Swinton, Matthews lead Middle to pair of second-place tournament finishes

Posted: December 28th 2023

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

X’zavier Swinton and Maurice Matthews led the Middle Township High School wrestling team to recent tournament success.

Swinton and Matthews were champions in two separate tournaments around the holidays to highlight a pair of second-place finishes in team scoring.

Swinton (150 pounds) and Matthews (Hwt.) won championships at the Timmy Groves Memorial Tournament in West Orange on Saturday before doing the same at the Panther Classic at Palmyra High School on Wednesday.

Middle set a record at the Palmyra tournament with five total champions. In addition to Swinton and Matthews, Brian Juzaitis (165), Sam Keppel (175) and Max Adelizzi (190) were also winners.

Geordin Davis (126), Connor Rowands (144) and Noah Nagle (150) were each second-place finishers at Palmyra, with Ben Banks (106), Dontae Kelly (120) Tyler King (138) and R.J. Attenborough (157) each taking third.

At West Orange, Rowands, Keppel and Adelizzi each placed second, Nagle was fourth and Davis, King and Juzaitis each took fifth.

Matthews is perfect through 11 matches heading into the new year, with Keppel, Adelizzi and Juzaitis each 9-2. Swinton is 8-3.

Middle is next in action on Thursday, Jan. 4, against Absegami at home.