Spartans dominate Freehold Township

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr
Less than week from their controversial loss to Middletown North in the Shore Conference Tournament the Spartans of Ocean Township beat three teams and lost to one in wrestling matches.

Immediately following the loss to the Lions on January 28, the Spartans beat Nutley 38-35 on January 30. Getting wins for Ocean with pins were Pat Tracey at 152 pounds, Clayton Oates at 195 pounds, Brian Olesen at 285 pounds, and David Tieto at 120 pounds.

That same day the Spartans lost to Emerson 41-27. Ocean had three consecutive wins by pin with Oates at 220, Olesen at 285 and Adam Manzo at 106 pounds. John Santos had a forfeit win at 113, and Jake Benner won 9-2 at 132 pounds.

On February 2, Ocean beat Manchester 52-21. Of the 14 matches the Spartans won 10. Santos had a forfeit at 113, Tieto won with a pin at 120 and Joe Benner had a 4-1 decision. His brother Jake had a pin at 138 and also getting a pin was Chris Donnelly at 145 pounds. The 152-pound match had Jeff Andre getting a forfeit, Tracey had a major decision of 11-1 at 160 pounds, and Mike Dilusto won 4-1 at 170. The last two Ocean wins were pins by Tyler Thompson at 182 and Olesen at 285 pounds.

That set up the Freehold Township match on February 2, at Ocean. The Spartans coasted through the weights with eight victories. Tieto started the wins at 120 pounds with a pin at 2:30. The next Ocean win was a forfeit for Joe Benner at 132 pounds. Brother Jake then scored a pin at 138 pounds at 2:48.

After Freehold won the 145 pound match the Spartans had back-to-back wins. The first was Jeff Andre with a 7-1 win at 152 pounds. Tracey scored a major decision of 12-4 over his 160-pound opponent. Thompson had another pin at 1:09 of his 182-pound bout. The last two Spartans to win were Olesen at 285 pounds with a major 19-7 decision and Manzo getting a technical fall 17-2 at 106 pounds.

Ocean wrestles in the B North division of the Shore Conference and are currently (as of press time) 7-12 overall and 4-3 in the division. They currently sit in fourth position with Wall at the top 7-1, Long Branch in second at 6-1, Raritan in third at 3-1.

Behind the Spartans in the divisional standings is Colts Neck at 3-3, St. John Vianney 1-2, Red Bank Regional 2-4, and Red Bank Catholic 1-6 and in last place Neptune at 0-6.