By David Weinberg
If I had listened to my gut, the only salt I would have been dealing with earlier this week would have been around the rim of my tequila-filled glass.
Last Sunday was National Margarita Day. I was this close to celebrating my favorite holiday under a poolside cabana in Florida.
Instead, my wife and I were hunkered down at home, hoping the electricity and internet would stay up long enough for her to watch the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics while I kept tabs on my phone of the Lower Cape May Regional High School wrestling team’s bid to win its first-ever state championship.
A day earlier, as what was billed as an epic snowstorm barreled toward Atlantic and Cape May Counties, I thought of getting out of dodge in a Dodge – actually a Hyundai Kona. Flights were sold out, so I contemplated driving south until we saw palm trees and people wearing flip flops instead of snow boots.
Instead, we decided to stay, foolishly thinking the infamous Cape May Bubble that has so often protected our slice of the East Coast would once again ward off the blizzard.
Not this time.
Snow and wind smacked us around like local heavyweight boxers Rodney Brooks and Bruce Seldon Jr.
We did manage to watch the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team win gold and the Phillies beat the Pirates in a spring training game in between power outages.
Lower Cape May’s wrestling squad gave a valiant effort before losing 35-33 to Rumson-Fair Haven in the state Group II championship match.
Then I got to wake up Monday to waist-high snow drifts and swirling winds.
So much for giving up cursing for Lent.
Hopefully the snow will be cleared enough for our area to enjoy the plethora of events that are coming to town over the next few weeks.
The action actually starts this week on the high school level with the state boys and girls basketball tournaments while the march to the state tournament at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall starts with local wrestlers competing in the district tournaments.
In boys basketball, Atlantic City (South Jersey Group IV), Holy Spirits (Non-Public B) Lower Cape May (Group II), Middle Township (Group II), Ocean City (Group III) are all seeded fourth or higher in their respective groups and could challenge for sectional titles.
Atlantic City just won the Cape-Atlantic League tournament and Ocean City is the defending South Jersey Group III champion.
On the girls side, Egg Harbor Township (Group IV), Hammonton (Group III), Holy Spirit (Non-Public B), Mainland Regional (Group III), Middle Township (Group II), Wildwood (Group I) and Wildwood Catholic (Non-Public B) are all among the top seeds in their brackets.
The dream for every local boys and girls wrestler is to qualify for the state individual championships at Boardwalk Hall, which this year will be held March 12-14. Their quest begins this weekend with district tournaments at various locales throughout South Jersey.
On the college level, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament, fresh off signing a five-year extension that will keep the tournament in town until at least 2031, returns on March 5-10.
Merrimack (20-9, 16-2) will enter the men’s tournament as the top seed after winning the regular-season title. Fairfield (24-4, 18-1) and Quinnipiac (22-5, 17-1) are vying for the top seed in the women’s tournament.
Stockton University’s men’s team opened the New Jersey Athletic Conference (16-10) with a win over Kean University in the first round. The third-seeded Ospreys are scheduled to play at second-seeded The College of New Jersey on Wednesday in the semifinals.
Stockton’s women’s team (16-10) knocked off Montclair State in the first round. The fourth-seeded Osprey will next play at top-seeded William Paterson on Tuesday.
I’m planning to take in as many events as possible in the next two weeks, this week’s Atlantic City Boat Show at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
But first I have to dig out my driveway.
What the … heck.
I should be in Margaritaville.
David is a nationally recognized sports columnist who has covered Philadelphia and local sports for over 40 years. After 35 years with The Press, he has served as a columnist for 973ESPN.com and created his own Facebook page, Dave Weinberg Extra Points. Send comments to weinbergd419@comcast.net.
