Where: Kittatinny Regional High School, Hampton.
Teams: High Point, Jefferson, Kittatinny, Newton, Pope John, Sparta, Vernon, Wallkill Valley.
Friday schedule: Quarterfinals, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday schedule: Semifinals, 9 a.m.; third-place consolations, 11 a.m.; championships, 1 p.m.
Returning champion (2012 weight): Sr. John Torppey, High Point (106).
Predictions: The top three finishers in each weight class advance to the Region 1 Tournament that begins on Wednesday at Wallkill Valley Regional High School in Hardyston.
106 -- 1. John Torppey, High Point; 2. Bryan Damon, Jefferson; 3. Christian Silva, Kittatinny.
Notes: Torppey (17-10) has spent most of the season at 113, where he owns a 10-5 mark. Damon and Torppey did not meet this season. Damon lost to Pope John's Austin Sisco in last year's opening round. One of the taller 106-pounders, Torppey, whose father, Wade, won a district title in 1979 at 135 pounds, does one better with his second this year. His uncle, Scott, won back-to-back titles in 1977-78. The Wildcats have won no fewer than three titles in a single tournament since 2005, including a school record nine in 2008. During that span, High Point won 40 of its total of 95 district winners.
113 -- 1. James Elphick, Kittatinny; 2. Matt Tripodi, Jefferson; 3. Ian Burke, Sparta.
Notes: Kittatinny has crowned at least one champion since 1994, a county-best string of 18 straight tournaments. Elphick, a transfer from Pennsylvania, placed fourth in the District 11 Class AA Tournament last year at Pen Argyl. He's sitting in the No. 3 spot because he was forced to sit 30 days and did accumulate a lot of matches. He's legit and a horse on the mat, as anyone who's seen can attest. Tripodi, the top seed beat No. 2 Burke, 4-3, on Jan. 25. Burke is having a nice and pinned state placewinner Carl Buttitta of JFK Iselin earlier this season. Burke will snap a long drought on Friday for the Spartans, who have won one district bout since 2009 when Sam Hansen placed fourth at 215 pounds. Over the previous three tourneys, Sparta went a combined 1-27. It's good to see first-year coach Frank Battaglia has some threats to advance to Region 1.
120 -- 1. Mike Derin, High Point; 2. David Popek, Kittatinny; 3. Nils Holley, Jefferson.
Notes: Derin, the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex runner-up, is the class of the field and will win what could be the first of many titles. He already defeated Popek, 11-4, on Jan. 26. Jack Velella of Sparta meets Vernon's Zeke Lewie Cepero in the 4-5 match and the Spartans will be favored there to get another Friday night win.
126 -- 1. Steven Churchill, Newton; 2. Pat Ferguson, Jefferson; 3. Connor McHugh, High Point.
Notes: Churchill (31-0) dropping down gives him a decided edge here as he seeks his first district title after a runner-up finish two years ago. Churchill, who is 107-19 overall, placed third last year and fourth as a freshman. Ferguson gave High Point's Jason Gaccione a battle at 132 earlier this season, losing 2-0, so he looks like a solid choice for his first final. The third-place bout between McHugh and Vernon's Kevin Gocklin, fourth two years ago, will be entertaining.
132 -- 1. Jason Gaccione, High Point; 2. Tom Murphy, Kittatinny; 3. C.J. Sarao, Pope John.
Notes: Great final here as two of the county's best freshmen battle in the rematch. Gaccione prevailed, 2-1, in an overtime tiebreaker on Jan. 26 when Murphy inexplicably let him up for the winning point. Murphy has wrestled a lot of tough customers this year and is battle tested. A takedown, which neither got the first time, could win it. Sarao should meet up with Wallkill Valley's Steve Siek for third.
138 -- 1. Nick Romyns, Kittatinny; 2. Joe Hocking, Wallkill Valley; 3. Ryan Higgins, Jefferson.
Notes: Talented group here as Romyns seeks a return trip to the finals, where he lost to High Point great Nick Francavilla a year ago in the 125-pound title match. Romyns has been a little hot-and-cold this season, but beat Higgins, 2-1, on Jan. 12 and Hocking, 3-1, two days later at HWS. Hocking-Higgins in the semifinals will be a battle and I think Hocking makes another run to the finals. Keep an eye on High Point's Alec Alvino, whose lost twice to Higgins, in the upper half as he meets Vernon's Tyler Walker in a good 4-5 clash on Friday..
145 -- 1. Joe Emering, Pope John; 2. Luke Bohn, Jefferson; 3. Jim Lodema, Wallkill Valley.
Notes: Another weight with only six entrants. Emering was a runner-up last year and has looked real sharp at times this season. I think the advantage of a senior vs. the freshman Bohn, who's also had a nice year, is the difference. Lodema has been fourth twice and should get over the hump. He majored first-round opponent, Jacob Levy of Vernon, earlier this year. Now, this weight may chang on Friday with Newton's Logan Morales dropping down from 152 where he's the No. 3 seed. Morales beat Lodema, 3-1, on Jan. 19. But I will stick with the Ranger for third.
152 -- 1. Clarke Moynihan, Kittatinny; 2. Ryan Ward, Vernon; 3. Tommy Hooker, High Point.
Notes: Moynihan, a three-time finalist and champion in 2010, is the clear choice here after finals losses to High Point wrestlers -- Drew Wagenhoffer in 2009 and Joe Gaccione in 2011. Ward was fourth last year and should sail into the finals. Another seeding change here could put Newton's Niko Grello and possibly Pope John's James Bohn, the Nos. 6 and 7 seeds at 138, here on Friday. Grello would be my choice for third in that event.
160 -- 1. Kieran Gerrity, Kittatinny; 2. Nick Monteverdi, Jefferson; 3. Ben Mendiburu, High Point.
Notes: Gerrity was third at this weight last season and is a heavy favorite for his first gold medal. Monteverdi, who has been as low as 145, jumps up to earn the No. 2 seed and a more favorable road to Wallkill Valley next week. Mendiburu (8-3) has been a late addition to the varsity lineup and has talent. He should be able to get past No. 3 seed Nick Johnson of Sparta for third.
170 -- 1. Jake Brook, Kittatinny; 2. Kevin Pettenger, High Point; 3. Justin Farrell, Vernon.
Notes: Going with a reversal here as Brook wins the rematch with Pettenger, who prevailed, 4-3, in a tight one in late January. Brook has really come on in the second half and has faced some stiff competition, most recently getting a big win the Cougars' Group 1 semifinal loss to Bound Brook. Pettenger is a strong wrestler and dangerous. Third-seeded Farrell decked Sparta's Ben Muller, the No. 4, earlier this season.
182 -- 1. Kyle Stoll, High Point; 2. Zack Levy, Vernon; 3. Garrett Armstrong, Kittatinny.
Notes: Stoll, only a sophomore, established himself as one of the area's top upper weights. He comes from good stock. His father, Joe, was a region champion at heavyweight for Vernon in 1984. Levy, the third seed, and Sparta's Alex Muller, the No. 2, split a pair of close bouts this season. Tough call there. If the fourth-seeded Armstrong was in the bottom half I'd like his chances to make the finals. Stoll won their bout, 5-1, on Jan. 26.
195 -- 1. Jake Connelly, Newton; 2. Dylan Wunder, Kittatinny; 3. Drew Bye, High Point.
Notes: Connelly going for his first title after back-to-back thirds and a second last year. He's up from 145, where he placed fourth in Region 1. Hard to believe but Connelly's quickness serves him well among the big boys. Wunder, who I thought would go 182, has two losses to Connelly this season. Bye is perhaps High Point's most improved wrestler as the season's gone on and should meet Vernon's Jesse Cornwell, a thrower, for third. Bye pinned Cornwell in the dual meet.
220 -- 1. Dave Tlatelpa, Vernon; 2. Jake Drelich, Kittatinny; 3. Gunther Wassong, High Point.
Notes: Tlatelpa, the top seed, was third a year ago at 215 and gets the nod here. Drelich was fourth last year and handily beat Wassong, 14-3, in the dual meeting. In that one, Drelich put Wassong on his back three times in building a 12-1 first-period lead. Tempted to pick Wassong in the rematch, but I was in attendance for the last meeting and it wasn't a contest.
285 -- 1. Jon Gemeinhardt, Vernon; 2. Brandon Grant, Newton; 3. Noah Merritt, Pope John.
Notes: Gemeinhardt is an easy selection after finishing third here and fourth in Region 1 last year. He's pinned Grant and Merritt and tech-falled High Point's Chris Epperly, the No. 4 seed. Grant gets a rematch with Merritt, who prevailed, 6-4, on Dec. 27. That's a long time ago and Grant will wrestle a smarter match this time around. Merritt advances by beating Epperly for third.
Team champion: Kittatinny.
No comments:
Post a Comment