Wrestling: Boresch can't get Howell-Hanover Park tilt

The 10th annual Henry Boresch Duals will go as a seven-team event as tournament directors could not fill the void left when Hanover Park was forced to withdraw on Tuesday.

Action begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday at Newton High School.

Newton coach Eric Bollette thought he had a solution when he proposed that Hanover Park wrestle Howell at 9 a.m. as a single dual prior to the start of the team tournament. Both teams agreed until a call was placed to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Association to confirm since Hanover Park had competed in the Mountain Lakes Tournament on Tuesday. State rules do not allow teams to wrestle in more than one tournament per week.

The state agreed to let Hanover Park and Howell wrestle under the condition that Howell weigh-in twice -- before the dual and again after before the start of the Boresch Duals. According to Bollette, Howell coach John Gagliano declined to do so.

Apparently there is a lot of confusion to the tournament rules. Paramus also had to withdraw from an event this weekend for the same reason as Hanover Park. By the looks of some schedules, some teams are doing so this week regardless of the rule.

The rule itself seems a little silly given that West Windsor South -- albeit legally -- competed in the John Goles Invitational at Warren Hills on Saturday before going to the East Brunswick Bear Invitational on Monday, just two days later. That however is within the rule since Monday began a new week.

Go figure.

Here is schedule and seeds (approximate times following the opening round):

Quarterfinals, 9 a.m.

1-Howell receives bye
2-South Plainfield vs. Newton

Round 2

3-Morris Knolls vs. 6-Middle Township
4-Caldwell vs. 5-Northern Burlington

Round 3

(If Caldwell defeats Northern Burlington)

South Plainfield-Newton loser vs. Morris Knolls-Middle Township loser
Howell vs. Northern Burlington

(If Northern Burlington defeats Caldwell)

Caldwell vs. Morris Knolls/Middle Township loser
Howell vs. Newton

Semifinals

Howell vs. Caldwell-Northern Burlington winner
Morris Knolls-Middle Township winner vs. South Plainfield-Newton winner

Round 5

Third-place match

(If Caldwell defeats Northern Burlington)

Northern Burlington vs. Morris Knolls-Middle Township winner

(If Northern Burlington defeats Caldwell)

South Plainfield-Newton loser vs. Morris Knolls-Middle Township loser

Round 6

Championship match

Memory lane of champions

2006 -- Don Bosco 50, Haddonfield 24

2007 -- Newton 54, Pequannock 9

2008 -- Newton 36, Haddonfield 31

2009 -- Newton 43, Haddonfield 18

2010 -- Newton 34, Don Bosco 32

2011 -- Raritan 41, Newton 24

2012 -- South Plainfield 47, Raritan 18

2013 -- South Plainfield 62, Raritan 8

2014 -- Hanover Park 35, Raritan 29