Cougars win Freedom title, but fall to Timber Creek

Kittatinny's wrestling team didn't have long to lament over a tough loss to its archrival on Thursday.

Coach John Gill's Cougars went back into the fire on Saturday, blanking Hackettstown, 81-0, before dropping their second match in three days, 44-24, to state power Timber Creek in a tri-meet held in Hampton.

The victory over Hackettstown gave Kittatinny its second straight Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division championship in the conference's three-year history. Newton won the first division title in 2010.

"I know Hackettstown is down, but it was important for us to come out fired up," said Gill, whose team fell, 32-21, to High Point on Thursday. "It's not the SCIL, but [winning the Freedom Division] is still important to the kids."

Kittatinny (12-3) was overmatched against state-power Timber Creek (16-2), which also blanked Hackettstown, 78-0, in the event's middle match. The Cougars started off on the right foot against the Chargers when sophomore Dylan Wunder (20-4) buried a half in deep on Khari Turner for the pin in 3:34.

Timber Creek, a Group 3 semifinalist the last two years, reeled off four straight wins to take a 21-6 lead. Matt Kountz was turned with a double-arm bar several times in the final minute of a 4-3 win over Kittatinny senior Jake Drelich at 220. At 106, John Amato nursed a 6-5 lead over Christian Silva heading into the third period but turned Silva with a cradle for two back points and later earned the fall in 5:46.

It was those kinds of missed opportunities to either win or save team points that proved costly for Kittatinny the entire match.

"We had some good efforts against Timber Creek, but we made some glaring judgment errors at critical times," said Gill, who watched his team drop five bouts in which his wrestlers either led or trailed by four points or fewer heading into third periods. "We gave up some five-point moves and gave [Timber Creek] extra team points. I'm disappointed in that. I normally pride the kids in understanding what the score is and how much time is left [in periods]."

Senior James Elphick (7-0), who is looking sharp since entering the lineup at 113, stopped the bleeding temporarily by sticking Joey DiMartino in 2:44 after building a 12-0 lead. But Brandon Virgilio's 10-2 major of Dave Popek at 120 triggered another four-bout win streak as Timber Creek built a 37-12 lead through 10 bouts.

During that stretch, two-time state placewinner Ricky Carter earned a 6-3 win over talented Kittatinny freshman Tom Murphy at 132, while Brandon Keller, fifth in the state at 125 last season, used a five-point move in the third period en route to an 8-2 decision over sophomore Nick Romyns at 138.

Dom Ruggierrio and Bryce Shade closed things out with wins at 160 and 170. Ruggierrio, a Region 8 bronze medalist, turned Kieran Gerrity for a set of backs in the third period for a 3-0 win, while District 30 champion Shade overcame a 1-0 deficit by scoring 12 points -- throwing Brook to his back twice from their feet -- in the final period for a 12-3 major.

Against Hackettstown, Kittatinny won 12 bouts by pin and one by forfeit. The only bout to go the distance was at 138, where Romyns scored a 3-2 decision over former Region 1 finalist Tyler Kozimor.

Kittatinny finished 3-2 overall during a tough five-match week. On the horizon are showdowns against Pequannock on Wednesday and Phillipsburg at home on Thursday.

"I'm glad this week is over," Gill said. "I was not real happy with our efforts [against High Point]. I was happy with the efforts today."

TIMBER CREEK 44, KITTATINNY 24

182 -- So. Dylan Wunder (20-4), K, p. Sr. Khari Turner (12-8), 3:34.
195 -- Sr. Robert Shade (21-3), TC, p. So. Garrett Armstrong (15-7), 5:41.
220 -- Sr. Matt Kountz (9-11), TC, d. Sr. Jake Drelich (15-9), 4-3.
285 -- Sr. Schalor Blackshear (11-5), TC, p. So. Tom Smith (8-11), 1:38.
106 -- So. John Amato (5-3), TC, p. So. Christian Silva (13-11), 5:46.
113 -- Sr. James Elphick (7-0), K, p. So. Joey DiMartino (16-7), 2:44.
120 -- Jr. Brandon Virgilio (17-5), TC, md. Jr. Dave Popek (16-8), 10-2.
126 -- So. Nick Virgilio (2-0), TC, p. So. Kevin Jelinek (2-4), 1:23.
132 -- Sr. Ricky Carter (19-6), TC, d. Fr. Tom Murphy (15-10), 6-3.
138 -- Jr. Brandon Keller (22-3), TC, d. So. Nick Romyns (19-5), 8-2.
145 -- Fr. Brandon Olsen (10-14), K, p. Jr. Isiah DeGuzman (14-8), 3:23.
152 -- Sr. Clarke Moynihan (22-2), K, forfeit.
160 -- Jr. Dom Ruggierrio (14-6), TC, d. So. Kieran Gerrity (21-3), 3-0.
170 -- Jr. Bryce Shade (20-6), TC, md. Jr. Jake Brook (15-9), 12-3.
Records -- Timber Creek 16-2; Kittatinny 12-3.

TIMBER CREEK 78, HACKETTSTOWN 0

106 -- So. John Amato (4-3), TC, p. So. Tony Figueroy (10-10), 3:44.
113 -- So. Joey DiMartino (16-6), TC, p. So. Matt Nicotra (3-7), 5:17.
120 -- Sr. Alan Nguyen (14-7), TC, forfeit.
126 -- Jr. Brandon Virgilio (16-5), TC, p. So. Igor Bykov (2-8), :35.
132 -- Sr. Ricky Carter (18-6), TC, p. Jr. Chris Steffan (1-7), 1:50.
138 -- Jr. Brandon Keller (21-3), TC, p. Jr. Tyler Kozimor (17-7), 1:14.
145 -- Jr. Isiah DeGuzman (14-7), TC, p. Jr. Eddie Dulio (1-12), 5:19.
152 -- Jr. Dom Ruggierrio (13-6), TC, tf. Fr. Scott Anderson (1-9), 19-3, 5:56.
160 -- Jr. Bryce Shade (19-6), TC, p. Sr. Chris Bohm (1-10), 1:18.
170 -- Sr. Khari Turner (12-7), TC, p. Sr. Jacob Deleasa (6-15), 2:12.
182 -- Sr. Robert Shade (20-3), TC, p. Fr. Theodore Gurnowski (1-13), :34.
195 -- Sr. Matt Kountz (8-11), TC, md. Sr. Joe Clarke (7-14), 11-3.
220 -- Sr. Schalor Blackshear (10-5), TC, forfeit.
285 -- So. Joe Morett (6-11), TC, d. Jr. Bruce Gurnowski (1-13), 3-1.
Records -- Timber Creek 15-2; Hackettstown 5-9.

KITTATINNY 81, HACKETTSTOWN 0

160 -- So. Kieran Gerrity (21-2), K, p. Sr. Chris Bohm (1-9), 2:26.
170 -- Jr. Jake Brook (15-8), K, p. Sr. Jacob Deleasa (6-14), 3:07.
182 -- So. Garrett Armstrong (15-6), K, p. Fr. Theodore Gurnowski (1-12), :24.
195 -- So. Dylan Wunder (19-4), K, p. Sr. Joe Clarke (7-13), 1:17.
220 -- Sr. Jake Drelich (15-8), K, p. So. Kyle Hargadon (0-1), 1:17.
285 -- So. Tom Smith (8-10), K, p. Jr. Bruce Gurnowski (5-15), 1:14.
106 -- So. Christian Silva (13-10), K, p. So. Tony Figueroy (10-9), 1:05.
113 -- Sr. James Elphick (6-0), K, p. So. Matt Nicotra (3-6), :31.
120 -- Jr. Dave Popek (16-7), K, forfeit.
126 -- So. Kevin Jelinek (2-3), K, p. So. Igor Bykov (2-7), 1:17.
132 -- Fr. Tom Murphy (15-9), K, p. Jr. Chris Steffan (1-6), 2:55.
138 -- So. Nick Romyns (19-4), K, d. Jr. Tyler Kozimor (17-6), 3-2.
145 -- Fr. Brandon Olsen (9-14), K, p. Jr. Eddie Dulio (1-11), :30.
152 -- Sr. Clarke Moynihan (21-2), K, p. Fr. Scott Anderson (1-8), :29.
Records -- Hackettstown 5-8; Kittatinny 12-2.