What: Kittatinny Cougars at Phillipsburg Stateliners.
Where: The Pit at Phillipsburg High School.
When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
Conference: Independent.
TV/Radio: Service Electric (Sussex) Channel 10 with Mugs Media (tape delay).
Records: Kittatinny 17-1; Phillipsburg 9-2.
State rankings (New Jersey Wrestling Writers): Kittatinny No. 10; Phillipsburg No. 7.
Coaches: John Gill (482-147-5, 32nd season); Dave Post (38-11, third season).
Series history: Phillipsburg leads 11-6 dating to 1994, including last year's 36-18 win on the road. Kittatinny has dropped two straight since a 41-34 win at home in 2010, and is 2-7 overall at The Pit -- winning there in 2004 and '06. 'Liners have won five of six since snapping a four-match skid from 2003-06. Teams did not meet during the 1997-98 season.
Note: Kittatinny wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses.
106 -- Fr. Jake Van Wingerden (17-9) vs. Fr. Brandon Paetzell (20-5).
113 -- Jr. Christian Silva (20-6) vs. Sr. Zach Fisher (18-7).
120 -- Fr. Nick Klinger (11-14) vs. So. Steve Friedman (16-10).
126 -- Fr. Austin Scrivani (19-7) or Jr. Nick West (9-16) vs. Jr. Tylor Petchonka (5-6) or So. Corey Zinsmeister (15-9).
132 -- Scrivani or West vs. Sr. Anthony Johnson (6-4).
138 -- So. Tom Murphy (23-3) vs. So. Max Elling (16-8).
145 -- Jr. Nick Romyns (19-4) vs. Sr. Andrew Kaluzny (16-10).
152 -- Sr. Connor Zandarski (10-12) or Sr. Dave Popek (10-8) vs. So. Jimmy Schuitema (20-3).
160 -- Zandarski or Popek vs. Jr. Jake Kocsis (18-6).
170 -- Jr. Kieran Gerrity (23-3) vs. Jr. Broderick Bupivi (16-9).
182 -- Sr. Jake Brook (23-3) or Jr. Dylan Wunder (20-6) vs. So. Joe Maso (6-6).
195 -- Brook or Wunder vs. So. Yann Ondele (1-5).
220 -- Jr. Garrett Armstrong (23-3) or Jr. Tom Smith (14-10) vs. So. Tim Hinkle (11-12) or Sr. Jarrett Williams (21-5).
285 -- Armstrong or Smith vs. Williams or Hinkle.
Breakdown: This has been one of the great local rivalries for awhile and has the chance to be a barnburner this time around. P'burg definitely favored down low, while Kittatinny has the edge up top. 'Liners favored at 106, 113, 120, 126 (with Zinsmeister), 132, 152, 160 and 285. Cougars get the nod at 126 (with Petchonka), 138, 170, 182, 195, 220. Let's call 145 a tossup between Region 1 fourth-place finishers. There are some potential HWS rematches: Friedman d. Klinger, 7-3; Johnson p. West; Murphy d. Elling, 4-2; Williams md. Smith, 9-1. Murphy-Elling is a big one here, as Elling is wrestling much better since the loss. To likely pull this off, Kittatinny needs 145 and to avoid bonus points where it's a heavy underdog one of three weights (106, 132, 152). Gill may elect to match Smith on Hinkle and Armstrong vs. Williams to try and sweep both weights. Neither would be a given but it might be a necessary move. Visitors also have options at 182 and 195, seeking bonus at both, while the coin flip could be big if the Cougars want to see a Armstrong-Williams matchup up top. Williams weighed 222.4 on Wednesday. Even minus one starter (senior 195-pounder Kyle Kinney who lost 4-0 to Wunder at HWS) and potentially another in Zinsmeister, who may be out for awhile, I think the 'Liners still have a little too much in their home building.
Prediction: Phillipsburg, 30-26.
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