Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Wrestling: Parkland at Phillipsburg preview

UPDATE: Match has been postponed due to impending bad weather. No makeup date has been announced.

What: Parkland Trojans at Phillipsburg Stateliners.

Where: The Pit at Phillipsburg High School.

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Conference: Independent.

Records: Parkland 1-1; Phillipsburg 0-0.

Coaches: Ryan Nunamaker (143-50, 10th season); Dave Post (42-13, fourth season).

Series history: Phillipsburg leads 18-2 dating to 1975, when both schools were members of the defunct East Penn Conference. 'Liners won the last five meetings, including a 53-9 pasting in 1995, before the series ended with P'burg, which won 13 in a row from 1977-89, moving to the Skyland Conference for the 1995-96 school year. Trojans are 0-10 all-time at The Pit -- winning 29-19 in 1975 and 32-27 in 1990 at home.

Note: Parkland wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses.

106 -- So. Jacob Lizak (11-3) or Fr. Nick Bauer (3-3) vs. So. Brandon Paetzell (9-1).

113 -- So. Andrew Mastrangelo (3-2) or J. Lizak vs. So. Tyler Agans (1-4).

120 -- Sr. Ethan Lizak (10-2) vs. So. DJ Wissing (6-5).

126 -- So. Brayson Haas (1-6) vs. Sr. Tylor Petchonka (4-4).

132 -- Sr. Jareed Hasan (4-6) or Jr. Tom Yankanich (1-4) vs. Jr. Steve Friedman (5-4).

138 -- Jr. Rob Wetherhold (5-6) vs. Jr. Corey Zinsmeister (4-2).

145 -- Sr. Nathan Christman (2-2) vs. Jr. Jimmy Schuitema (4-2) or Sr. Garrett Wolfinger (2-2).

152 -- Sr. Josh Ortman (6-5) vs. Jr. Max Elling (9-3).

160 -- Fr. Frank Guida (8-5) or Jr. Billy Hoh (2-1) vs. Sr. Broderick Bupivi (8-5).

170 -- Sr. Marques Sturdivant (7-5) vs. Sr, Jake Kocsis (9-2).

182 -- Sr. Rahmeir Thompson (1-1) vs. Jr. Yann Ondele (1-2) or Jr. Mohamed Ahmed-Fouad (0-2).

195 -- Sr. Nezar Haddad (9-2) vs. Jr. Joe Maso (3-2).

220 -- Jr. Omas Haddad (12-1) vs. Jr. Tim Hinkle (1-2) or Fr. Drew Horun (4-4).

285 -- Sr. Alex Neith (2-5) vs. Fr. Robert Melise (0-0) or Horun.

Breakdown: Excellent matchup to start Phillipsburg's dual meet season as the former East Penn Conference rivals meet for the first time in nearly 30 years. This figures to be a close one on paper. Look for both teams to make lineup moves. The Trojans will likely bump PIAA Class AAA state qualifier Jacob Lizak from 106 to 113 to try and get a split of those weights. Parkland favored at 113 (J. Lizak), 120, 152 (slight with Ortman vs. Elling), 195 and 220. Give P'burg the edge at 106, 126, 132, 138, 145 and 170. I'd call 160, 182 and 285 tossups, but leaning toward the 'Liners, who did not enter a heavyweight in the Reno or Bethlehem Holiday tournaments. P'burg could put Wolfinger in at 145 and try to run everyone up through 182 -- making the hosts favorites at 160, 170 and 182, with the edge at 152 as well. Parkland would need two of the tossups to win and likely 152, with Ortman, an eighth-place finisher in Class AAA last season. The Haddads are also state qualifiers. Bonus points should be at a minimum, but the 'Liners have the chance for more, and being at home where the Trojans have never won is always a plus. Wrestler to watch is Trojans' Ethan Lizak, a three-time state finalist and champ in 2012 and '13, with a career mark of 130-15. Parkland, which recently finished third in the prestigious Powerade Tournament, opened its season with a 42-17 thumping of Easton before a 42-21 loss to Nazareth.

Prediction: Phillipsburg, 30-26.

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