Overall Record: 11-7 / C-Division: 2-2

3/8: NJSIAA TOURNAMENT
2 Medal Winners
7th: Jordan Ayyash (165)
8th: Armani McCann (138)
WB4: Tucker Pazinko (126)
WB1: William Huchko (120)
For the first time since Mike Russo in 2015, the Lions were on the podium at Boardwalk Hall with Jordan Ayyash and Armani McCann earning medals at this year's State Tournament. It is just the second time in school history that Liberty has had multiple medalists at States, with Russo and TJ Liquori having done it for Liberty in 2014.


3/1: REGION 6
1 Champ - 4 Medal Winners
1st: Armani McCann (138)
2nd: Tucker Pazinko (126)
3rd: Jordan Ayyash (165)
4th: William Huchko (120)
6th: Erdne Garyaev (175)
PQ: Akbar Nazurdinov (157)
McCann makes it back-to-back years with a Region champion for Liberty. 8th Region title for the Lions.


2/22: DISTRICT 23
4th Place - 2 Champs - 6 Region Qualifiers
1st: William Huchko (120) / Armani McCann (138)
2nd: Tucker Pazinko (126) / Akbar Nazurdinov (157) / Jordan Ayyash (165)
3rd: Erdne Garyaev (175)
4th: Chris Trancucci (106)
Liberty: Armani McCann, who returned for the postseason after missing over a month to injury, became the fifth wrestler in Liberty history to win multiple District titles, and their first since Mike Russo, who was a 4-time champ for the Lions from 2012-2015. William Huchko won the 120-pound title, giving Liberty multiple champs for the third consecutive season, and fourth time in five tournaments.



CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 3 SECTIONALS
SF: #2 Brick Memorial 47 - #3 Jackson Liberty 20 (BOX SCORE)
QF: #3 Jackson Liberty 42 - #6 Burlington Twp 35 (BOX SCORE)
Liberty: F Pazinko with the walk-off pin; Liberty pins in final 4 bouts


2/8: NON-DIVISION
Jackson Liberty 66 - Brick Twp 9 (BOX SCORE)
Liberty: Baranski, Huchko, Lefurge, F Pazinko, I Nazurdinov, A Nazurdinov, & Garyaev win by pin
Brick Twp: Leonard wins by pin


2/5: C-DIVISION
Jackson Liberty 41 - Wall 28 (BOX SCORE)
Liberty: 120 - #9 Huchko md. #10 Mahoney; 126 - #2 T Pazinko p. #9 Waitzel; Ayyash & Valdez-Robles pin
Wall: Cosme, Clauberg, Carrillo-Solano win by pin; Boulard & Quinn tech


2/1: BOUND BROOK QUAD
#8 Howell 38 - Jackson Liberty 35 (BOX SCORE)
Jackson Liberty 57 - Bound Brook 22 (BOX SCORE)
Middletown South 34 - Jackson Liberty 31 (BOX SCORE)


1/25: SHORE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
Jackson Liberty - 12th Place
2nd: Tucker Pazinko (126)
6th: William Huchko (120) / Jordan Ayyash (165)
Tucker Pazinko and Jordan Ayyash won their 2nd SCT Medals, while William Huchko claimed his1st, giving Liberty multiple SCT Medalists for the 2nd consecutive season. The Lions now have 11 SCT Medals all-time, with 8 of those medals coming in the last two seasons.


1/22: C-DIVISION
Jackson Liberty 44 - Colts Neck 25 (BOX SCORE)
Liberty: Huchko, T Pazinko, F Pazinko, Chapman, I Nazurdinov, Ayyash, & Garyaev with bonus wins
Colts Neck: Michaels (21-0); Borao (17-3); Anderson (19-3)


1/18: TR EAST TRI
Jackson Liberty 52 - TR East 21 (BOX SCORE)
Jackson Liberty 53 - East Brunswick 21 (BOX SCORE)


1/15: C-DIVISION
Holmdel 40 - Jackson Liberty 37 (BOX SCORE)
Holmdel: Placca with the walk-off pin; C Reyes (13-2); A Reyes (10-0); Todisco (13-1); Gann (12-2)
Liberty: Ayyash (11-2); T Pazinko (9-2); Garyaev (10-3); Chapman (7-3)


1/11: JACKSON LIBERTY QUAD
Southern 56 - Jackson Liberty 23 (BOX SCORE)
Jackson Liberty 50 - Shawnee 12 (BOX SCORE)
Jackson Liberty 45 - Long Branch 33 (BOX SCORE)


1/8: C-DIVISION
Lacey 41 - Jackson Liberty 30 (BOX SCORE)
Lacey: Coluccio pins in Lions debut; Davis, Mott, Seeley, & K Leonard also pin for Lacey
Liberty: Ayyash, T Pazinko, & McCann win by pin


1/4: JACKSON LIBERTY TRI
Brick Memorial 35 - Jackson Liberty 31 (BOX SCORE)
Jackson Liberty 45 - Manalapan 22 (BOX SCORE)
Liberty: T Pazniko, F Pazinko, McCann, Chapman, Ayyash, & Garyaev go 2-0



12/28: MUSTANG CLASSIC
1st: Armani McCann (138)
3rd: Landen Chapman (144)


12/18: NON-DIVISION
Jackson Liberty 66 - Freehold Twp 12 (BOX SCORE)
Liberty: Ciccariello, Garyaev, Valdez-Robles, Huchko, T Pazinko, F, Pazinko, A Nazurdinov win by pin; Ayyash, McCann, & I Nazurdinov tech

12/14: ROBIN LEFF TOURNAMENT
2nd: Armani McCann (138)

 

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2025 Jackson Liberty Wrestling

Head Coach: Gianni Ghione (2nd Season / 16-5)
Assistants: Connor Bohringer / Ethan Liptzin
Volunteers: Nick Pellegrino / Dylan Waller / TJ Liquori / Brandon Kosheff
2024 Record: 16-5 (B-South Champions)

Liberty is coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history. The Lions won their 4th divisional title in program history, and first since 2016, with a thrilling criteria win over Pt Boro. A week later, a walk-off pin by William Huchko gave the Lions their first ever win over crosstown rival Jackson Memorial. Their 6th-place finish as a team was their highest ever at the Shore Conference Tournament, and they sent four wrestlers to the State Tournament in Atlantic City for the 2nd consecutive season.

While 2024 Region 6 113-pound champ Anthony Urso was lost to graduation, just about everyone else is back down low, and there is a very promising freshmen group coming in that looks like it should give Liberty a very solid lower half of the lineup. Juniors Tucker Pazinko and Armani McCann are both returning District Champions, and each advanced to States last season. For Pazinko, it was his 2nd trip to the boardwalk in as many seasons. The pair have combined for 114 wins through their first two seasons and are a part of strong junior class core down low that includes Chris Tranucci (12-5 last season) and William Huchko (19-9 in 2024), who in addition to his walk-off pin over Jackson Memorial last year, also recorded a decision in the final bout against Pt Boro in the Lions B-South criteria clincher.

That group of juniors gives 2nd-year head coach Gianni Ghione a strong base to break some very promising freshmen into the lineup. Among that group is Intermediate State Champion Landen Chapman, Tri-County Champion Anthony Salais, and Intermediate State runner-up Finley Panzinko, among others.

In the upper half of the lineup, the Lions graduated their three starters at the 190-Hwt stretch, but still have some experienced upperclassmen back, led by senior Jordan Ayyash, who punched a ticket to Atlantic City last season after finishing 3rd at Regions. If fellow seniors Erdne Garyaev and Elijah Virgil, and junior Mason Ciccariello can take the next step forward after getting a lot of action last season, it will provide a big boost as it looks like the Lions will be inexperienced at the 13 & 14 slots.

The new division format this season means Liberty won't be able to defend their B-South crown, but instead, they figure to have just as good a chance as anyone else at claiming the inaugural C-Division championship in a race that also features Lacey, Wall, Holmdel, & Colts Neck, and should be in the mix for a spot in the Shore Conference Top 10 11.

Jackson Liberty High School
125 North Chapel Rd.
Jackson, NJ 08527
732-833-4700

@jlhswrestler

Program Established
2005

Mascot
Lions

Colors
Red, Silver, & Blue

Head Coach
Gianni Ghione
(2nd Season in 2025)

Assistants
Connor Bohringer
Ethan Liptzin

Volunteers
Nick Pellegrino
Dylan Waller
TJ Liquori
Brandon Kosheff

Section
CJG3

Division
C-Division

District
23

Region
6



4 - Division Titles
Last: B-South - 2024

7 - State Medalists
Last: Armani McCann & Jordan Ayyash (2025)

8 - Region Champions
Last: Armani McCann (2025)

24 - District Champions
Last: Armani McCann & William Huchko - 2025

11 - SCT Medalists
Last: Tucker Pazinko, Jordan Ayyash, & William Huchko - 2025

Career Wins Leader - 157
Mike Russo
(2012-2015)

Season Wins Record - 41
Matt Russo
(2015)