Cherokee’s Zeuli stays fresh, and unbeaten

Rankings and seedings don't mean much to Mike Zeuli, Cherokee's undefeated 215-pound wrestler. The senior figures that he still has to go out and prove himself, so what's the big fuss?

In the first round of District 27 action Friday night, when Cherokee hosted Bishop Eustace, Camden Catholic, Cherry Hill East, Cherry Hill West, Lenape, Maple Shade, Palmyra, Seneca, and Shawnee, Zeuli, the No. 1 seed, defeated Maple Shade's Christian Humphrey to advance.

District 27 action will conclude Saturday, with the top three wrestlers in each weight class advancing to Region 7 competition scheduled for Tuesday at Robbinsville.

Zeuli said being ranked No. 5 in the state and seeded No. 1 "doesn't mean too much to me. That doesn't help you win anything. You still have to go out and wrestle."

And wrestle he did, as he improved his record to 20-0 by pinning Humphrey in 38 seconds with a cross-face move. He was thinking win, not pin, and was relieved to get the first bout done, he said.

Zeuli's top opponent figures to be Camden Catholic's Jeff Miller, seeded second with a 28-12 record. Zeuli defeated Miller by 10-1 on Jan. 29 and by 7-1 two days later.

"Being the No. 1 seed, expectations are that he win his weight class," Cherokee coach Bill Roller said. "In regions, there are tough competitors, too. It depends on who's healthy and who's on a roll. Michael is on one."

Zeuli, a three-sport athlete headed for Princeton University, wasn't healthy at the beginning of wrestling season. A fullback-linebacker on the Chiefs' football team, he needed time to heal from all the pounding he took through the season.

Roller held him out of two preseason tournaments and a couple of dual meets even though a doctor and trainer had cleared him to wrestle.

"We sacrificed getting him ready early so he would be healthy and fresh at the end of the season," Roller said.

"The number of bouts is not a big deal. He beat Absegami's [Kevin] Stadtmueller. It was a good win."

Zeuli won a 10-3 decision over Stadtmueller on Feb. 9. Stadtmueller's record was 25-3 entering the District 32 tournament Friday.

Zeuli's first bout was on Dec. 30 against Triton's Darrius Garey. He pinned Garey in 40 seconds. So far, Zeuli has eight pins, one technical fall, three majors, five decisions, and three forfeits.

He won the district two years ago at 189. Last season, Zeuli, who plays lacrosse in the spring, was second in the district and third in the region at the same weight. He's looking for more this time at 215.

"I'm probably 203 to 205," Zeuli said. "At 215, I feel great. I don't have to cut weight, so I feel fresh and ready to go."

At Princeton he'll forego wrestling, which he has done competitively since the first grade, and lacrosse, which he has played since eighth grade. He'll play football and concentrate on his studies.