Devin Biscaha, a District 21 runner-up and fourthplace finisher in Region 6 last year, was ready for his most important challenge at 152 pounds for Jackson Memorial High School’s wrestling team.
Brick Memorial High School’s Mike Morales (bottom) grapples with Jackson Memorial High School’s James Opdyke in their 145-pound match on Jan. 9 in Jackson. More photos at www.gmnews.com. JEFF GRANIT staff “He’s been very tough this year and been battling through an injury and doing a great job,” said Jackson Memorial wrestling coach Doug Winstanley, after Biscaha scored a first-period takedown and a third-period reversal to beat Alex Guarino, 4-0, in their 152-pound bout.
The win clinched the Jaguars’ 36-19 victory over two-time defending NJSIAA Group IV champion Brick Memorial on Jan. 9 at Jackson.
Dallas Winston, an unbeaten sophomore, won his sixth bout via pin to start off the evening at 171, and Drew Murphy pulled out a 4-2 overtime victory over Brian McCrossan at 189 as Jackson Memorial won six of its first seven bouts, a streak disrupted by a pin when Brick Memorial 215-pounder Bill Miller won by a pin at 3:08.
That eventually brought up the lighter weights, as freshmen Brian Hamann (103), who is 8-3, and Spencer Young (119), who is 8-2 on the season, and Mike Shupin (112) won by major decisions for Jackson Memorial, before D.J. Santos led a Brick Memorial comeback at 125 pounds with a 10-5 decision over Brad Royle. Santos is 10-3.
Jackson’s B.J. Young, a senior who is Spencer’s older brother, got a big win that slowed Brick Memorial’s comeback when he handed Jake Vescovi his second loss in only 13 outings at 135 pounds.
Unbeaten defending state champion Mike Morales of Brick Memorial won an 11-2 major decision over James Updyke for his 12th victory to cut Jackson Memorial’s lead to 28-19 and set the scene for Biscaha.
Brick Township High School, meanwhile, slipped to 1-3 on the season when it lost to Toms River High School South, 35-30. Evan Tarver won by technical fall at 215 pounds, and heavyweight Justin Aeling got a pin in the final two bouts to lift Toms River South (4-1) in a Shore Conference A South match.
Brick Township had taken a 28-24 lead when Dan Brennan (160) won by decision, Vic Rivera (171) got a pin, and Jesse Lyon (189) pulled out an overtime victory.
Ricky Bandejas (119) got a pin in :48 to raise his record to 8-1, while Connor Brennan remained unbeaten in 10 bouts at 140.