What: Phillipsburg Stateliners vs. Hunterdon Central Red Devils.
Where: Hunterdon Central Field House, Raritan Township.
When: Thursday, 6 p.m.
Conference: Skyland (crossover).
Records: Phillipsburg 4-0; Hunterdon Central 5-1.
Coaches: Dave Post (46-13, fourth season); Steve Gibble (334-114, 23rd season).
Series history: Phillipsburg leads 34-7-1 dating to 1962, including six postseason meetings. Red Devils have won four of the last seven meetings -- posting a 34-30 win at The Pit in a regular-season matchup and a 30-29 victory at home in the North 2, Group 4 final a year ago. Gibble's teams are 5-20 vs. the 'Liners, whose last win was 46-14 at the Field House in 2012. P'burg is 17-3 all-time at Central and 16-3-1 in meetings at The Pit. Two meetings were held at neutral sites -- P'burg's 25-23 win in 1981 at Princeton's Jadwin Gym and Central's 39-11 victory in the 2010 Group 4 semifinals at Toms River North.
Note: Phillipsburg wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses.
106 -- So. Brandon Paetzell (16-1) vs. Fr. Peter Nace (11-4) or Fr. Bryce Hall (1-1).
113 -- So. Tyler Agans (3-9) vs. Fr. Chris Taylor (2-3) or P. Nace.
120 -- So. DJ Wissing (11-7) vs. Jr. Kyler Rodriguez (9-6).
126 -- Sr. Tylor Petchonka (6-7) vs. Jr. Hunter Orr (4-8).
132 -- Jr. Steve Friedman (9-6) vs. Sr. Dylan Nace (13-1).
138 -- Jr. Corey Zinsmeister (11-3) vs. Jr. Nick Taylor (9-6).
145 -- Jr. Jimmy Schuitema (11-2) vs. Sr. Collin Boylan (16-1).
152 -- Jr. Max Elling (15-4) or Sr. Garrett Wolfinger (5-2) vs. Sr. Gary Dinmore (16-0).
160 -- Sr. Broderick Bupivi (13-7) vs. Sr. Matt Suydam (6-6).
170 -- Sr. Jake Kocsis (17-2) vs. Jr. Joe Scerbo (12-3).
182 -- Jr. Tim Hinkle (3-4) vs. Jr. Nestor Crespo (11-5).
195 -- Jr. Joe Maso (9-4) vs. Jr. Nick Suk (10-4).
220 -- Fr. Drew Horun (9-6) vs. Sr. Arturo Hernandez (4-6).
285 -- Fr. Robert Melise (1-0) vs. Sr. Dan Hausman (8-6).
Breakdown: P'burg should have no problem staying focused with the big match at High Point looming on Saturday. Stateliners seeking redemption here after a pair of losses to the Red Devils last season -- including just their second loss in 34 sectional finals appearances. P'burg rates as a heavy favorite, getting the nod in nine of the 14 bouts straight up. Look for Central to execute the same move it did against North Hunterdon by bumping up Peter Nace to 113 in order to try and gain a split of the first two. Red Devils need that and a win at 120, as that figures to be a tossup. Another big one at 145, where Schuitema beat Boylan, 1-0, in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex finals on Saturday. Petchonka decked Orr, Zinsmeister pinned Taylor and Maso beat Suk, 5-3, at HWS. 'Liners should get their share of bonus points and could bump from 152 through 220 to get Elling away from Dinmore, a two-time state runner-up, in order to get a few more favorable matchups. Central will find wins tough to come by, let alone those with bonus points.
Prediction: Phillipsburg, 34-16.
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