Wrestling preview: Lower, Middle each look to build on last season's success

Posted: December 14th 2023

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

The two local high school wrestling teams enjoyed outstanding seasons last winter.

Lower Cape May and Middle Township combined to send four wrestlers to the state tournament. Lower won 18 matches, including a state playoff match, and Middle Township picked up a league championship for the first time in program history.

With each program having quite a few region qualifiers returning, this could be another good season for both teams.

The following is a look at the wrestling teams from Lower Cape May and Middle Township:

The Lower Cape May wrestling team features a large group of seniors. They include (from left): back row - Dylan Stoner, Ben Rue, Jahcere Harris, Deron Azille, Logan Haggerty, Isiah Carr-Wing; front row - Ryan Rush, Steve Lee, Jeffrey Flinchum, A.J. Lemmon.

LOWER CAPE MAY

Lower Cape May is coming off an excellent 18-8 season that saw the team win a first-round match in the South Jersey Group II Tournament. The Tigers also sent three wrestlers to the state tournament, with emerging star Chase Hansen placing seventh at 132 pounds as a freshman.

Hansen is back to lead the Caper Tigers this winter after being the only freshman in the state to go unbeaten through the district and region tournaments last season. He finished his debut season at 44-2, tied for a program record for victories in a season with current head coach Billy Damiana. Hansen moves up to 138 pounds this winter.

Senior Isaiah Carr-Wing, a state qualifier at 175 pounds last season, is also back. He’ll move up to 190 pounds this season after going 32-8 last winter.

Other returning region qualifiers include Deron Azile (21-18 last season) at 165, Logan Haggerty (27-7 last season) at 175 pounds and senior Ben Rue (23-13 last year) at heavyweight.

Other returnees with significant varsity experience include junior Connor Barikian (22-12 last season) at 126, senior Jahcere Harris (16-7 last season) at 132, senior A.J. Lemmon (9-14 last season) at 150 and senior Quinten Hagan (18-9 last season at 215. Danny Byrne (3-3 last season) will wrestle at 157 after gaining a bit of varsity experience last winter.

Four freshmen are in the lineup at the season’s outset – Danny Harris (106), Bryce Paley (113), Billy Whitney (120) and Gabe Tosto (144).

Lower will certainly miss the production of Brock Zurawski, who’s now at Division I Rider after placing seventh in the state at 190 pounds last winter. But with nine returning wrestlers who competed in at least 23 varsity matches a season ago leading the way and some talented younger wrestlers filling out the lineup, Lower should again be extremely competitive against its usual very difficult schedule.

Lower opens the season tonight (Thursday, Dec. 14) with a tri-match at Riverside that also includes Pennsauken. The Tigers then wrestle Saturday in the Gator Tournament at Gateway Regional High School.

Damiana’s assistant coaches are Cory Damiana, Dennis Elia, A.J. Fisher, Zach Hicks, Jake Maxwell and Erik Simonsen.

Some of the top wrestlers from Middle Township include (from left) Dontae Kelly, Maurice Matthews, Sam Keppel and Connor Rowlands.

MIDDLE TOWNSHIP

Middle Township enjoyed a historic season last winter, the Panthers winning a league championship for the first time in program history when they topped the Cape-Atlantic National Conference. The team went 14-9 overall in dual matches, qualifying for the South Jersey Group II Tournament for the third time in four seasons.

Middle will have to use a very young roster to repeat that success this winter, with just three seniors projected to be in the varsity lineup. But the team does bring back three of its four region qualifiers. The only one of the four who didn’t return is Adrien LaBoy, who went 38-4, was a district champion, second in the region tournament and a state qualifier as a senior last winter.

The returning region qualifiers are senior Sam Keppel (9-7 last season), who will wrestle at 175 pounds; junior Max Adelizzi (29-7 last season), who will wrestle at 190 pounds; and junior Maurice Matthews (26-12 last season), who will wrestle at heavyweight.

X’Zavier Swinton (18-13 last season, 150 pounds) and Brian Juzaitis (165 pounds) are the team’s other seniors. Juzaitis missed most of last season due to injury but placed fourth at the district tournament as a sophomore.

Others with solid varsity experience include sophomore Dontae Kelly (19-16 last season) at 120 pounds, junior Connor Rowlands (13-14 last season) at 144 pounds and junior Donnie Nelson (12-15 last season) at 138 pounds.

Juniors Kaden Stanton (132) and Geordin Davis (126) also return after seeing limited varsity action a season ago. Newcomers to the varsity lineup include freshmen Ben Banks (106), Maddox Boyd (113), Tyler King (138) and R.J. Attenborough (157).

Others who could see varsity time include sophomore Noah Nagle (157) and junior Javier Juarez-Abarca (Hwt.) 

Middle will attempt to remain among the top contenders for the CAL National Conference title.

Middle opens the season Saturday with an eight-team tournament at Hammonton. The team’s first dual match is Tuesday at St. Augustine.

Matt Wolf returns for his 16th season as head coach at Middle. He’s assisted by Giovanni Berardis, Tommy Bisset, Paul Connor, Ryan Freyer, Kyle Matthews, Gary Nagle, John Richardson and Rick Spackman.