Phil Anastasia: A coach's tutelage comes back to haunt him

It was an eight-and-a-half-minute match, and Josh Clark was strong enough to ride his opponent for the frantic, final 30 seconds.

Joe Melchiore knew why.

"That kid put the time in," Melchiore said. "He was in the room every day in the summer."

It was the kind of stuff you always hear a wrestling coach say about a wrestler, with one important twist: Clark wrestles for Hammonton, and Melchiore coaches St. Augustine.

Five of Hammonton's wrestlers work out with Melchiore at his Sidewinder Wrestling Club in Vineland, including the Bakuckas brothers - senior John, sophomore Mike and freshman Phil, all of whom won their matches last night - as well as Clark, whose dramatic, four-overtime victory was the pivotal match in the Blue Devils' 32-30 victory over the Hermits.

"I beat myself tonight," Melchiore said after the entertaining match before a large crowd in Hammonton's gymnasium.

Dave DeStefano's 9-2 victory at 130 pounds clinched the impressive victory for Hammonton, which improved its record to 15-1 heading into today's home tri-match with Paulsboro and Williamstown.

The Blue Devils, the No. 10 team in The Inquirer Top 10, look like a strong contender for the South Jersey Group 3 title, thanks to a deep, balanced lineup.

One key for Hammonton has been the improvement of Clark. He's a junior who, by his own admission, was a pretty average wrestler as a freshman and sophomore.

But Clark has a 14-4 record this season, and his 5-4 victory over St. Augustine's talented Paxtin Burgin made the difference in last night's clash of Atlantic County rivals.

"Time and effort," Clark said of his improvement. "It was just hard work."

Clark lost to Burgin, 11-6, when the teams met in the Region 7-8 duals at St. Augustine two weeks ago. Hammonton won that dual meet, 36-29, but the Blue Devils also got a victory at heavyweight from Jake Bentson.

In last night's rematch, St. Augustine heavyweight Brian Cranmer scored a 3-2 victory. That meant Hammonton needed to reverse one of the results from two weeks ago.

Clark was up to the task in a long, grueling match in which neither wrestler could gain an advantage during the first, one-minute overtime period, and neither could escape from the other during the two subsequent 30-second overtime periods.

"I told myself I wasn't going to lose to him again," Clark said. "I felt like I didn't wrestle my match the last time. I knew I should have done better. I was hoping I would get another chance."

Given the choice for the final, 30-second overtime period, Burgin chose the down position. He needed to escape to earn the victory.

But Clark maintained control for the entire period and was awarded the victory.

"That was unbelievable," Hammonton coach Dave Mauriello said. "Josh is so strong, so tough. He wears you down and scores on you at the end, and that's what he did tonight."

Melchiore said Clark's improvement was evident in the summer and confirmed last night.

"He's improved 1,000 percent," Melchiore said. "He came to my club every day. He worked to improve. That kind of work pays off."

Melchiore said he suspected his team might be in trouble against Hammonton because of his familiarity with five of the Blue Devils.

In fact, he told his father as much yesterday.

"I was talking to my dad today in Florida, and I told him we had Hammonton," Melchiore said. "He knows I work out with those kids. He was like, 'Oh, no.' "

Hammonton 32, St. Augustine 30

135:

Mike Bakuckas, H, tech. fall Ryan Leaf, 20-4;

140:

Josh Clark, H, dec. Paxtin Burgin, 5-4, 4 OT;

145:

Nick DiGalbo, SA, pin Anthony Marrone, 4:09;

152:

John Bakuckas, H, pin Mike Campo, 3:13;

160:

George Mavromatis, H, dec. Adam Schroeder, 10-3;

171:

Jim Butler, H, pin Anthony Curcio, 1:50;

189:

Leon White, SA, pin Dan Leconey, 2:31.

215:

Tom Pangia, H, dec. Andrew Baumgardner, 9-3;

Hwt.:

Brian Cranmer, SA, dec. Jake Bentson, 3-2;

103:

Joe Esposita, SA, pin Brian Miller, 0:50;

112:

Mark Patterson, SA, dec. Nick Pagano, 2-0;

119:

Phil Bakuckas, H, dec. Joe DeVone, 4-1;

125:

Andrew Fisher, SA, pin Mike Schild, 0:57;

130:

Dave DeStafano, H, dec. Tom Abbott, 9-2.