Bound Brook Wrestling

Bound Brook's Saavedra brothers working hard to succeed on mat

Hard work is something Bound Brook’s Saavedra brothers have known since they were little kids in Costa Rica. Their mother, Monserrat, was the one setting the example.

Monserrat lived in the United States for a decade, working to send money home to her family as Aaron and Abraham and sister Nazareth were cared for by their grandmother. In 2008, the children were able to join their mother in Bound Brook, which has become a landing place for so many Costa Ricans. No different than countless Italian immigrants who came to the borough’s west end at the beginning of 20th century.

The Saavedra boys arrived with just a knowledge of soccer. Wrestling was not in their terminology, just like it wasn’t for Colombian native Nestor Taffur when he and his family came to Bound Brook. Taffur went on to place fourth at 145 pounds in the state tournament in 2009, and is now a 157-pound senior at Boston University.

The Saavedras also have college in their sight.

Wrestling has certainly helped in their meshing in the U.S. They have even become pretty good football players. Football, however, is the bridge to their top priority.

Aaron Saavedra, third at District 18 last year, wants to make a return visit to the Region V Tournament when he goes at 195 pounds in the district tournament Saturday at Hillsborough High School. Aaron was third last year at the districts.

Abe, who’s 15-7, wants to join his brother at the regions after watching as an eighth-grader last year.

“I will do whatever it takes to get to states and place at states,’’ said Aaron Saavedra, 20-8 this year, mostly at 195 after having eight of his first nine bouts of the season at 220. He was beaten 9-2 by Franklin junior Ralph Normandia in the Somerset County Tournament 195-pound final. Saavedra was third last year.

The brother’s involvement in the sport can be traced back to a scuffle Aaron got into outside of Smalley School. Part of Smalley Principal Kyle Franey’s punishment was for Aaron to wrestle – for a minimum of 30 days.

“At the end of it, it was up to him whether to stay (wrestling) or not, and he stayed,’’ said Franey, the former Crusaders’ coach, now athletics director.

Abraham eventually joined his brother, leaving basketball.

“I went to one of Aaron’s matches and it was pretty intense and I just told my basketball coach I was going to try it. He just wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing,’’ said Abraham.

Apparently it was. Two months later, Abraham placed third at Kid’s States.

His older brother nearly made the trip to Atlantic City last year, but fell 12-5 to John F. Kennedy’s Ryan Alston in the region semifinals after Saavedra had beaten Notre Dame’s No. 2 seed and District 17 champ Josh Simon 7-3 in the quarters. Saavedra’s season ended when he lost 6-5 to East Brunswick’s Gregory Krueger in a consolation semifinal.