Paulsboro starts strong in districts

Paulsboro began its bid for its 32d NJSIAA District wrestling championship in the last 34 years by pushing 10 wrestlers through Friday night's quarterfinals in the District 29 competition at Gloucester County College.

The Red Raiders produced six pins, including a 39-second fall by Sam Morina at 113 pounds and a 54-second effort by Nick Knauer at 138, and also had a pair of quarterfinal byes, getting ready for Saturday's semifinal round.

Clayton/Glassboro will provide a challenge for Paulsboro, after sending 12 wrestlers to the semifinals, including top seeds Cory Jacobs (120 pounds), Bill Millward (132), Neil Kuntz (220) and Tom Rementer (285).

District 30. Triton's Chris Bucceroni, seeded second at 120 pounds, squeezed past upset-minded Scott Figueroa of Hammonton, 4-3, in the quarterfinals and earned a berth in the semifinals at Overbrook.

Winslow Township's Emmanuel Mitchell, another No. 2 seed, also posted a close decision, edging Highland's Troy Warren, 10-9, at 160.

Hammonton's all-time career wins leader, Phil Bakuckas, piled up a 15-0 technical fall as the top seed at 160.

District 31. The tournament at Delsea started with a shocker as eighth-seeded Michael Chila of Kingsway pinned Schalick's top-seeded John Gallo in 50 seconds at 113 pounds in the quarterfinal round.

In another surprise, Vineland's John Rizzo, seeded No. 6, ousted third-seeded John Borelli of Delsea, 8-6, at 120 pounds.

At 285, Pennsville's Cody Dooley needed three overtimes to get past Millville's Fred DeMary, 3-2.

District 25. Northern Burlington middleweights Gene Simpson (132) and Sam Jones (138) scored pins as top seeds at Steinert.