Prep’s Grzelka, a virtual wrestling newcomer, wins Region 4 title
Usually, the sport of wrestling takes years to learn and even longer to fine-tune and master. The general introduction to the sport is very humbling – countless hours looking up at the ceiling on your back more than inflicting pain on the opponents.
Last year, as a junior, St. Peter’s Prep heavyweight Brian Grzelka experienced that anguish. Grzelka decided to come out for the wrestling team for the first time, simply to get in shape to play football.
"I saw what wrestling did for my friend Lawrence Alexander," Grzelka said. "He got in great shape, so I wanted to be like him."
However, before entering St. Peter’s Prep, Grzelka, a native of Union City, had no idea what high school wrestling was all about. His idea of wrestling involved Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper.
"I knew nothing about the sport," Grzelka said. "I had no clue."
But Grzelka, who earned All-Area honors from The Hudson Reporter as a defensive lineman last fall, wanted to give it a try.
"He didn’t know much," Prep head wrestling coach Keith Kelly said. "But I knew that he was a tough kid who was not going to get pushed around. I always like to get the tough football player who is aggressive. It helps out both teams."
However, Grzelka didn’t exactly enjoy instant success.
"I used to get my head kicked in all the time," Grzelka said. "I didn’t know what I was doing."
Grzelka wrestled strictly on the junior varsity team a year ago, but when his buddy Alexander graduated last year after winning the District 16 title, it left the varsity duties to the very inexperienced Grzelka.
With less than a full year of mat time under his belt, Grzelka accepted the role as the Marauders’ premier heavyweight.
"I loved the sport right away," Grzelka said. "It was a physical sport, one that I thought I could handle. I never knew it would be anything like this. And I never knew I’d like it this much."
And no one could have ever predicted the success Grzelka would experience in just his second year of wrestling.
Not only did he post a 23-5 record, defeating Region 2 champion Adam Ackerman of Bergen Catholic to secure the school’s first-ever state sectional title, but he won both the District 16 and Region 4 championships –
becoming only the second Prep wrestler in the school’s history to ever capture a region title. Dave Illaria (at 112 pounds in 1998) is the other.
In a Hollywood-like script, out of the pages of "Rocky," Grzelka won the region title last week, defeating Rob Chalet of Bloomfield, who was considered by some to be the favorite to win the state heavyweight title. Chalet had a record of 29-1 at the time of Grzelka’s upset.
Ask Grzelka how it happened and he gives you an honest answer.
"I don’t even know myself," Grzelka said, as he prepared to head to the Super Regions and a possible berth in the state championships at the Continental Airlines Arena this weekend. "I still think of myself as a novice with a lot to learn. I’m not even sure what happened now. I don’t think I’m very good. I just think I got very lucky. I just think the whole thing is so amazing. It still hasn’t hit me."
Kelly believes that Grzelka’s work ethic was the key to his almost instant success.
"The way he’s been wrestling, he’s so determined," Kelly said. "The kid’s unreal. You look at him and he doesn’t look tough, but he is. I’ll never lie to him. He’s not a great technical wrestler. He still has miles to go. But he’s tough and he works hard. He knows the moves. He’s in the corner of the wrestling room with the group we call, ‘The Wild, Wild West,’ with (171-pounder) Matt Foster-Moore, (189-pounder) Allen Sista, and (coaches) Rick Gronda, Anthony Verdi and Ed Roselle. They all work with him.
Added Kelly, "He surprised a lot of people, but I think he surprised himself more than anyone."
"I’ll be so shocked if I make it to the Meadowlands," Grzelka said. "I’m still stunned. I wanted to make a positive impression on the school. I never dreamed it would be this way."
Kelly told Grzelka the other day that he’s already earned one title.
"I told him that he was the best wrestler to ever come out of Union City," Kelly said.
"When he told me that, I was dying laughing," said Grzelka, noting that Union City doesn’t offer wrestling on any level. "I guess he’s right."
In more ways that one.