News Flash

WRESTLING: JACKSON 40, BRICK MEM. 12
Jackson rolls to victory

FAST START: Jaguars capture 1st four bouts on way to win
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 01/22/06
BY JOE ADELIZZI
STAFF WRITER

JACKSON * It took a desperation touchdown pass on the game's last play for Jackson to beat Brick Memorial for the Central Jersey Group IV football championship this fall.

The Jaguars needed no such heroics Saturday in their Class A South wrestling showdown against the Mustangs. Jackson rolled out to an 18-0 lead on the way to a 40-12 victory. Now Jackson, ranked No. 2 in the Gannett N.J. Top 20 poll, joins the Memorial fans in cheering for the Mustangs Tuesday night when they take on No. 1 South Plainfield.

"That (Memorial) is a real good team," said Jackson coach Scott Goodale after his team won 10 of 14 bouts and allowed only one set of back points.

"We won the toss-up bouts today. But Memorial is tough at 119, 125 and then they have (John) Barrett, (John) Havens and (Sean) McCrossan. Mix in (Karon) Reed and you realize how good they are."

Dean Albanese knows how good the Jaguars are, too.

"They have depth, they are in great condition, they have great wrestlers, and they have great coaches," said Albanese, the Brick Memorial coach.

He would know about such things, having been part of the Brick Memorial wrestling legacy that includes constant runs at being the state's best team.

Albanese thinks someone from around here is going to be No. 1.

"The Shore has the No. 1 team," said Albanese, who didn't say if it was Jackson, Howell or Southern. But he knows that if his Mustangs can turn in a credible performance against South Plainfield the position will be wide open.

"We'll be wrestling for every team in the Shore Tuesday night," said Albanese, whose team will host the dual meet.

"I know we'll be pulling for them," Goodale said.

Jackson (13-1, 4-0) lost only once this season, and that was at The Clash in Minnesota, where they came in second out of 32 schools from across the country in the national dual meet championships.

Since coming home, the Jags have hardly been tested. Their only battle came before they left, when the went toe-to-toe with Southern in a match they won 29-17.

The Jaguars wrestlers admit that they too will be cheering for the Mustangs.

"We talk about being No. 1 all the time," said Ken Carney, a 160-pounder who had one of his bigger wins of the season when he beat John Barrett, a state placewinner last year.

Carney is now 15-1 on the season.

Goodale said the victory was important in the maturing process for Carney.

"He needs to beat some good people," Goodale said.

Working in the Jackson practice room can sometimes be just as good as wrestling in a match. Former state placewinner Devin Mesanko, serving an internship while at Columbia, has been helping at Jackson. Carney is one of his pupils, and he sees a big upside.

"He keeps getting better and better," Mesanko said.

So is Rob Swan, who put together his best bout of the season when he beat Nick Davis, 20-5.

"Rob needed that. He's being pushed by (Brian) Cohen in the room. I think it's helping him," Goodale said.

There were some high points for the Mustangs, especially Reed, who beat Sean Byrnes 8-2 at 130 and John Havens, who had a 1-0 victory against Dan Hopkins.

But Jackson was overwhelming from the start. Freshman Derik Russell started things with a victory at 103. A forfeit and Swan's victory made it 14-0 and Cory Biscaha's 11-0 victory against Don Miller made it 18-0. Matt Bradley got a major decision and Glen Booth beat Memorial freshman Steve Santos.

By the time Scott Winston had put together a technical fall, the outcome was clinched.

"I think we match up better against South Plainfield than we do against Jackson," said Albanese. "We'll do the best we can."

SOUTHERN 40, WALL 27:

The Rams, third in the Press Top 10 and in the Gannett state rankings, raced off to a 31-0 lead with pins in the first four bouts on their way to the nondivisional victory against the Knights.

Keith Dillard started things for Southern, now 9-1, by pinning in the first period.

The Knights got their first victory at heavyweight where Drew Doyle handed Southern's Tim Pringle his first loss of the season. Pringle, who has been wrestling at 189, weighed in at 215 and moved up to wrestle Doyle. Mike Thomas, who has been wrestling heavyweight, wrestled at 189 for the Rams.

Wall is now 7-2.