P'burg lost a couple of key bouts and was unable to win the bonus-point battle as it dropped a 26-20 decision to Kingsway in the Group 4 final on Sunday night at RWJBarnabas Health Arena.
"When we made the turn [after 285 pounds], I noticed we didn't have many bonus points," said coach Dave Post, whose Stateliners were denied in their bid for a sixth straight state championship for only the second time in program history after winning the previous five in Group 4 from 2014-18 and the program's 23rd overall. "It wasn't from a lack of effort. [Kingsway] wrestled a lot like we wrestle."
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| P'burg ran its sectional title streak to six on Friday. |
Phillipsburg (18-3), which captured its 38th sectional title on Friday, had little trouble in a 44-16 victory over Wayne Valley in the semifinals. Kingsway (17-8), which captured its fourth state title overall and first in Group 4 after its previous championship in Group 3 in 2007, had a much tougher road to the final, winning, 34-23, over Jackson Memorial to avenge an eight-point loss earlier this season.
The South Jersey school, which lost to P'burg in the 2004 Group 3 final, grabbed the early momentum with Finnegan McFadden's 4-3 win with a late takedown against P'burg state qualifier Kyle Tino in the opening bout at 145 pounds. Freshman James Day, who rated as a favorite at 106, lost a 4-2 decision with the 'Liners, who suffered their first finals loss since a 34-24 defeat to Jackson Memorial in 2011, trailing by a point through eight bouts.
"We thought we could get that one [at 145], but we knew it would be a dogfight," Post said. "It wasn't one we thought we had to have, and a nice ankle pick [for the takedown] ended up being the difference. That wasn't the end [of the match]. We had some chances."
P'burg freshman Joey Innamorato nearly pulled off what would have been a huge upset when he hit a tight headlock with 1:33 left in the third period on state placewinner McKenzie Bell, who had a sizable lead and got off his back to eventually record a technical fall win in the closing seconds.
Senior Travis Jones, who finished seventh in the state tournament last season, nearly got the 'Liners back in it when he locked up a cradle in the first period against Jake Gentile, who survived the six minutes in a 10-2 loss, which was the 100th career win for Jones and evened the team score at 20.
"I feel for Jones, it's supposed to be a special time when you win your 100th, and he's heartbroken," said Post, now 6-2 all-time in state finals during his nine-year tenure. "He did it in three years [going 2-3 as a freshman]. There haven't been many guys who have done that at P'burg. He's had a special career."
Needing to win the final two bouts, with Kingsway holding criteria in the event of a tie on Bell's technical fall and no six-pointers, senior Bryce Parenti gave up a second-period escape and was ridden for the entire third period in a 1-0 loss at 132. P'burg senior Luke Hardin, who was a heavy underdog against Cheyney Kinner, gave it all he had in an 8-1 loss in the finale at 138.
"I said in 2013, when we lost to Hunterdon Central [in the sectional final] and missed making it to a Group match [for just the second time in program history], that I never wanted that to be on my watch again. It's painful. When you put on a Phillipsburg singlet and a thousand fans come here and cheer you on, there's a lot of pressure. The one thing I told our kids is we can't let this impact the rest of our season. For the first 84 days of this season it was all about team stuff. They still have some individual goals."
KINGSWAY 26, PHILLIPSBURG 20
145 -- So. Finnegan McFadden (22-8), K, d. Sr. Kyle Tino (25-10), 4-3.
152 -- Sr. TJ Abode (19-12), P, d. Jr. John Sambogna (12-16), 7-3.
160 -- Sr. Cody Harrison (29-2), P, md. Sr. Ryan Crane (12-11), 23-9.
170 -- So. Kevin Pandorf (22-11), K, d. Fr. David Pierson (14-17), 12-5.
182 -- Jr. Jacob Wicks (20-13), P, d. Jr. Noah Falabella (9-14), 5-3.
195 -- Sr. Austin Roth (27-5), P, d. Jr. Dennis Lee (1-2), 6-0.
220 -- Sr. Alieis Almanzar (20-10), K, d. So. Gage Horvath (16-17), 3-1.
285 -- So. Sean Horner (23-10), K, d. Jr. Cody Cruts (11-19), 7-3.
106 -- Fr. Josh Palmucci (11-16), K, d. Fr. James Day (25-10), 4-2.
113 -- So. Logan Maczko (26-9), P, d. Fr. Joey Miranda (15-12), 6-4.
120 -- Jr. McKenzie Bell (28-5), K, tf. Fr. Joey Innamorato (11-18), 21-6, 6:00.
126 -- Sr. Travis Jones (30-3), P, md. So. Jake Gentile (15-8), 10-2.
132 -- Fr. Dakota Morris (15-7), K, d. Sr. Bryce Parenti (22-12), 1-0.
138 -- Jr. Cheyney Kinner (23-10), K, d. Sr. Luke Hardin (9-18), 8-1.
Records -- Phillipsburg 18-3; Kingsway 17-8.
(Semifinals)
PHILLIPSBURG 44, WAYNE VALLEY 16
138 -- Kyle Tino, P, p. Matt Jimenez, 1:10.
145 -- Jared Kukor, P, d. Elijah Lugo, 5-4.
152 -- TJ Abode, P, p. Ray Ackerson, 1:23.
160 -- Cody Harrison, P, d. Nick Duncan, 5-1.
170 -- Reid Colella, WV, p. David Pierson, 4:56.
182 -- Dan Murphy, WV, d. Jacob Wicks, 6-5.
195 -- Austin Roth, P, p. Courtney Armstrong, 1:19.
220 -- Nick Trani, WV, md. Gage Horvath, 13-4.
285 -- Jordan Botero, WV, d. Cody Cruts, 3-1 SV.
106 -- James Day, P, d. Attila Valy, 10-7.
113 -- Logan Maczko, P, d. Michael Antonuccio, 7-1.
120 -- Joey Innamorato, P, tf. Ibrahim Fostok, 18-3, 5:59.
126 -- Travis Jones, P, p. Ryan Hammer, 1:03.
132 -- Jason Tino, P, d. Sean Hammer, 6-4.
Records -- Phillipsburg 18-2; Wayne Valley 18-5.
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