Jackson youth wrestlers continue strong showing

The Jackson I recreation wrestling team’s storied youth program will look to wrap up a sixth straight unbeaten season in the Jersey Shore Junior Wrestling League and stretch its win streak, currently at 90 league matches, when it closes its regular season on Feb. 6 against Brick Recreation Mat Rats I at Jackson Liberty High School.

The meet, which includes matches with Jackson II and Brick Recreation Mat Rats II, will begin at 9 a.m.

“I think we have a great group and can’t be successful without the kids who are dedicated,” head coach Jim Huxford said of his team that has won five straight league tournament titles, the last three against Brick. “The younger kids see this [dedication], and when it’s their turn, they are ready to do it.”

Five wrestlers from each team are unbeaten in league matches, and Jackson 68- pounder Sebastian Rivera has not lost in 55 league matches in his career.

Other unbeatens for Jackson are Matt Russo (85 pounds) with a 78-2 career mark, his brother Mike Russo (80) with a 66-4 career mark, Pete Rinaldi (107) with a 75-6 overall record, and T.J. Liquori (114).

Rinaldi and Liquori are team captains.

The five wrestlers are among 11 in the program’s illustrious history who have won 50 or more bouts.

Brick Mat Rats I’s unbeaten wrestlers are in different weight classes, including state champion Dan Rackliffe (76), Joe Ghione (95), brothers Cliff Ruggiero (122) and Rob Ruggiero (130), and heavyweight Nick Zbranak.

“Brick is a great team and has been right there with us every year,” said Huxford. “It will come down to those workmanlike guys in the middle, the second-level guys, who will make the difference.”

Huxford said the teams are “well matched, as they usually are.”

Brick coach Pete Anderson said the lineups “are almost dead-even. It’s never a blowout, always competitive and always comes down to the last couple of weights. The only thing I can see in the matchups is that the heavier weights favor the Brick side. This is the first time we have a chance to beat them in years.”

Brick comes into the Jackson match off a second-place finish in its War at the Shore held on Jan. 31 at Veterans Memorial Middle School, Brick Township, losing in the finals to Kittatinny, 56-36, after trailing 31- 28 midway through the match.

Brick, which was defending champion of the eight-team War at the Shore tournament, beat Paulsboro, 56-34, in the semifinals and knocked off Roselle Park, 83-10, in the opening round.

Jackson had one scare this season, coming back from a 27-3 deficit to beat Howell, 55-31.

Jackson’s last Jersey Shore Junior Wrestling League loss came against Toms River, 44-41, in its final regular-season match in the 2003-04 season that cost it a spot in the league tournament.

Jackson finished 11-4 in the league that year and it was the last time it had lost to Brick, by a 48-46 score. The other losses that season came to the Bayshore Youth Athletic Association, 43-36, and to Howell, 48-38.

The Jersey Shore Junior Wrestling League team tournament and the league individual tournament will take place over the following weekends.