Southern Defeats Howell in Championship-Like Sectional Bout

photo & coverage by: AJ Morales

Somehow, some way, two of the top ten teams in the state met in the second round of the South Jersey Group 5 bracket. It felt more like a group final than a sectional semifinal. Southern Regional walked into Howell’s gym Monday night as the four seed, but walked out looking every bit like the top public team in New Jersey, grinding out a 33–26 win in a match that swung back and forth all night.

The dual opened at 132, and Howell struck first. Shane Maghan edged Dion Mesanko 2–1 in a tight bout to give the Rebels the early 3–0 lead. Southern responded immediately at 138 when Henry Zimmerman controlled the pace in a 5–1 decision to even things up. That was the start of a critical middle-lower run. At 144, Attila Vigilante wasted no time, securing a first-period pin in just 44 seconds to put Southern in front 9–3. Anthony Molinaro followed at 150 with another first-period fall, extending the Rams’ lead to 15–3 and flipping the energy in the building.

Howell answered at 157 with a major decision from Brady Little, trimming the margin to 15–7. But Vincent Esposito delivered a composed 11–6 decision at 165 to restore breathing room for Southern. The Rebels kept coming. Tyler Going picked up a technical fall at 175, and then the marquee matchup at 190 brought the house to its feet. Tanner Hodgins, one of the state’s premier wrestlers, secured a fall over Brady Nolan to tie the dual at 18–18. Just like that, the early Southern surge was erased, and the match turned into a true coin flip.

Levi Foote steadied things at 215 with a 7–2 decision over Tim O’Rourke, nudging Southern back in front. At heavyweight, Howell’s Vincent Pesina won a 1–0 grinder to tie it again, 21–21. With the upper weights complete, the dual shifted into the lightweights with everything hanging in the balance.

Freshman Jonas Lusker stepped up at 106 and delivered a poised 8–3 decision, giving Southern a 24–21 lead and momentum heading into the final stretch. Howell answered at 113 with a technical fall from Luke Johnston to reclaim the lead, 26–24, and put the pressure squarely on Southern’s final two wrestlers.

That is when Cade Collins and Anthony Mason closed the door. At 120, Collins attacked with urgency. Knowing bonus points were critical, he went straight to work and secured a first-period pin in 1:08 to swing the dual back Southern’s way, 30–26. It was the defining moment of the night. “I said going into it, I need to win. I need to get the pin,” Collins said afterward. “I knew I couldn’t fool around. I had to go after it. The kid wanted to open up, I had to open him up. Once he started opening up, I got right to my bar. The pin was huge.”

Anthony Mason sealed it at 126 with a controlled 6–3 decision, pushing the final score to 33–26 and sending Southern into its eighth straight sectional final. For a four seed wrestling on the road, the Rams never looked rattled.

“We’ve been put through so many tough matches this year,” Collins said. “We have a lot of ranked wins on the season. Coach told us, it’s just business. Business day. We’re ready. We’re the number one public school in the state. Let’s just show them that.” They did.

The dual showcased everything expected from two elite programs. Early pins. Toss-up matches. Ranked headliners. Momentum swings. In the end, Southern’s ability to capitalize on bonus points and win key decisions proved the difference.

Now, instead of another road test, the Rams get to return home for the sectional final. “It’s gonna be great,” Collins said. “Our community down in Manahawkin is huge. The wrestling community is probably the best in New Jersey. Everyone shows up.”

A match that felt like a state final came early in the bracket. Southern survived it. And with momentum and belief on their side, the Rams head home one win away from another trip to Rutgers and another shot at something bigger.