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MANCHESTER -- Manchester has been waiting for tomorrow
night for 25 years.
After thumping Deptford, 47-18, in a South Jersey Group II semifinal Tuesday night, coach Alex George's top-seeded
Hawks had to be thinking, "Bring on Buena!"
Buena, sometimes a state power and the defending SJ II champs, had better be ready.
"Our kids have been excited about our opportunity to win the school's first section title. It's been a long
time coming," said the Hawks' seventh-year coach.
Watching Manchester win its 18th match, the question had to be asked: Is this the best group in school history?
"The way this team has set goals for itself, I don't think it is too much of a question," George said.
"This is the best team ever."
Manchester's package of senior talent and seasoned experience had it going early and quieted down a spirited, upset-minded
Deptford team. After spotting the Spartans the first two bouts, six consecutive Hawks had their arms raised in
victory and Manchester held a 29-9 advantage.
The domination did not end until Manchester won 10 of 14 bouts, including five pins. Two Hawks stood out. Sophomore
Billy Meany (140) took the mat for the first time since October shoulder surgery. With Deptford in front 9-0 and
most of the Spartans standing excitedly over their chairs, Meany came from behind to deck Steve McCall in 1:36.
"I've been waiting and watching all year," Meany said. "I got back to contribute to this team just
in time for states."
"Billy definitely incited our roll at 140," George said. "We took off from there."
Meany believes the Hawks can knock off Buena.
"If we wrestle smart, I think we have a very good chance," Meany said.
Manchester, which lost the final last year, beefed up its schedule, and earned the privilege of hosting as top
seed tomorrow. First whistle is 7 p.m.
Meany shared the spotlight with 189-pounder Kevin Thompson. Wrestling against Deptford's best wrestler, unbeaten
Dajuan Collins, Thompson came from behind, posted three takedowns and outgutted the Spartan, 8-4.
"Thompson (20-3) has had a big turnaround," coach George said. "He is in control now, he sticks
to his game plan. The kid has always been athletic."
If Meany ignited the Hawks, Thompson's upset victory was a statement. Maybe the kind of statement from which sectional
championships are made.
"I lost a close match to Red Bank's Lamar Brown a couple of weeks ago and I did not want to lose like that
again," Thompson said. "I kept it up in the third period."
Can Manchester beat Buena?
"If everybody wrestles their best, we can do it," Thompson said.
Manchester officially KO'd Deptford when Kevin Malast and Chris Boyle produced back-to-back pins at 275 and 103,
respectively. The unbeaten Malast bumped up to heavyweight and decked Augie DiBernardo in 1:14. When Boyle stopped
Joe DiMatteo in 3:30, the Hawks led 35-15 with three bouts to go.
The backpoint differential was a pronounced 26-3 in favor of Manchester.
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Deptfor advanced to the semifinals by virtue of a 36-32
upset win against Collingswood. Anthony Rizzolo earned a pin at 112 to seal the victory.
The Spartans had taken a lead on the strength of pins by Darren Carrero, Steve McCall and Dajuane Collins, but
Collingswood rallied behind decisions from Warren Haubois, heavyweight Cory Ferguson and Nick Palumbo before Rizzolo
pinned Rich Busby to end the Panthers' rally.
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