No. Highlands Sosinsky unknown no more by JJ Conrad of The Record
The conversation took place following Shane Sosinsky’s sophomore year.
Northern Highlands wrestling coach Tom Walsh told Sosinsky’s father following his state-qualifying trip to Atlantic City that Sosinsky, now a senior, had already become “the face of the program.”
“He was already the guy that when the rest of the state looks at Northern Highlands, they think Shane Sosinsky,” Walsh said Wednesday. “Prior to that it was Nick Gravina. Before that, it was Fred Santaite. Now it’s Shane Sosinsky. … He’s the best wrestler I’ve ever coached. And I’ve been coaching since 1995. He’s the best. Definitely.”
Sosinsky finished 41-4 last year, with all four losses coming to Bergen Catholic’s now-graduated Joe Grello, including the state title bout at 170 pounds at Boardwalk Hall in March. He was denied becoming Northern Highlands’ first state champion since Santaite accomplished the feat in 2006.
But as good as Sosinsky is – and he is undoubtedly one of the favorites to capture this year’s 182-pound title with more than 100 career wins to his name already – individual goals have been set aside. For now.
He’s as much a decorated wrestler as he is a part-assistant coach in the Highlanders’ locker room. An “invaluable guy that is going to be impossible to replace,” according to Walsh.
“I know the kid wants to win,” Walsh said. “He’s such a team player that, at this point, he’s far more concerned with the team winning than any individual goals right now. … It’s all he talks about. How the lineup is this week. How we’re going to win this match and that match. Sometimes he knows more about other team’s wrestlers than I do. It’s never individual stuff with him. It’s ‘How do we win as a team?’ with him.”
Sosinsky started his senior year off right over the weekend, capturing the Most Outstanding Wrestler award at the Neptune Classic with his 182-pound title. He cruised to the title relatively unchallenged with a trio of first-period pins in his first real competition since undergoing shoulder surgery late last summer.
“The mindset right now is to work every day and make sure I’m doing everything right on the mat and off the mat,” said Sosinsky, committed to the Naval Academy. “I want to make sure I’m dominating every position. Dominating every match. If I work hard and do the things I need to do, it will all pay off later in the year.”
Sosinsky said he doesn’t feel any added pressure this winter, though does recognize he’s more in the spotlight this year as opposed to last year. There won’t be any sneaking up on anyone this time around. He’s now a known commodity throughout the state.
“I think that pressure is only something that people put on themselves,” Sosinsky said. “It isn’t a real thing. It’s just about going in prepared and being confident.”
“There are teams out there like Bergen Catholic that kids like this just keep coming through,” Walsh said. “Then there are teams like Northern Highlands, a great program with a great tradition, but Shane is a generational commodity. We get a competitive wrestler of his caliber once every 6-7 years, maybe. And it’s only one or two guys.
“When we lose Shane, we’ll be waiting for the next great one to come through.”