'Liners off to strong start

Friday, December 21, 2007

By ALLAN CONOVER

Co-Sports Editor

A fourth-place finish in a field of 34 schools, several of which are highly rated in Pennsylvania and Ohio, isn't really a shabby way to begin the season, even if Jason Magditch was a bit reluctant to concede that.

"We wanted to do better," said the Phillipsburg High head coach. "We thought we could be in the top two."

The Stateliners launched their season Friday and Saturday by competing in the King of the Mountain Tournament at Central Mountain High in Mill Hall, Pa., just outside of Lock Haven, and totaled 147 points. Finishing ahead of them was champion Reynolds (165), the host school (162) and Ohio's Perry High (149).

"It was the first time we stepped on the mat," said Magditch, "and a lot of the teams had already had a couple of duals and been in tournaments. So I think we did well in that regard. It's a good start for us and hopefully we can keep building on it."

P'Burg's top grappler was senior Luke Grassi, who took second place at 130 pounds, falling by a 6-1 margin to Derek Reber of Lewisburg, Pa. in the championship bout after he'd won his first four matches of the tourney.

Freshman Ryland Watson nipped Red Lion's Dillan Nguyen 5-4 in the 103 consolation round to take third place after he'd dropped a 6-4 semifinal clash.

A trio of P'Burg juniors finished sixth -- Nick Pare at 152, Matt Santini (189) and heavyweight Jared Crouse -- and junior Mike Simon (140) and senior Brian Norrell (215) were seventh. Pare won his first three matches, Santini and Crouse both went 4-3 and Simon and Norrell were 5-2.