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WRESTLING: JACKSON 39, PAULSBORO 17

Talented Jackson roughs up Paulsboro

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 01/15/06BY JOE ADELIZZI
STAFF WRITER

JACKSON - Jackson unleashed its full arsenal of wrestling talent against Paulsboro on Saturday night and left the Red Raiders in a shambles.

The Jaguars won 10 of the last 11 bouts on the way to a 39-17 victory against the fourth-ranked team in the Gannett New Jersey Top 20 wrestling poll.

"I didn't expect this," Jackson coach Scott Goodale said. "I thought they could win as many as eight bouts."

While he was confident his big-name wrestlers would perform for the standing-room-only crowd, he had to be pleased with the performance of the soon-to-be rich and famous lineup members.

Start with 103-pounder Derik Russell, who gave Jackson (12-1) its first points after Paulsboro jumped out to a 12-0 lead with wins in the first three bouts.

A freshman, Russell beat Eric Dunnet, who was 10-2 coming in and thought to be a possible district champion.

But Russell held him scoreless in the first period and then rode him out in the second as his teammates cheered him on. A reversal with 42 seconds remaining gave him the victory.

"I kept getting more confidence as the bout went along," said Russell, who improved to 5-3. "I could hear my teammates cheering me on."

He said he was actually motivated by heavyweight Kevin Solomon, who lost to Demitrius Hester in the bout before, and told him to go out and win.

"He wrestled so tough and he wouldn't allow himself to give up team points. He got me going," Russsell said.

It started a run, including pins by Kyle Kinchen (112) and Sean Byrnes (130) as well as a big decision by Corey Biscaha against Niko Lopez, one of the Red Raiders' top wrestlers.

"We were all so excited when Derik won. After that we got whatever we needed," Byrnes said.