Wrestlers from Bridgewater-Raritan High School helped take down hunger.
Bridgewater-Raritan wrestlers participated in a two-day project called “Team Bonding with a Purpose.”
This cherished volunteer effort attracted 32 boy and girl Bridgewater-Raritan wrestlers, both from the varsity and JV levels, to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County on Easy Street in Bridgewater on Wednesday, November 19, and Thursday, November 20.
The wrestlers were divided into four groups over the two days, with each group volunteering a total of 6.5 hours.
According to Erika Karp, the Parent Manager for the Bridgewater-Raritan High School wrestling team, wrestlers supported warehouse operations by sorting, stocking, and organizing donations. They also assisted with special projects to help maintain smooth operations and greeted community members dropping off donations at the loading dock.
Ms. Karp reported that the team also sponsored a food drive. That generous showing resulted in 683 pounds of food collected and $102.53 in donations.
“Not only was this a meaningful community service effort, but it also served as a valuable team bonding experience for the wrestlers,” Ms. Karp stated.
All of these kind gestures were done as the team prepared to set history again on the wrestling mat.
Under the sound guidance of head coach Kyle Murphy, Bridgewater-Raritan’s 2024-2025 team established a school record for victories with its 21-8 finish. It advanced to its first-ever group state championship bout, too.
After Bridgewater-Raritan won the North Jersey Section 2, Group 5 state sectional title, which was the school’s first since 2016, when Coach Murphy was a senior on that team, the squad reached the Group 5 state championship match.
Bridgewater Raritan's bid to win its first state group championship was foiled when it ran into a buzzsaw—Southern Regional High School, which scored a 58-18 victory to successfully win its third straight Group 5 state championship at Rutgers University on February 16.
Coach Murphy praised the efforts of his wrestlers off the mat.
"Thanks to the amazing organization skills of team mom Erika Karp, we compiled an awesome community-helpful team bonding event right before the 2025-2026 season kicked off. We had a great team of nearly half, able to work together and make a meaningful impact on our community.” Coach Murphy said.
He added:
“Within the Bridgewater-Raritan wrestling family, it is of the utmost importance that we help give back during the holiday season."