Lions Defeat Rival Eagles, 40-27, in Middletown Wrestling Showdown

Lions+Defeat+Rival+Eagles%2C+40-27%2C+in+Middletown+Wrestling+Showdown

Steve Bassin, centraljersey.com
January 29, 2023

Original Story by : Steve Bassin from centraljersey.com

“Our guys came out and wrestled tough and did their jobs. They wrestled really well tonight,” second-year Middletown North coach Eric Morley said.

The turning point came nine matches in at 106 pounds with Middletown South leading, 21-18.

Middletown North’s Brady Klinsky pinned his opponent in a minute to boost the Lions to a 24-21 lead. The Lions won four of the final five bouts to claim their seventh dual meet victory.

Junior Anthony Astorino continued Middletown North’s momentum during the 113-pound bout against Zachary Veniskey.

Astorino and Veniskey battled to a 4-4 tie after three periods. After neither competitor was able to score a takedown in a one-minute overtime period, two 30-second tiebreakers were used to determine a winner.

Both wrestlers had the opportunity to control the top or bottom spot in the referee’s position.

Astorino began the first tiebreaker on bottom and scored a reversal to take a 6-4 lead. In the second tiebreaker, Astorino held Veniskey scoreless to claim three team points and push the lead to 27-21.

“I just had to pull through at the end and I did,” Astorino said. “It was great to see my peers cheering me and my coaches being excited for me.”

Middletown North’s Jacob Portman (120) won by pin in :49 and teammate Nicholas Wall (126) followed with an 8-2 decision over Declan Connolly. With a 36-21 lead and two bouts left, the Lions had clinched the victory.

The final two bouts saw Middletown South’s Jack Zaleski (132) win by forfeit and Middletown North’s Justin Fearon (138) score a 10-0 major decision over Ryan Willi.

The Lions have won eight of their last nine dual meets against Middletown South.

Middletown North (7-3) competed in the Elizabeth High School Minuteman Invitational on Jan. 7 and placed second in the team standings in a field of 17 schools.

Coming off an 8-12 campaign in 2021-22, Morley likes where his team is sitting with its strong start and believes the Lions can make a run at a state sectional tournament team title if his grapplers continue to improve.

“This year our numbers are really high, our enthusiasm is really high and our culture is really good. You kind of saw the product of that (against Middletown South),” the coach said.