UPDATED: For First Time Since 1988, a Ridge Wrestler Reaches 100 Wins

Ridge wrestler Cameron Radinovic this weekend eclipsed a milestone that had not been reached by a member of the team since 1988. The Ridge senior won the 100th wrestling match of his high school career.    

When Radinovic arrived at the high school for a quad match on Saturday morning, the 189-pounder knew he had a task in front of him. He had to win two matches of his three scheduled matches to win No. 100. He was at 98 wins when he walked in the room.

By the time noon rolled around, "Cam" had one thing on his mind:  beat Red Bank's Cliff O'Malley and capture that 100th win.

"I was feeling the pressure, it was always on my mind,"  Radinovic said. "Now that it is over I can focus on regionals, districts and states." 

Radinovic gives credit to his coach, Steve Hendershot, for helping make his win possible and helping to keep it all in perspective. Hendershot said, "I asked Cameron what more important, 100 wins or 99 wins and a trip to Atlantic City?"  Cameron was quick to answer "A.C." 

In fact, Radinovic won his third match on Saturday—placing him at 101 wins—in a quad home match with Red Bank Regional High School, Piscataway High School and Newton High School.

The results of his three matches on Saturday were:

Win 99: Piscataway — Kevin Smith, Tech Fall (15-0) 3:59

Win 100: Red Bank — Cliff O’Malley, Pin 5:15

Win 101:   Newton — Garrett Richards, Pin :51

And his wrestling career at Ridge isn't over yet. The team heads to Hillsborough for a District 18 tournament on Friday. 

If Radinovic places in the top three, he moves on to the regionals (Region 5) at Hunterdon Central, said his father, Joseph Radinovic. If he places in the top three again, he will head on March 4 to Atlantic City to wrestle in the state tournament, he said.

Radinovic said he began wrestling competitively in second grade. "I tried basketball in third grade, but came back to wrestling the next year," he said. He had some motivation and special training at home.  His older brother, Bennett, three years Cam's senior, was himself a wrestler and a captain at Ridge. "We had a mat in the basement and my brother and I wrestled all the time," Radinovic said.  

Bennett was the captain of the Ridge wrestling team his senior year. Wanting to better his brother served as an inspiration for his younger brother. "I always wanted to win more matches, to be captain of the squad," Cam said. 

But Radinovic did not limit his sports  participation to wrestling. He also was a standout on the Ridge football team and started as linebacker. Although he loves the game, he said wrestling remained his first love.

And by the way, he said he definitely was not inspired by pro wrestling on television.

Cameron has not decided on college. "I would like to go south, James Madison or the University of South Carolina are my first choices."  And when asked about competing in college, Radinovic felt the pressure of getting an education was enough, "I may get involved in a club wrestling or football team.  I don't want athletics to compete with my grades."

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