Six Jackson Memorial High School wrestlers graduated in June and have gone on to college from last year’s squad that was 18-3 in dual meets and ended up ranked No. 10 in a leading state poll, but Jaguars Coach Doug Withstandley still believes there is a good foundation for a promising season.
Jackson Memorial High School senior B.J. Young (r) warms up with the rest of his teammates prior to a scrimmage with Colts Neck and Manchester on Dec. 3. Young is a returning district champion who will try to help lead Jackson Memorial to success on the mat this winter. Jackson Memorial will open the 2009-10 season this weekend at the Beast of the East tournament in Delaware. ERIC SUCAR staff The 2009-10 wrestling campaign will begin on Dec. 19 when the Jaguars make their third trip to the Beast of the East tournament in Delaware. The Jaguars finished 13th in that prestigious tournament last year.
“I expect some good things, there’s a really good mix,” said Withstandley, who has some good prospects in the light and middle weights, although the returnees in the five heaviest weight classes were a combined 16-36 last year. And that includes senior Drew Murphy, who was 11-16 at 189 pounds. Murphy came out late for the wrestling team after the football season.
Withstandley believes there are good prospects to step in and said, “the strongest feature this year is balance. We are extremely balanced. We don’t have too much firepower, but we will be very good.”
The coach said heavyweight Joe Nolan “has put on 16 pounds of solid muscle,” and said Nick Adams at 215 pounds “is improving. His wrestling technique has gotten better. He’s gotten stronger.”
“I see a lot of positive attitudes,” said Withstandley. “The group has come together and worked toward common goals: the Shore Conference A South Division, the Shore Conference Tournament, and the state team tournament.”
Returning district champions B.J. Young, a senior at 125 pounds, and Doug Hamann, a junior at 140 pounds, are determined to see that happen and to go beyond last year’s accomplishments when the team lost in the state semifinals to Southern Regional and saw its run of NJSIAA District 21 team championships ended when the Jaguars finished second to Howell. The Jaguars were a Shore Conference Tournament semifinalist.
“This team is better than people expect,” said Young, who was 26-7 with 13 pins last winter. “We are working hard as a team.”
Young, Hamann and senior Devin Biscaha, who was a district runner-up at 152 pounds, all finished fourth in Region VI, just one spot shy of qualifying for the state tournament in Atlantic City.
Young, who was the No. 1 seed in the region but lost his region semifinal in tripleovertime, reached the state tournament as a sophomore.
“Last year I was hurt a lot,” said Young, who moves up a weight class to 130 pounds. “This year I’m working on more technique on my feet, more positioning.”
Young wants to start the season well at the Beast of the East tournament, where he finished seventh last year.
Biscaha, who drops down a weight class to 145 pounds, said he has been lifting a lot and also has been working more on his moves on his feet.
“I did better than expected (last year),” said Biscaha, who was 20-7 with four pins. “The seniors’ work ethic is extremely high. They have a good attitude and confidence. You can see the improvements. A lot of them are able to listen and make adjustments.”
Biscaha’s older brother, Tyler, is one of the graduates from last year’s team and ended up 27-2 with 14 pins at 112 pounds. Tyler Biscaha is now wrestling at Cornell.
Hamann was 29-7 with 13 pins a year ago.
“I expect good things from him,” said Withstandley, who fashioned a 132-14 record and won a state championship as a wrestler at Jackson Memorial before graduating in 2001 and going on to wrestle at Purdue University.
Hamann’s younger brother, Brian, is a freshman wrestling at 103 pounds.
Three of the 2009 graduates won district titles; Derrik Russell, who was 28-8 at 130 pounds and ended up No. 6 in the state, is at Bucknell; Zach Huxford, who was 29-7 with 10 pins at 119 pounds, was eighth in the state and is at George Mason; and Tyler Wilton, who was 20-5 at 145 pounds, is wrestling at East Stroudsburg University.
Josh Baker, who was 14-10 at 135 pounds, is at the University of Rhode Island, and Justin Georgiano, who won 14 bouts at 215 pounds, is at Centenary.
“I’m very proud of that,” said Withstandley of the Jackson Memorial graduates who are now wrestling in college.
This year’s group of grapplers has performed well in the off-season, said Withstandley, as the Jaguars won the Rutgers Team Camp and most of the wrestlers on the team participated in the Toms River South Duals.
Freshman Spencer Young is stepping in at 119 pounds and the Royle twins — Brad and Randy — will help in the lighter weights. Brad, who was 11-5 with three pins at 103 pounds, is making a big move up to 125 pounds.
Many wrestlers on the team are pointing to Jan. 9 when Jackson Memorial will host two-time Group IV champion Brick Memorial, with defending state champion Mike Morales at 130 pounds. Brick Memorial was 26-4 and ranked No. 4 in the state last season, but Jackson Memorial won last year’s match, 35-28.
After that showdown with the Mustangs from Brick Township, the Jaguars will travel to face cross-town rival Jackson Liberty High School on Jan. 14.