Technical Fall

Paul VI dominated in the lower weight classes en route to a 42-32 victory over visiting Winslow Township in an Olympic Conference wrestling match Wednesday. Liam Kelleher (106 pounds), Tyler White (113), Colin Savacool (120), and Theodore Kendzierski each won by pin to spark the Eagles' victory. Also in the Olympic, Paulsboro's John Gentile, a two-time district champion and state qualifier who moved to 120 pounds this season, pulled out a 9-6 decision over Alex Eastlack as the host Red Raiders defeated Gateway, 48-21.

Coach Steve Iles has watched his Delsea High wrestling team blossom this season, and last night's 36-27 Tri-County Conference victory over host Glassboro hammered home just how far the Crusaders have come. The interdivision triumph was the visiting Crusaders' fifth win in a row, and it raised their overall record to 5-1. Since an opening-day loss to nonleague rival Vineland, Delsea has been nearly unstoppable. "We're showing a lot of improvement with every match, and that's all I can ask of my team at this point," Iles said.

He didn't know many people when he moved last year, but now everyone seems to know Ryan Goodman's name. That's how it is, though, at Absegami, where the high school wrestling team is king. Last night, Goodman, a sophomore who transferred from Middle Township, seemed at home in his new surroundings. The top seed in the 152-pound class, he notched a technical fall in 4 minutes, 47 seconds against Paulsboro's Nino Polimeni in the quarterfinals at the NJSIAA Region 8 wrestling championships.

Mark Kelly was feeling the pressure before Eastern High's nonleague wrestling match with visiting Glassboro yesterday. The senior was going for his 100th career victory. It didn't matter that he was going for it against a freshman. "I was nervous before the match," Kelly said. "Usually, I'm not as nervous. " Kelly's jitters weren't apparent once he stepped onto the mat. He went out and notched No. 100 in the same way he had registered many of his previous 99 victories - by sheer domination.

Lenape High School's wrestling team has left little doubt as to who is in charge in the Burlington County Liberty Division. The host Indians manhandled Cherokee, 36-19, last night. "I was very happy with everyone up and down the lineup," Lenape coach Russ Minuto said. "We knew they were going to be tough, and I'm surprised we won like we did. " Lenape used pins from James Young at 112 pounds and Scott Fenton at 189, along with a technical fall from Chee Santone at 119, in clinching the important Liberty Division victory.

Delsea's game plan proved to be simple and decisive last night against visiting Delran. Attack, attack and attack again. The Crusaders (19-1) were never more impressive this season than they were last night, pounding the highly regarded Bears, 55-14, in a South Jersey Group 2 semifinal wrestling match. Relentlessly using an aggressive style, Delsea won 10 of 13 bouts to crush Delran, seeded fourth in the group and the Burlington County League Freedom Division champion. The Bears finished their season at 18-2 overall.

They never had a chance. The 15 other wrestlers in the 171-pound weight class in the PIAA Class AA state tournament knew it. And they weren't alone. Just about everyone at the Giant Center knew that Octorara all-American Mike Letts would dominate the competition. And that's exactly what he did during the three-day tourney. Letts recorded a technical fall (18-1) over Westmont-Hilltop freshman Zac Bennett in 3 minutes, 17 seconds to win yesterday's final. The victory marked the second state championship for the Octorara senior.

At the conclusion of the 153-pound match of yesterday's NJSIAA Group 2 state final, Buena coach Doug Castellari thought to himself: This has never happened before. He had just seen his seven best wrestlers - Buena's Murderer's Row of lightweights - battle Voorhees and fail to get a pin. In fact, the Chiefs had lost four of the eight bouts. This was not good. Voorhees went on to earn three pins and a technical fall in the final five bouts of the match to win, 40-21, at Kittatinny Regional High School.

Colby Frank's decision at 126 pounds started Owen J. Roberts' strong finish as the top-seeded Wildcats pulled away from Boyertown, 41-16, Friday night in the semifinals of the District 1 Class AAA duals at Upper Dublin. Owen J. Roberts captured the last five bouts, including Peter Fratantoni's 5-minute, 16-second pin at 145 pounds. Dominick Petrucelli earned a decision at 132, Demetri D'Orsaneo won by technical fall at 138, and Adam Mosher capped the match with a decision at 152. Boyertown was led by Dylan Wertz's overtime decision at 120 and Jordan Wood's major decision at heavyweight.

Colby Frank's decision at 126 pounds started Owen J. Roberts' strong finish as the top-seeded Wildcats pulled away from Boyertown, 41-16, Friday night in the semifinals of the District 1 Class AAA duals at Upper Dublin. Owen J. captured the last five bouts, including Peter Fratantoni's 5-minute, 16-second pin at 145 pounds. Dominick Petrucelli earned a decision at 132, Demetri D'Orsaneo won by technical fall at 138, and Adam Mosher capped the match with a decision at 152. Boyertown was led by Dylan Wertz's overtime decision at 120 and Jordan Wood's major decision at heavyweight.

Beginning on Thursday, the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa., will be transformed from the regular venue for Hershey Bears ice hockey into a mecca of Pennsylvania high school wrestling for the PIAA Class AAA championships. Wrestling people will take over the 10,500-seat multipurpose arena. Officials will organize, parents will cheer (and boo), and wrestlers will grapple for a chance at a state title. The championships will begin at 4 p.m. Thursday with the first round of three days of competition to decide the state's best wrestlers.

Colby Frank's decision at 126 pounds started Owen J. Roberts' strong finish as the top-seeded Wildcats pulled away from Boyertown, 41-16, Friday night in the semifinals of the District 1 Class AAA duals at Upper Dublin. Owen J. Roberts captured the last five bouts, including Peter Fratantoni's 5-minute, 16-second pin at 145 pounds. Dominick Petrucelli earned a decision at 132, Demetri D'Orsaneo won by technical fall at 138, and Adam Mosher capped the match with a decision at 152. Boyertown was led by Dylan Wertz's overtime decision at 120 and Jordan Wood's major decision at heavyweight.

Colby Frank's decision at 126 pounds started Owen J. Roberts' strong finish as the top-seeded Wildcats pulled away from Boyertown, 41-16, Friday night in the semifinals of the District 1 Class AAA duals at Upper Dublin. Owen J. captured the last five bouts, including Peter Fratantoni's 5-minute, 16-second pin at 145 pounds. Dominick Petrucelli earned a decision at 132, Demetri D'Orsaneo won by technical fall at 138, and Adam Mosher capped the match with a decision at 152. Boyertown was led by Dylan Wertz's overtime decision at 120 and Jordan Wood's major decision at heavyweight.

Jordan Wood continued his dominant season as the Boyertown freshman moved up to heavyweight on Thursday night to help the Bears tackle Council Rock North, 36-28, at Methacton in the second round of the District 1 Class AAA wrestling duals. Wood, who is 27-1 this season and wrestles mostly at 220 pounds, needed just 35 seconds to pin James Dutrow in the match's second bout. The Bears won three straight matches to erase a late four-point deficit. Gregg Harvey pulled out a 4-3 decision at 160 pounds, Cody Richmond recorded a 5-minute, 35-second pin at 170, and Michael Fretz rolled to a 3:41 fall at 182. Also in the second round, Luke Johnson and Mason Houriet recorded back-to-back pins as Pennsbury downed Upper Darby, 37-25.

Paulsboro dominated at the lower weights to beat visiting Audubon, 42-22, in a Colonial Conference wrestling match Wednesday. Led by pins from Mickey Croce (120 pounds), John Gentile (126) and Juan Rivera (138), the Red Raiders won five of the six lightest weight classes. Also in the Colonial, Haddonfield controlled the lower weight classes on its way to a 51-22 victory at Haddon Heights. Led by pins from William Benedict (113), Peter Rhodes (120) and David Hessert (138), Haddonfield won eight of the nine lightest weight classes.

Luis Carreras of Burlington Township needed two overtimes but was able to secure first place in the 285-pound weight class with a 2-1 victory over Burlington City's Arthur Diggs at the Burlington County Open on Saturday at Delran. Carreras beat George Wolyn of New Egypt with a 4-2 decision in the semifinals. Diggs beat Kevin Hernando of Palmyra with a 10-6 decision in their semifinal. In the 170-pound final, Northern Burlington's Rahmil Davis earned first place with an 8-4 decision over Robert Rein of Rancocas Valley.

Luis Carreras of Burlington Township needed two overtimes but was able to secure first place in the 285-pound weight class with a 2-1 victory over Burlington City's Arthur Diggs at the Burlington County Open on Saturday at Delran. Carreras beat George Wolyn of New Egypt with a 4-2 decision in the semifinals. Diggs beat Kevin Hernando of Palmyra with a 10-6 decision in their semifinal. In the 170-pound final, Northern Burlington's Rahmil Davis earned first place with an 8-4 decision over Robert Rein of Rancocas Valley.

Dan Connors' 12-5 decision at 160 pounds turned back Schalick's late rally Wednesday night and clinched Pitman's 39-36 victory in Tri-County Conference wrestling. Host Pitman led by 36-18 after 10 weight classes, but Schalick captured a pair of pins to cut the lead to six points with two bouts left. Deon Henry pinned in 3 minutes, 48 seconds at 145 pounds and Dylan Manno added a 3:12 fall at 152 to lead Schalick before Connors gave Pitman an insurmountable 39-30 lead. Earlier in the match, Tyler Bear (106 pounds)

John Hennelly cruised to three victories at 152 pounds on Saturday afternoon to help host Delsea capture three dominant wins at a batch meet. The senior scored a 20-second pin in the Crusaders' 54-9 win over Moorestown and an 18-2 technical fall in the team's 66-6 win over Lenape. Hennelly pulled out a 7-5 decision to help Delsea roll over Egg Harbor Township, 56-3. Dylan Dobzanski also had three wins for Delsea, including a first-period pin against Moorestown. Virginia Duals.

John Hennelly cruised to three victories at 152 pounds on Saturday afternoon to help host Delsea capture three dominant wins at a batch meet. The senior scored a 20-second pin in the Crusaders' 54-9 win over Moorestown and an 18-2 technical fall in the team's 66-6 win over Lenape. Hennelly pulled out a 7-5 decision to help Delsea roll over Egg Harbor Township, 56-3. Dylan Dobzanski also captured three wins for Delsea, including a first-period pin against Moorestown. Virginia Duals.