Monday, January 22, 2018

Wrestling: New Jersey Writers Association Top 20

Four teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area headline this week's New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20.

Pope John (10-1), which scored a 59-12 win over No. 17 St. John Vianney on Saturday, holds in the No. 5 spot. Coach Mark Piotrowsky's Lions, in their only scheduled action this week, will host No. 14 St. Peter's Prep on Wednesday.

Hunterdon Central (12-1) drops one spot to No. 7. The Red Devils knocked off St. Peter's Prep (33-25) and dropped a 29-28 decision to No. 6 Emerson-Park Ridge, the biggest mover this week, on Saturday. The Cavos jumped up 11 spots with that win.

Phillipsburg (6-2) checks in at No. 8 following a 33-26 win at No. 10 Hanover Park on Thursday. Coach Dave Post's Stateliners will close out a busy week with an independent showdown against No. 12 Southern on Saturday at Phillipsburg High School.


High Point (14-1), which is still unbeaten against New Jersey competition this season, rounds out the local teams at No. 11. Coach John Gardner's Wildcats can clinch the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division title with wins against Hackettstown (Tuesday) and Lenape Valley (Friday).

Newton (9-5), Kittatinny (7-6) and North Hunterdon (10-3) all dropped out of the rankings. The Braves and Cougars had been in the lower portion of the Top 20 in each of the previous three polls, while the Lions entered last week in a tie for the final spot with Watchung Hills, which scored a 48-16 win over coach Chris Hrunka's team on Saturday in Clinton Township.

Bergen Catholic (6-0), the six-time defending Non-Public A champion, is the consensus No. 1 for a fourth straight week. Howell (22-0), the defending Group 5 champion, remains the highest-ranked public school team at No. 3.

An impressive bronze trophy, donated by Prestige Imaging of Old Bridge, will be presented at the end of the 2017-18 campaign to the state’s No. 1 team in the final NJWWA poll during the state individual championships in Atlantic City.

RankSchoolRecordVotesPrevious
1Bergen Catholic (13)(6-0)2601
2Delbarton(12-2)2472
3Howell(22-0)2343
4Paulsboro(10-0)2164
5Pope John(10-1)2135
6Emerson-Park Ridge(18-0)18717
7Hunterdon Central(12-1)1746
8Phillipsburg(6-2)1658
9Seton Hall Prep(10-0)1589
10Hanover Park(10-2)1517
11High Point(14-1)13810
12Southern(13-1)11213
13South Plainfield(13-5)9112
14St. Peter's Prep(7-3)8614
15Watchung Hills(15-0)8120
16Camden Catholic(12-2)7015
17St. John Vianney(10-1)5716
18Raritan(17-2)4611
19Long Branch(16-3)22NR
20Kingsway(11-4)12NR

Also receiving votes: West Morris (9-2) 7; Newton (9-5) 3.

NJWWA voting members (in alphabetical order): Donald J. Brower (MorrisCountyHSWrestling.com); Frank D'Esposito (TheShoreConference.com); Steve Falk (Asbury Park Press); Josh Friedman (Courier Post of Cherry Hill, Daily Journal of Vineland); Screwy Louie Lazzari (New Jersey historian); John Lewis (Burlington County Times); Ron Mazzola (NJWWA president, Region 5 ranking chairman); Tom McGurk (Courier Post of Cherry Hill); Andy Mendlowitz (Courier News); Mark Trible (Courier Post of Cherry Hill); Greg Tufaro (Home News Tribune of East Brunswick); Mike Weilamann (Open Mike); Brad Wilson (Express-Times).

No comments:

Post a Comment