Mat Rats, LRMS wrestlers looking to stay hot

Youth wrestling hits its high point over the next week. Brick Recreation Mat Rats I look to defend its War at the Shore title on Sunday at Veterans Memorial Middle School when it takes on seven challengers, including Mat Rats II, Hazlet, Washington Township, Paulsboro, Nutley, Long Branch and Morris Knolls.

JEFF GRANIT staff Lake Riviera Middle School's Dean Sherry does a bridge move against Goetz Middle School's Brian Hamann during their 90-pound bout on Jan. 23 in Jackson. "The kids have been wrestling really well," said Mat Rats I coach Kevin Watson. "It's not just one but all of them are fighting to the end. They're absolutely ready. This is a good tournament and (assistant coach Ed Moore is really good at firing them up and getting them ready. I'm really amazed how balanced our team "turned out to be."

Led by unbeaten wrestlers Dan Rackliffe at 72 pounds and Matt Moore at 140, the team closes out its Jersey Shore Junior League dual meet season at Howell Feb. 7 before heading into the league's individual tournament on Feb. 14 at Long Branch and the team tournament of the top four finishers at an undetermined date.

Lake Riviera Middle School, which put its 14-0 record on the line Tuesday against cross-town rival Veterans Memorial Middle School in its final Ocean County Middle School League match, hosts the county championships pitting his Blue titlist team against the best team in the Red Division. It takes place Monday night at 6 p.m.

That champion takes on the survivor from Monmouth-Middlesex on Thursday night at 6 p.m., also at Lake Riviera.

"I think were peaking right now," said Lake Riviera coach Paul Panuska, whose team came off one of its "closest" victories of the season last Friday, a 65-36 triumph over Goetz of Jackson. The only match closer was a 51-39 triumph over Southern in December.

"I didn't think we'd be that far ahead in the Goetz match. I figured it would be 41- 36, but some kids were determined to put their opponents on their backs and pin them. We're still peaking. We're not at the top yet. Some are wrestling above their level."

Just like with the Mat Rats I team, Dan Rackliffe is unbeaten as is Steve Cimmino at 105 and Dan Watson at 150. But Panuska said heavyweight Bryce Tocci is "coming on strong. He had a late start because he was injured and has gotten some big wins."

Panuska also hailed the efforts of Christian Casselli (95), Nick Melon (100), Dan Wojtaszek (132), Mark Bixenman (138) and Doug Cuccinelli (144).

"We're wrestling very well as a family, as a whole," said Panuska. "They know the pressure is on them being unbeaten last season."

But Panuska also sees growing confidence in wrestlers like Shane Duke at 120 pounds and even Ian Azzaretti at 115.

Mat Rats I coach Watson also sees some wrestlers making strides. He said son Dan at 150 "has improved his takedowns on the bottom and the top" and calls Racklifffe a "great wrestling machine." He said Kyle Marino at 64 pounds, "improved a lot as a tall kid with good leverage" and said Melon at 100 also "improved a lot" but felt Cimmino "improved 10-fold from last year to this year."

Cimmino last Saturday had two pins as Mat Rats I pounded Long Branch, 87-12, and Shore, 99-10, to improve to 11-1. Mat Rats II also swept Long Branch, 55-35, and Shore, 84-15, to hike its record to 8-4.

Also getting two pins were Melon, Jack McClafferty at 76 pounds and the Ghione brothers, Joe at 80 and Jon at 60. Marino and heavyweight Bruce Weber each had a pin while going 2-0 as did Bill Breen (56), Kyle Wojtaszek (85), Dean Sherry (90) and Tyler Richardson (122), Moore, young Watson and Eric Romano (68) each won two decisions.

The team won 33 of 38 bouts, winning the first 10 bouts against Long Branch and 14 straight after losing the first against Shore.

Mat Rats II also is ready for a big day at the War at the Shore and rolled to nine straight victories after losing three of the first five against Shore.

"There were some real tough and exciting matches for both Mat Rats teams despite the final scores," said Mat Rats II coach Pete Anderson of Saturday's action. "We had Vin Santinello from Shore Thing, a former Brick Memorial wrestler, come to some of our practices and work with our kids as well as Brick Memorial (assistant) coach Tony Nash.

"We had some of the Mat Rats II kids beating Mat Rats I kids in workouts so we had to change the lineups a bit. After Saturday's matches, I'm a little more confident we should do pretty well. I can definitely see some improvement with the Mat Rats II team with my assistant coach Jay Sherry."

Roddy Rupp at 64 pounds got two pins while Ryan Jachim (85), Alec Donovan (100), Shane Duke (122) and heavyweight Mike Nasen each got a pin and a winning decision. Joe Lopez (56), Matt Schleifer (68), Tom Wright (72) and Bixenman (140) each went 2-0. Anderson also praised Sean Fahey, who broke into the starting lineup recently at 60 pounds and came from behind to score a pin on Saturday. He also dropped a tough 2-1 decision in his bout against a Shore opponent.