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SJ GROUP IV: JACKSON 54, OLD BRIDGE 6

Winston, Jackson in for the long haul
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 02/15/06
BY STEVEN FALK

STAFF WRITERJACKSON - A year ago this week, Scott Winston became a lonely and sad sight on the Jackson wrestling team's bench.

Then a freshman 140-pounder, Winston had his wrist in a cast after breaking it the Sunday before the NJSIAA Tournament began while watching his younger brother wrestle in a youth tournament at Brick Memorial.

All Winston could do was provide moral support to his teammates and think about what might have been for himself in the individual season, which the injury forced him to miss.

"I was thinking about this year actually," said Winston Tuesday night after he made his postseason debut with a win by technical fall over Old Bridge's Justin Kitchen in Jackson's 54-6 rout of the Knights in an NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV semifinal match.

Winston, who said he missed the atmosphere of the frenzied crowd of a postseason match, will get the chance to experience that kind of atmosphere Thursday night when Jackson (26-1), ranked No. 1 in the Gannett New Jersey Top 20, will host No. 11 Howell (20-1) at 7 p.m. in the CJ Group IV championship match.

Howell routed Steinert 63-7, Tuesday night in its sectional semifinal match. Jackson will be seeking its third consecutive CJ IV title.

Jackson coach Scott Goodale remembers how devastated he was when he found out that Winston was finished for the year. He also knew he had to pull his team together for the sectional tournament.

"I wasn't upset at the kid. I was upset for the kid," Goodale said.

Winston (26-0) will not likely get a high seed in the state tournament because he did not wrestle in last year's state tournament.

However, he served notice Jan. 29 at the New Jersey Coaches All-Star Invitational that he will be one of the favorites to win at 145 when he defeated Southern's Frank Molinaro, last year's 125-pound state champion and one of the favorites this year at 140, 5-3.

"I couldn't wait for this whole part of the season," Winston said. "I'm excited to be here and whatever I can to be a state champion."

But first there is the business of helping his team win its first state group championship and secure its first final No. 1 ranking in the Gannett N.J. Top 20.

Jackson took care of business in routine fashion Tuesday night, with junior Dan Hopkins recording the most impressive victory when he majored Old Bridge's Chris Orzechowski, 8-0, to avenge a 6-2 loss to Orzechowski on Jan. 28.