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Jackson 31 - Howell 17
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Published in the Asbury Park Press 02/16/05
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by Steven Falk
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JACKSON -- Glenn Boothe is ready for the added responsibility
that fell his way in one freak accident Sunday afternoon.
The Jackson Memorial High School junior 135-pounder will be counted on to fill the void left at 140 by the broken
right wrist that freshman standout Scott Winston suffered Sunday while watching his younger brother wrestle in
a tournament at Brick Memorial.
"There might be a little pressure against me," said Boothe Tuesday night after he majored Howell's Tommy
Russo, 17-5, in Jackson's 31-17 win over the Rebels in a NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV semifinal match. "I
just know that we can go and get the job done."
Jackson (19-1), the defending CJ IV champion, will attempt to get the job done Thursday when it hosts Brick Memorial,
a winner by criteria over Hunterdon Central Tuesday night after a 28-28 tie, at 7 p.m. in the CJ IV championship
match.
With the loss of Winston, Jackson's No. 1 wrestler, Jaguars coach Scott Goodale will attempt to go with a committee
of Boothe, sophomore Corey Biscaha and junior Frank Zicha, depending on the matchups in a given match.
Tuesday, Goodale elected to send Biscaha out against Howell's solid 135-pounder Tommy Tuminelli and bump Boothe
up to meet Russo, who was 13-10 entering the bout.
"We can still do well without him (Winston)," Boothe said. "We're just going to have to do a little
bit more and try a little bit harder and keep the ball rolling. I don't want that spot (Winston's spot) to be just
open."
Boothe methodically got the job done against Russo, recording seven takedowns and two back points. His major decision
gave the Jaguars a 24-9 lead with four bouts remaining and enabled them to withstand a Rebels' flurry that saw
them win by decision at 145 and by technical fall at 152, when they bumped up standout 145-pounder Billy Woodward.
Russ Wall's 13-3 win by major decision over John Maculuso at 160 clinched the match.
Howell (15-6), which defeated Middletown North, 38-22, in the quarterfinals to avenge an early-season two-point
loss to the Lions, was in position to make Jackson sweat in the early part of the match. The Rebels' Mike Bonfig
won at 215 over Bobby Van Volkenberg, to reverse a bout Jackson won in its 42-15 win over Howell in the SCT quarterfinals.
Howell also saved points at heavyweight when Warren Lisa held Joe Slisky to a 6-0 decision and held on to a win
103 when Cody Fobes used a five-point move in the second period to defeat Rob Swan, 6-5.
However, with Jackson ahead just 7-6, sophomore 112-pounder Brian Cohen avenged a loss to Joey Langel by tilting
him in the second period for three back points and then hanging on for a 4-2 win. Jackson then won the next three
bouts to open up a 20-6 lead.
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Brick Memorial 29 - Hunterdon Central 28
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Published in the Asbury Park Press 02/16/05
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That old mat magic hasn't left Brick Memorial after all.
The Mustangs found a touch of the brew in Gabe Gill, a senior who hasn't wrestled much this year.
"He has spent most of the year watching his teammates wrestle," said Brick Memorial coach Dean Albanese.
"But when Bob Phillips couldn't wrestle, we put him in the lineup. He came through with wins in both of his
bouts and that made the difference."
The Mustangs, who suffered through a mid-season swoon, will get a chance at the Central Jersey Group IV crown Thursday
after defeating No. 2 Hunterdon Central, which was ranked 10th in the last Gannett NJ Top 20, by criteria, 29-28.
"It came down to most first points scored in the bout," said Albanese, who had done his calculations
before the final bout when Hunterdon Central got a pin.
"I knew we were ahead in those first points and I saw everything else was tied," said Albanese.
The original decision was first given to Hunterdon Central because a penalty point was awarded in an earlier bout.
"We called the NJSIAA. The rule is the penalty point has to go against the team, not in a match," said
Albanese.
It took nearly an hour for the decision to come down.
"The two teams, and some of our fans, were the only ones left in the gym when the decision came in,"
said Albanese. "It was a great feeling for our kids. We're looking forward to another match with Jackson."
To get to the final, the No. 3 Mustangs first had to beat Old Bridge, and they did that convincingly, 33-26. They
had a 33-14 lead going into the final two bouts.
Since that loss to the Jaguars on Jan. 30 in the regular season, Memorial has brought its wrestling to a different
level.
"I don't know if we just looked in the mirror after the way Jackson beat us (47-8), but I knew our kids could
work more," said Albanese.
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Quarterfinals
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Brick Memorial 33 - Old Bridge 26
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Howell 48 - Lawrence 18
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