Hold by hold and inch by inch, Dean Palmer battled his way yesterday to a berth in wrestling’s state championships.
Competing in the Region 3 tournament at West Orange High School on Saturday, Palmer, a junior who wrestles at 126, initially fell in the semifinal round to Jacob Baeza of Kearny. But wrestling allows for a redemption round called wrestlebacks and Palmer used it to reclaim his place on the roster of wrestlers going to Atlantic City. Palmer, who had earned his way into the semifinals with a 10-1 major decision, scored a 10-4 decision in the wrestlebacks to take third place in Region 3. At the District 10 championship on February 22, Palmer won first place in his weight class.
The NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics Individual Wrestling Championships kick off on Thursday, March 5, at noon, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
Photos copyright Joanna Breitenbach. Used by permission.
