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WRESTLING
Lanno's victory leads Southern
BY JOE ADELIZZI
STAFF WRITER
OCEAN — It was two hours before the wrestling match between Ocean and Southern was ready to start, but it wasn't too early for the Rams to start getting ready.
"We were just so up for this. We wanted it so bad we couldn't wait to get started," said Luke Lanno.
As it turned out, it was Lanno who got the Rams going as they defeated Ocean 32-24 in the nondivisional contest.
Matched against Ocean's Andrew VanDyk, a state place-winner last year before transferring to Ocean, in the second bout of the night, Lanno dominated throughout and took a 10-4 decision.
"It was a great win for Luke personally, and for our team," Southern coach John Stout said. "It got us going."
If Lanno started things, Frank Molinaro put an exclamation point on No. 4 Southern's reason for taking on the No. 3-ranked Spartans.
A state champion last year, Molinaro is up two weight classes and looks every bit the 140 pounds he is wrestling.
He pinned Maverick Nunes-Vais in the first period and the Rams were never stopped.
"I just wanted to win so bad tonight as a team," Molinaro said. "We were all pumped. We just wanted to get out. Then, watching Luke go out and win like that just what we needed."
When Keith Dillard held on for a 1-0 decision against Joe Falco, the Rams had the cushion they needed.
"Those early wins were important," Stout said. "But don't forget the win by Mike Thomas at heavyweight."
Thomas, who weighs 190 pounds, battled Ted Konopka, giving away about 40 pounds. He won, 4-3 giving the Rams a 29-14 edge.
But it was the next bout that made the difference, even though Ocean won at 103. Mike Berardesco and Jason Walters went into overtime when Berardesco took the Rams freshman to his back in the first period. He appeared flat, but Berardesco leaped up in celebration and the official did not call the pin.
The points would have been vital if Southern's Nick Maugeri hadn't won at 119 pounds. But he defeated J.P. Palandrano to make the margin 12 points when Nick Menditto wrestled at 125 in the last bout for Ocean.
Ocean started its day with a 57-9 Class A North victory against Middletown North when Dan Lopes won his 100th career bout.
He won his 101st against Southern, starting the match against the Rams with a quick pin.
BRICK MEMORIAL 43, ABSEGAMI 25:
The Mustangs, ranked No. 13 in the Gannett New Jersey Top 20, won the first three bouts, including a pin by Steve Santos at 135 pounds, to take a 14-0 lead en route to a nonconference victory over No. 18 Absegami.
Brick Memorial also won three of the last four bouts, with pins by Scott Lindsey (HWT), Cody Heilbroun (103) and Nick Davis (119).
TOMS RIVER EAST 36, CENTRAL 32:
Mike Kinder's 10-6 decision in the 135-pound bout clinched the nondivisional victory for the Raiders.
Jorge Espada (215), Vinnie DelleFave, Nico Coppola (112), and Matt Frank (125) all had pins for Toms River East (3-1). Central took a 20-3 lead in the match by winning four of the first five bouts, including pins by Nick Weaver (152) and Nick Tenpenny (160). |