Hazlet Teen Wrestler Punched Ocean Twp. Wrestler During Match

HAZLET, NJ — A student at Raritan High School in Hazlet punched a teen from Ocean Township during a wrestling match Monday night, said Raritan High School Athletic Director T.J. O'Donnell, who was on site at the match.

This occurred during an intense wrestling match between Raritan and Ocean Township High School, which was held at Raritan High School.

First, a player from Ocean Twp. was injured during a bout with a Raritan wrestler. The actions of the Raritan player were determined to be within the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) regulations of a wrestling match, and no disciplinary action was taken against the Raritan player, said O'Donnell.

However, the Ocean Twp. teen did have to be taken to nearby Bayshore Medical Center to be evaluated for concerns of a possible concussion, he said. NJ.com reports the Ocean teen was "knocked out cold" in the wrestling move. O'Donnell said the teen was conscious and alert when he was taken to Bayshore Medical Center.

Then, three or four bouts later in the match, an altercation broke out between two different boys. According to O'Donnell, an Ocean Twp. player held a Raritan player down on the mat and the Raritan teen responded by punching the Ocean Twp. wrestler.

The Ocean wrestler did not have to go to the hospital.

A point deduction was issued for the Ocean Twp. wrestler, and the Raritan High wrestler was suspended for the next two games.

The two incidents — the first teen being injured in a bout, and needing to go to the hospital, and the second where a teen punched another — were completely unrelated, said the athletic director.

"He was retaliating for something that happened during the match," said O'Donnell. "We do wish the Raritan player had not responded by throwing the punch. But we are following all the proper NJSIAA protocols on this."

"And our biggest, number-one concern was making sure the first player was evaluated and treated properly," he added. "That was our biggest priority."

The head coach for Ocean Township High School's wrestling program, Cippy Apicelli, did not immediately return a request for comment from Patch Tuesday.

All the boys involved in Monday night's match were about 17 years old, and high school juniors and seniors at both high schools, said O'Donnell.