By Bob Badders - Senior Staff Writer ATLANTIC CITY -- He laid on his back and looked at the roof of Boardwalk Hall for a couple seconds, still trying to believe that what just happened was real. Jimmy Lawson wasn't dreaming, he had indeed just won a state championship.
Avenging a loss from earlier in the season, Lawson defeated Howell's Harry Turner, 4-3, to win the 285-pound state championship at the NJSIAA Individual Tournament on Sunday. Lawson, a sophomore, is Manchester's first ever state champion.
"I still can't believe I won this," Lawson said. "I worked hard all week and I never thought I would get my rematch and beat Harry in the final."
Lawson scored a takedown in the first period but was quickly reversed by Turner to tie the score at two. Lawson, however, was able to take down Turner again and hold him off in the waning seconds. Lawson finished his season with just three losses, and all three came on bout-deciding moves with under 30 seconds left in the third period. So when the two went out of bounds and walked back to the center of the mat for a restart with 24 seconds left, Lawson knew he had to change his fortune.
"I just had to keep pushing," Lawson said. "No stalling, just keep on wrestling."
Lawson's victory further showcases the depth of Region VI. He was upset in the region semifinals, but wrestled back to take third. It took him just 34 seconds to breeze through the wrestleback round. He brought that momentum to Atlantic City where he pinned two of his four opponents to get to the final.
"I had a chip on my shoulder coming in," Lawson said. "I knew it would be hard (to win a state title) but now it's great. I still can't believe I wrestled in the final and won. It means I'm the best heavyweight in New Jersey."
Now Manchester is going to have to make new room on the wrestling wall for its first state champion.
"It's great that now the younger kids coming in will come into the room and see my name up on the wall." Lawson said.
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