Paulsboro wins 30th state title in wrestling
After rallying for victory in his 170-pound bout, Paulsboro sophomore Anthony Morina walked toward the celebrating Red Raiders sideline and pointed to his heart.
After rallying for victory in his 170-pound bout, Paulsboro sophomore Anthony Morina walked toward the celebrating Red Raiders sideline and pointed to his heart.
That was as good an explanation as any for the first undefeated Paulsboro season in 17 years.
The 2000 Paulsboro team went unbeaten behind four Region 8 champions, including three top-of-the-lineup hammers in Troy Bennett, Mike Mendenhall, and Tom Curl.
The 2017 Red Raiders look a little different.
Paulsboro won the 30th state title in the fabled history of the program on Sunday, beating Kittatinny by a 44-16 score in the Group 1 championship match at Toms River North High School.
While the Red Raiders have no shortage of talented wrestlers, this team's calling card has been its responsible, reliable, and workmanlike approach to the challenges of the long season.
"It's our heart," Paulsboro senior light middleweight Joey Perez said. "Every guy, from 106 to heavyweight, goes out there and wrestles with heart. We never give up."
Paulsboro's grind-it-out style was on full display in the championship match before a large crowd of red-clad supporters in cavernous Pine Belt Arena.
The Red Raiders won 11 of 14 bouts, and most of them were hard-fought victories. Two of the team's three pins came late, after the outcome was all but determined.
Mostly, this was Paulsboro wrestling at its blue-collar best, with one decision after another building an insurmountable margin.
"I'm just so proud of these kids," veteran Paulsboro coach Paul Morina said. "From day one, they've worked hard. They've done everything we asked them to do, never any problems.
"They've got a drive, a big drive. They had goals and they worked hard to make it happen."
Paulsboro got victories from top wrestlers such as senior light middleweights Perez (138 pounds) and Anthony Duca (132) as well as senior Josh Bailey (182) along with sophomores George Worthy (145) and Geno Duca (113) and freshmen Brandon Green (152) and Georgio Mazzeo (106).
Sophomore cousins Anthony Morina (170) and Santinio Morina, the coach's son and nephew, respectively, came through with impressive victories as part of an imposing run of seven consecutive decisions for the Red Raiders.
"This team is special because we're all so close," Anthony Duca said.
Paul Morina pointed to the unheralded contributions of wrestlers such as Rick Eli, who registered a pin at 126 pounds, as well as Miles Moore and upper weight Frank Mooney.
In that sense, it was dramatically correct that Mooney clinched the Red Raiders' first perfect season since before many of his teammates were born.
The senior who toggled between weight classes for much of the season weighed in at 218 pounds but stamped an exclamation point on the victory with a pin in 3 minutes, 28 seconds in the 285-pound bout.
"It's such a great feeling to be part of this as a senior," Mooney said. "This team works so hard, and we have such great chemistry. To be able to do that for my teammates, it's hard to describe."
Duca and Perez both noted that it was fitting that an unheralded senior such as Mooney supplied the clinching points at the end of a season marked by teamwork, commitment and camaraderie.
"That was perfect," Perez said. "Frank finished it, and he finished it in a big way."
PAULSBORO 44, KITTATINNY 16
120: Mark DeGeronimo, K, d. Jacob Perez, 9-0; 126: Rick Eli, P, pin Miles Carr, 1:22; 132: Anthony Duca, P, d. Perry Maio, 13-8; 138: Joey Perez, P, d. Mike Callahan, 22-9; 145: George Worthy, P, d. Calvin Brook, 9-4; 152: Brandon Green, P, d. Kasey Holtz, 7-2; 160: Santino Morina, P, d. Shane Smith, 12-2; 170: Anthon Morina, P, d. Josh Hiller, 7-2; 182: Josh Klimek, K, pin Dimetrious Day, 3:49; 195: Josh Bailey, P, d. Jake Mafaro, 4-3; 220: Zach Mafaro, K, pin Mikes Moore, 2:08; 285: Frank Mooney, P, pin Josh Johnson, 3:28; 106: Georgia Mazzeo, P, d. Derek Molfetto, 2-0; 113: Geno Duca, P, pin Mike Nelson, 1:05.
OTHER SCORES
GROUP 3 STATE FINAL
South Plainfield 38, Delsea 23
GROUP A STATE FINAL
Bergen Catholic 54, St. Augustine 15
GROUP 4 STATE SEMIFINALS
Phillipsburg 41, Kingsway 21
GROUP 2 STATE SEMIFINALS
Delaware Valley 34, Collingswood 24
@PhilAnastasia
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