Millstone wrestler takes home state title BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Staff Writer JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Matt Doskoczynski, 15, of Millstone Township gets ready to pin Matthew Grundy, of Ridgewood, in the New Jersey Wrestling Association's 2007 state tournament at Union High School on March 17. MILLSTONE - Matt Doskoczynski had to overcome adversity again this year to win a wrestling tournament he qualified for but ultimately could not compete in last year. The 15-year-old township resident, who is a freshman at Notre Dame High School in the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence, fell ill and was hospitalized after qualifying to compete in the New Jersey Wrestling Association's 2006 state tournament. This year, determined to compete, not only would he overcome a knee injury, but Doskoczynski would also wind up wrestling three matches in the tournament with a dislocated finger to finish first in the 135-pound weight class. Doskoczynski, who also wrestles varsity for Notre Dame's Irish, had only competed in six matches at the school during the wrestling season before injuring his knee during a practice. He finished his season with the school 6-0. JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Matt Doskoczynski, 15, of Millstone Township gets a grip on Aaron Velasquez, of Morristown, during the state tournament. Despite the injury, Doskoczynski, who wrestles with Elite Wrestling Club in Jackson as well, was determined to make it to the New Jersey Wrestling Association's 2007 state tournament, given that it would be the last year he could qualify for the competition. A cadet this year, he will be too old to compete in next year's tournament. After he underwent rehabilitation for his knee injury, Doskoczynski's high school coach wouldn't let him back out on the mat. "The coach didn't think I was ready," he said. Not one to take no for an answer, Doskoczynski returned to Elite Wrestling. After eight weeks of tournaments held throughout the state, he took first at the Howell qualifier. However, his joy was short-lived. "After I qualified, I dislocated my finger in practice," Doskoczynski said. The tournament took place on March 17 at Union Senior High School in Union. After receiving a bye during the first round, Doskoczynski wrestled three matches with his finger taped up, pinning Kevin Bohm, of Hackettstown, in 1:38 of the first match. During the second match, he beat Matthew Grundy (2-1), of Ridgewood, whom he had previously wrestled and beat in overtime during a qualifying match. "In the finals of the qualifier, it was still a close match," he said. "I beat him 6-4." To win the title, Doskoczynski beat the No. 1 seed (4-2), Aaron Velasquez, who had finished last year's tournament in third place. Doskoczynski has been wrestling with Elite since the eighth grade and for the past two years has trained with coach Steve Rivera. Of Rivera, he said "He's very motivational, and he knows how to get you ready for the match. He makes you work very hard in practice." Doskoczynski began his wrestling career in fourth grade when he enrolled in Millstone Township's recreation program. Noting that at the time the township had a great wrestling program, Doskoczynski commended the work of his former coaches, Dave Pape and Tom Foley. Foley's son, Brian, now wrestles alongside Doskoczynski at Notre Dame High School, he said. Doskoczynski said he started to get serious about the sport under the direction of Millstone Township Middle School coach Craig Salvatore. "He comes to Elite once in a while," he said of Salvatore. "I never lost contact with him." Under Salvatore's leadership, Doskoczynski won the district tournament in eighth grade and in 2006 was deemed the Monmouth County champion. That year, he also won the Monmouth/Middlesex Tournament of Champions in the 126-pound weight class. Wrestling has now become a year-round endeavor for Doskoczynski, who recently gave up playing baseball to completely focus on wrestling. He said he prefers wrestling because he is not a patient person and the matches move quickly. He also likes to rely on himself to reach his goals, he said. The sport is difficult, and Doskoczynski's father, John, said people don't realize how hard his son works at it. During wrestling season, Doskoczynski practices at Notre Dame in Lawrenceville every weekday after school and on Saturdays as well, while still trying to make it to Elite in Jackson two to three times a week. Doskoczynski's mother, Trish, said, "You have to have a strong dedication to this sport to be in club wrestling," she said. "It's so much work, running and working out." To go as far as he did with the sport this season, Doskoczynski said he did a lot more than just wrestle. He ran three to five miles a day three days a week. Also, when he had to shed pounds to get down to his weight class, he ran five to six miles. "When I got hurt, I gained weight and was 145 pounds," he said. "I had to lose the weight to get back down to my weight class." His mother said it was hard for her to watch her son shed pounds, as a mother's instinct is to feed and nourish her children. Overall, she finds the sport a tremendously trying one for a parent. "There's not a match that goes by that I don't cringe when he's out there," she said, "but I see that he loves it." She continued, "It's unbelievable that he's so disciplined and he goes out there and makes it happen. I love to watch him be so happy after he wins, and that's the greatest reward." John said his son has a great intensity and desire to win. "I'm proud that he persevered over all the adversity with the injury and that he was able to come back in the end and not let it hamper him in any way," John said. Doskoczynski attributes his success to having a lot of heart and not taking no for an answer, but he also acknowledged the support of his coaches, his parents and his No. 1 fan - Tom Davis, of Millstone, who is Doskoczynski's grandfather. "He knows how to cheer me up, and he has no doubt," Doskoczynski said of his grandfather. For Doskoczynski, there's no doubt what his next move will be - to qualify next year for the Atlantic City high school wrestling championship.