Brick Memorial wrestling tops Southern
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI Staff Writer
The Kiley family name has been a familiar one in the Brick Memorial wrestling family in recent years.

PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff Above: Brick Memorial's Kevin Docherty celebrates after pinning Jackson's Ryan Byrnes in their heavyweight bout during the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV final on Feb. 15 in Jackson. Memorial went on to win 30-29. Two days later, the team defeated Southern Regional 36-24 to capture the overall Group IV title. Left: Memorial's Chris Giannos pins Jackson's Devin Biscaha.

And it was Mike Kiley with a 2-1 overtime victory at 171 pounds - his second overtime victory of the day - that sealed Brick Memorial's 36-24 victory over Shore Conference rival Southern and BrickMemorial's first NJSIAA Group IV championship since 1999.

Brick Township, meanwhile, suffered a 40-28 Group III Central Jersey semifinal loss to Wall, which sealed the victory with pins in the last two bouts at 130 and 135 pounds.

CoachDanO'Cone said hewas surprised during only his second season at Brick Memorial, after a very successful stint at Point Pleasant Beach, that the Mustangs won their sixth state championship in their storied history, their first in Group IV.

"When I came here, I knew all about the tradition andwanted to be part of it,"O'Cone said afterward.

And he saw it unfold as BrickMemorial, which beat Southern Regional 30-23 early last month, got huge efforts from its usual marquee contributors to raise its record to 22-2. Kiley,who is 26-6 on the season,won a 5- 3 decision on Sunday morning as BrickMemorial subdued another perennial state power - Phillipsburg - by a 34-28 score. Phillipsburg (27-3) had 14 state titles and 28 sectional championships on its résumé entering that bout. The spectacular five-day run included victories in the Central Jersey section overHowell, 30-28, in the semifinals and Jackson, 30-29, on Friday that avenged a 40-28 loss back in December, and gave the Mustangs their 11th sectional title, the first since 1999.

But it was Kiley who got the state championship clincher after Karon Reid's victory by technical fall at 135 pounds gave Brick Memorial an 18-14 lead it never relinquished. Reid is 24-4 on the season.

The great run helped ease the frustration of a 32-25 loss in the Shore Conference semifinals to Long Branch,which alsowent on to win a state title in Group II and will pose a serious challenge to Brick Memorial in its bid for another District 23 championship, which takes place this weekend. Brick Memorial has 22 district titles in 23 years.

But for now, Brick Memorial is savoring its memorable championship that had its share of drama, including a dramatic pin with three seconds left by freshman D.J. Santos, who was trailing 3-0 in his 112- pound bout that was a part of the victory over Southern, which was leading 9-0 at the time. Santos said he could feel the momentumshift and a rise in intensity on the Brick Memorial bench as he picked up his 23rd victory in 33 bouts.

In the semifinals, Steve Santos (145) had a pin at 2:14 to clinch that victory, and Reid also had a pin, to put the Mustangs in the lead.D.J. Santos also had a pin earlier in the match, as did 125-pounder Mike Morales, who raised his record to 26-2 at the time.

But therewas uncertaintywhetherBrick Memorial would be able to gather up its energies after pulling off one of the greatest victories in Shore Conference history over two-time section champ Jackson on Friday night. BillMiller was the hero that night as he avenged a 10-5 loss to Jackson's wrestler for a 3-2 victory wrestling at 215 pounds. It ended Jackson's mastery of the Mustangs over the past 10 meetings between the two programs, and raised Miller's record at the time to 19-6.

But it wasn't just the victories such as Reid's major decision, a victorious technical fall by Cody Oliverio at 171, a pin by Chris Giannos at 145 as he improved to 26-4, and a pin byKevinDocherty,whomoved up from 215 to heavyweight to raise his record to 18- 10. It also was the way other wrestlers averted big scoring pins. Certainly, it has been a mantra O'Cone voices often about avoiding giving up points asmuch as getting them. Steve Santos suffered his first loss of the season but dropped only a 3-2 tripleovertime loss to Sean Byrnes, who was fourth in the state in last year's championships. Santos also made the state championships but was eliminated early.

CoreyMenafra fought off his back to suffer a technical fall but could not get pinned by two-time state champion Scott Winston asMikeMorales lost on a takedownwith :05 left, 7-5, but ran the risk of getting pinned in a wild bout. Anthony Guzzi (103) and D.J. Santos also saved points in lost decisions rather than pins.

Steve Santos just two days earlier got a big pin that set the scene for the victory over Howell. The score was tied at the time and put Brick Memorial ahead, 15-11. Giannos followed with a pin at :56. Both pins were big, since BrickMemorialwon only six bouts against Howell. Morales and Kiley also had pins, the latter with :22 left in the bout.

This weekend, they take their first step toward individual glory and their last for team points in the district championships.

As for Brick Township, three wrestlers emerged victorious in its loss - Kevin Decker (119) by pin, Connor Brennan (125) by technical fall and Mike Brancaccio (112) by decision. Highly regarded John Battista at 189 won by forfeit. The team is 15-7.