A battle of state champions at 160 pounds Highlights 26th Lions Classic

Thursday, March 23, 206

By MIKE WEILAMANN

The Express-Times

Like many local wrestlers, Jon Gregory always dreamed of wrestling in the area's premiere postseason event.

He'll finally get that chance along with two of his Phillipsburg High School teammates.

The trio of Stateliners will lead the New Jersey team against Pennsylvania at 8 tonight in the 26th annual Easton Lions Club All-Star Classic sponsored by The Express-Times.

"I think the Lions Classic is something a lot of P'burg kids look forward to," said Gregory, a three-time district and two-time region champ who finished fourth in the state tournament at 112 pounds two weeks ago.

Tonight's high school event features seniors from District 11 against a team of New Jersey seniors.

A youth all-star match between Pennsylvania and New Jersey teams will precede the main event at 6 p.m.

The high school match features a pair of state champs squaring off at 160 pounds.

Three-time New Jersey champ and four-time place winner Darrion Caldwell will meet PIAA Class AA champ James Sciascia of Pius X.

Caldwell (39-0), of Rahway, is one of only 20 New Jersey wrestlers to win three titles. He is headed to N.C. State. The four-time district and three-time region champ finished with a career mark of 146-4 with 101 pins.

Sciascia (45-3) claimed his school's first state gold at Hershey after finishing second as a junior.

Nazareth coach Dave Crowell is charge of the Pennsylvania team, along with Easton's Steve Powell and Barry Snyder.

New Jersey is led by Phillipsburg's Rick Thompson and Scott Silvis.

Crowell has been involved in many classics, including the first one in 1981, while previously serving as head coach at Easton and Wilson.

He also recalls 2002 when NCAA champs Matt Valenti and Joe Dubuque wrestled for New Jersey.

"I remember the first one in 1981 because we had half of our (Easton) team in that one," said Crowell, who has three of his Nazareth wrestlers in tonight's event. "I've been sitting there for quite a few of these."

Nazareth will be represented by PIAA Class AAA placewinners Mario Giordano (125) and Andrew Flegler (115), along with state qualifier Phil Santee.

Santee (35-7) is tentatively scheduled to meet Phillipsburg's Chris Norrell at 150.

Norrell (34-5), a two-time district champ, finished fifth in the state tournament.

New Jersey has struggled to field a full team for this year's classic -- partly because of conflicts with the high school nationals taking place this weekend in Pittsburgh.

As of late Wednesday night, three spots for Jersey remained open after Caldwell was added earlier in the day.

Nonetheless, New Jersey will be hard-pressed to get its first win in the series since a 34-23 victory in 2003.

"You never know what you're going to get," Crowell said. "You're wrestling somebody 15 pounds heavier and you don't know anything about a lot of the (Jersey) kids. It's always interesting."

Mike Weilamann can be reached at 800-360-3601 or by e-mail at mweilamann@express-times.com