We continue the Top 5 series for the winter sports season by taking a look back at the Top 5 Wrestling Matches of the 2015-2016 winter season today. The wrestling team finished 17-5 overall, 4-0 in the Patriot, won a second straight division crown and advanced to the South, Group 2 semifinals. The Pirates also had two wrestlers with District 26 titles and one win a Region 7 title. You can read our full wrestling season review here.
We begin the top 5 wrestling matches of 2015-2016 with number five:
#5: Cinnaminson (44) vs Delran (18) 1st Round SJ2 February 8
In the opening round of the South, Group 2 Tournament the Pirates welcomed crosstown rival Delran and promptly sent the Bears packing with a dominating 44-18 victory. It was the second time the Pirates took down Delran in the season and the win ended the Bears quest for a sectional title. The Pirates won six out of the final seven bouts to secure the victory and 10 out of 14 overall to advance to the SJ2 semifinals.
#4: Cinnaminson (33) vs Shawnee (27) February 6
In their final regular season tune-up prior to the playoffs, the Pirates traveled to Collingswood for a tri-match with the Panthers and Shawnee. Cinnaminson went toe-to-toe with Group 4 Shawnee, taking down the playoff-bound team 33-27. The score was only that close due to Cinnaminson forfeiting the final bout with the win already in hand. Cinnaminson won five of the first six bouts and eight of 14 overall.
#3: Cinnaminson (43) at Pemberton (18) January 13
In one of the early-season matches, the Pirates traveled to Patriot Division rival Pemberton for a matchup with the Hornets. It was the first division contest of the year for the Pirates, who would finish 4-0 and repeat as champions. The 43-18 loss was the only one the Hornets would suffer in the division. Cinnaminson won the final eight bouts of the match to take home the victory. Shaun Davilla started the run with a 5-4 decision of Davon Coleman at 182 pounds and Jarrod Averill ended it with a pin of Giavone Pallenti at 126 pounds.
#2: Cinnaminson (37) at Delran (33) January 20
In their second Patriot match of the season the Pirates traveled to rival Delran for what turned out to be one of the most exciting matches of the entire season. Delran seemed to be running away with the victory, but the Pirates used a major decision and two pins in the final three bouts to shock Delran and come away with a 37-33 victory. The win was the second of the year for the Pirates in the division and moved their record to 10-1 at the time. Heavyweight Keith Swartley picked up the major decision and TJ Emanuel and Isaiah Elias picked up pins in the final two bouts for the win.
#1: Cinnaminson (34) vs Haddonfield (31) January 30
In what was declared the program’s signature win of the season by head coach Mike McConnell, the Pirates took down Haddonfield 34-31 at a home tri-match on January 30. It moved the Pirates record to 13-2 overall and gave them a ton of power points for playoff seeding. The win by the Pirates dropped Haddonfield out of the one-seed in SJ2 to the four-seed as Cinnaminson took the three-seed. The entire match was a back and forth affair as the Pirates won two of the final three bouts at 220 and 285 pounds and eight of 14 overall. Joe Cody picked up a 3-2 decision over Will Murray at 220 pounds and Swartley added a 5-0 decision of Hunter Fasolo at 285 pounds. Holding a 34-28 lead heading into the 106-pound bout, TJ Emanuel took one for the team and avoided being pinned, dropping a 3-0 decision. Haddonfield picked up just three points as the Pirates won the match 34-31.
Tomorrow we will bring you the boy’s basketball season review.
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