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SOUTHERN 40, PHILLIPSBURG 21.

How could this happen? Shore Conference teams finding comfort in P'burg gym.

Sunday, January 15, 206
By MIKE WEILAMANN

The Express-Times

PHILLIPSBURG | The Pit holds no mystique over Shore Conference teams these days.

This time it was New Jersey power Southern making a successful debut with a 40-21 independent win Saturday night over Phillipsburg before a crowd of about 1,200.

Phillipsburg (6-3) was hoping to keep riding the wave of momentum it gathered in beating Skyland Conference rivals Voorhees and Warren Hills earlier this week.

But the Stateliners couldn't find a weak spot in Southern's lineup, and surrendered too many bonus points in the eight bouts they lost.

"They're a stronger team than us -- and by stronger I mean muscles," said Phillipsburg coach Rick Thompson, whose team lost to Southern 29-27 in the regular season and 30-25 in the NJSIAA Group 4 final last season. "I'm not big on weightlifting and maybe that's something (our guys) should be doing on their own. We won six matches, three because we were stronger and the other three we were technically better."

The Rams (5-1), ranked No. 4 in the state by The Star-Ledger, joined fellow Shore schools Toms River North (35-33 last year) and Howell (39-19 this season) in beating the 'Liners in their Pit debuts.

No. 14 Phillipsburg's lone win in four meetings against Southern was 53-9 in the 1997 Group 4 final.

"This is a fun environment," Southern coach John Stout said. "Anytime you go up against a team with great tradition this is the way it should be. When you win, obviously, you're able to enjoy it better."

Southern went up 4-0 early compliments of Keith Dillard's 9-1 major of Nick Simon in the opening bout at 145 pounds. Dillard (11-2) used a cradle to turn Simon for three backs with 45 second left for the major.

District 1 champ Chris Norrell gave P'burg its only lead when he decked Alex Nagy at 152.

That's when the Rams took over for good.

Tom Henry used a third-period reversal and two back points at the buzzer for a 7-2 win over Brian Norrell.

That victory triggered a run of five straight wins, including pins from Josh Cipolla (171), Tim Pringle (189) and Glen Carson (215). Junior Mike Thomas contributed a 19-9 major at 275 and the Rams led 29-6 through seven bouts.

"I think we started the match at a good spot for us," Stout said. "The heavyweights did their thing and never allowed P'burg to get back into the match."

Freshman Charlie McGuinness stopped the bleeding for P'burg with a 4-2 win over Jason Walters at 103. His win started a run of five straight for the Stateliners as Jon Gregory (112), Luke Grassi (119), Jon Stillo (125) and Nick Bullock (130) all followed with decisions.

Now up 29-21, Southern stars Luke Lanno and Frank Molinaro closed out the victory with a pin and technical fall at 135 and 140, respectively.

"We gave up so many bonus points," Thompson said. "Every one they won was a pin, tech or major except (160)."

Phillipsburg will try and end the program's three-match losing streak against Kittatinny at home on Wednesday.