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Paulsboro wrestling isn't ready to give up Colonial crown, thwarts Haddonfield

tom mcgurk, cherry hill courier-post
·4 min read
Paulsboro's Chase Bish has his arm raised after Bish defeated Haddonfield's William Bayer by pin during the 132 lb. bout of the wrestling meet held at Haddonfield Memorial High School on Monday, January 30, 2023.
Paulsboro's Chase Bish has his arm raised after Bish defeated Haddonfield's William Bayer by pin during the 132 lb. bout of the wrestling meet held at Haddonfield Memorial High School on Monday, January 30, 2023.

HADDONFIELD – Whispers that the Paulsboro High School wrestling team was ready to relinquish its Colonial Conference crown might have been a little premature.

While this might be one of the most challenged squads in Big Red history, the Raiders remain royalty, kings of the Colonial.

Paulsboro, No. 6 in The Mat Pack’s Mean 15 rankings for South Jersey extended its conference winning streak to 121 straight Monday night, dispatching No. 7 Haddonfield, 33-21.

“It’s a different Paulsboro team,” head coach Paul Morina said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys, but they work hard in the room. We try to keep the kids positive, let them do their best. It's just a different team."

More:Which teams made the latest Mat Pack's South Jersey Mean 15 rankings?

Big Red’s domination in the Colonial remains astounding with a 472-11-1 mark since 1965, including a 345-3 mark under Morina.

Paulsboro's Chase Bish, top, controls Haddonfield's William Bayer during the 132 lb. bout of the wrestling meet held at Haddonfield Memorial High School on Monday, January 30, 2023. Bish defeated Bayer by pin.
Paulsboro's Chase Bish, top, controls Haddonfield's William Bayer during the 132 lb. bout of the wrestling meet held at Haddonfield Memorial High School on Monday, January 30, 2023. Bish defeated Bayer by pin.

Paulsboro, which is on the verge of its 53rd title in the last 54 years, will look to finish another unbeaten season in the conference when it closes out its schedule with meets against Sterling and Collingswood.

Haddonfield was the last Colonial team to knock off Paulsboro with a 33-31 decision 12 years ago. And there was plenty of talk that the Haddons could be in position to accomplish the feat again on Monday.

Paulsboro High School's wrestling coach Paul Morina instructs his wrestlers during the meet between Paulsboro and Haddonfield held at Haddonfield Memorial High School on Monday, January 30, 2023.
Paulsboro High School's wrestling coach Paul Morina instructs his wrestlers during the meet between Paulsboro and Haddonfield held at Haddonfield Memorial High School on Monday, January 30, 2023.

Paulsboro (14-3) answered the critics with its best showing of the season, allowing a decision, three majors and a forfeit.

“Pretty much,” Morina said when asked if this was the best his squad wrestled this winter. “All the time we talk to them about not giving up big points. They didn’t give up one pin (on Monday). That’s big."

Chase Bish, a junior 132-pounder, said the Raiders have heard the chatter about Paulsboro taking a step back this season, but said the squad responded in a big way.

“Teams say that every year about us, but we prove them wrong,” said Bish, who sealed the victory with the meet’s lone pin in the 13th bout. “We’ve starting to put it all together. We’re working our moves and stuff. We’re getting better every day.”

That’s bad news for opponents as the postseason draws closer. The NJSIAA brackets will be released on Tuesday and Paulsboro is expected to be the top seed in South Jersey Group 1 as it chases its 42nd sectional title.

“The postseason is the fun time,” Bish said. “We’re going to be ready.”

Haddonfield (14-4), which had its 10-match winning streak snapped, is projected to be the top seed in the upcoming South Jersey Group 2 tournament. The Haddons will be chasing their elusive first sectional title.

Meet notes

Paulsboro’s Jordan Eli produced a thrilling 7-6 decision in a bout considered a swing bout at 285. Eli, a senior, scored a reversal and two back points in the last minute for the win.

“He’s got some heart,” Morina said about his 215-pounder who has bumped up nine times to wrestle at heavyweight. “Eli played football and we got him out (for wrestling). He came out to help us and he’s done that.”

Trailing 17-15, Paulsboro rattled off three straight major decisions by Hayden Holmes (113 pounds), Aundre Hill (120) and Logan Sichelstiel (126) followed by Bish’s pin to clinch the meet.

Paulsboro junior Angelo DiPol will miss the remainder of the season with a leg injury. He went 4-2 for the Raiders after transferring from Camden Catholic.

Paulsboro 33, Haddonfield 21

144: Joe Dietz, H, forfeit; 150: Sean Daniels, P, d. Beckett Doyle, 8-4; 157: Alex Goldman, H, d. Sawyer Cabanas, 7-3; 165: Roman Onorato, P, d. Julian Durkin, 3-2; 175: Doug King, P, d. Roland Fricke, 7-1; 190: Terence Lytle, H, md. Austin Willetts, 11-3; 215: Jared Hazel, P, d. Rafael Lytle, 3-0; 285: Jordan Eli, P, d. Holden Fichter, 7-6; 106: Michael Lamb, H, md. Derrik Horton, 9-1; 113: Hayden Holmes, P, md. Pearce Hoffman, 18-8; 120: Aundre Hill, P, md. Luke Wagner, 11-3; 126: Logan Sichelstiel, P, md. James Canuso, 13-0; 132: Chase Bish, P, p. William Bayer, 4:51; 138: Alex Hurly, H, md. Kyare Harvey, 12-2.

Tom McGurk is a regional sports editor for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Paulsboro remains royalty in Colonial Conference wrestling