Henchy’s first year as a wrestler a memorable one

By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Publisher EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – Last fall, Absegami’s Chris Henchy probably figured the only thing he might be going to Boardwalk Hall for during his senior year would be a concert. Next weekend he will be heading to Atlantic City as one of the state’s top wrestlers. It’s been a wild ride the last few months for the first-year wrestler. When he first started practicing back in November, the only real move the 220-pound football and lacrosse player had was simply tackling his opponents. He knew how to do that. He is a linebacker, after all. Once he got his opponent down, however, he pretty Absegami’s Chris Henchy, right, wrestled his way back to take third place at Region 8 and earn a trip to the state championships in Atlantic City in just his first year as a wrestler. (Glory Days Magazine photos/Dave O’Sullivan) much had no clue what to do from there. But with the help of coach Shawn Scannell and some other very talented wrestlers in the room, including 195-pounder Will Sanz, Henchy got better very quickly and the wins started piling up. He won his first 13 matches, then it was 16-0 and he started to change his thinking. He went from just messing around to, hey, maybe I can actually do something good this season. The feel-good story of the wrestling season continued this weekend, as Henchy punched his ticket to the state championships by finishing third in his weight class behind defending state champion Bryan Dobzanski of Delsea Regional and Millville’s Obi Kali. Henchy registered a 4-2 win in the first round, then beat Highland’s Mark Gillis 3-1 in overtime in the consolation semifinals. In the consolation finals, with a trip to Atlantic City on the line, Henchy slipped past Isaiah Coppage of Penns Grove 3-2. His only loss came via pin against Dobzanski. “States, man. I’m so excited. My coaches told me it was possible but I thought they were just lying to me to keep my self esteem up,” Henchy said with a laugh after beating Coppage. “I didn’t believe them. I realized districts went well. I had wrestled some of these guys previously. I knew I wasn’t getting past Dobzanski, but I figured it’s all about keeping your head straight and not giving up.” Henchy said what has probably helped him out the most this season has been his cavalier attitude toward his brief wrestling career. If he didn’t make it past districts or regionals, no big deal, just get ready for lacrosse season. Absegami’s Chris D’Alfonso won two close matches to advance to the state championships. D’Arcy. Bower won his consolation semifinal, then hung on for dear life to win the third-place bout 3-2 over Jon Lado of Gloucester in the ultimate tiebreaker. Lado won the coin flip in the final 30-second period and chose defense, but Bower was able to ride him out, clutching at Lado’s heel as the horn sounded to prevent the escape. “It was crazy, knowing that if I didn’t hold his leg for those last two seconds I would have lost and I wouldn’t have made it (to Atlantic City),” Bower said. “I was just thinking ‘make sure he doesn’t get out, keep good hip position, bump him so he can’t get up.’ When there are 20 seconds left if feels like there’s an hour left. You just have to hold on.” Bower, like every other wrestler, has been dreaming of making it to the state championships for a long time. “It will be great. I have been dreaming out this day,” Bower said. “I wish I could have been in the finals, it would have been a little easier on me, but just to make it is a dream come true.” Buena Regional’s Chaz Bramble also wrestled back to take third and punch his ticket to Atlantic City, beating John Pierson of Delsea 10-7, avenging a loss earlier in the tournament to Pierson. Cedar Creek freshman Andrew Solomon saw his outstanding postseason run come to an end with a 9-1 loss to Trace Kinner of Kingsway at 106 pounds, and Absegami’s Yanni Patsaros fell to Clearview’s Mike VanBrill in the consolation finals at 126. Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays [adsense]