned it around really quick into a positive.

"But it was kind of hard losing and having to go right into the next match, knowing it's win or go home."

It didn't matter. Livingston took control of his final five matches, winning most of them easily, and stepping onto the winners' podium at the event's end.

Garriques sees Livingston's bronze as something that could help the Cyclones in the future.

"Winners reap winners," he said. "It's definitely going to take us to the next level. It puts Centenary on the map."