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| Logan Wadle sealed North's win at 106 pounds. |
"It was good to get one back on them. They knocked us out [of the postseason] the last two years," said third-year coach Chris Hrunka, now 1-4 in this rivalry. "We knew in their minds that they thought they could win, but did they truly believe it? We weren't sure. This gives them confidence. When this team is confident, they're dangerous. But we've got work to do. It's great to win, but this didn't need to be that close."
North (9-0, 3-0 division), now 9-56-1 all-time against P'burg dating to 1961 and ranked No. 5 by the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association, secured at least a share of the division title -- and can earn it outright with a win over Montgomery at home on Jan. 22 -- and mostly likely the No. 1 seed and home-gym advantage for next month's North 2, Group 4 sectional tournament.
"It feels good," said Gaburo, who converted another late takedown in the third period for a 3-1 win over Gage Horvath, who dropped a 3-1 decision in similar fashion in their Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament semifinal match last Saturday. "We call [our upper weights] murderers row. We all push each other. We're a pretty solid group, and we feed off each other."
No. 12 Phillipsburg (4-1, 0-1), which lost the flip and was unable to control pivotal matchups at 182 and 195, certainly gave a fine account in the loss. Coach Dave Post opted to go straight up with the lineup and it nearly paid off. The 'Liners were down 12 points heading into the final three bouts -- with North favored in two of those matchups -- before senior Cody Cruts scored an 8-1 win over North sophomore Liam Akers to keep the outcome in doubt. Sophomores Joey Innamorato (132), Matt D'Onofrio (152) and Nate Zastowny (160) also came through with clutch victories.
"We were one takedown from winning," said Post, now 13-1 overall against North. "We basically had six opportunities to get it. We had some strategies if we lost the flip. We took a gamble to go straight at them. I want to win everything, but I can't be upset with our performance. Sometimes you take a gamble and you lose."
Sophomore Sean Stasiulaitis got the opening takedown on Wadle, the HWS champion at 106, but he chose bottom in the second and was turned twice with tilts for five back points to open it up. Wadle (17-2) gave up another takedown in the third to tie it at 5, but he escaped and converted a double-leg attempt for the winning takedown with 36 seconds left on the clock.
"Logan is a smart wrestler," Hrunka said. "The pressure came down to him and he didn't panic. He's constantly looking to score."
There was excitement right out of the gate as North Hunterdon junior Frank DiEsso decked the upset-minded Hakeem Ransdell in sudden-victory overtime. DiEsso (15-3), a returning state qualifier, gave up the go-ahead takedown with 39 seconds left in the third period and quickly got a reversal to tie the bout at 3. In OT, DiEsso took down Ransdell, who had dropped a 7-3 decision when they met at the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament here last Saturday, to his back for the fall in 6:37.
Phillipsburg answered by picking up three extra team points in the next bout at 126, as junior Logan Maczko decked Daniel Delusant with a cradle in 4:59. Maczko (10-4) had majored the freshman in the HWS Tournament. And in a huge swing bout, sophomore Innamorato escaped and and logged a takedown in the second overtime tiebreaker for a 4-1 victory over Connor Quinn at 132. Innamorato lost by a 17-6 major decision when they met in last season's North 2, Group 4 sectional final.
North Hunterdon seized the momentum right back at 138, where senior Drew Doscher used a cradle to flatten Jason Tino in 5:36 -- giving the Lions a 12-9 lead through four bouts. Doscher avenged a 5-3 loss in sudden-victory OT to Tino in 2018. Senior Evan Klimas followed with a 7-3 decision over Jared Kukor to extend the lead to 15-9.
"I slapped on that cradle and I thought I could pin him," Doscher said. "We all knew about the 17 [losses in a row]. I knew any bonus points could be big. Everyone came together and wrestled well. P'burg has a lot of tough kids and they always keep matches close."
P'burg got right back in it with D'Onofrio's 3-2 win over Kyle Anderson at 152, and Zastowny kept the pressure on North by hitting a five-pointer off a shin whizzer in the second period en route to a 10-8 win over James Holder, who nearly had the potential tying takedown before the buzzer.
But freshman Alex Uryniak (182) and Fossett followed with decisions to set up Gaburo's third career victory over Horvath, who has yet to get a takedown in their meetings dating to last season.
"I was calm and focused," said Gaburo, a hockey player who joined the wrestling team two seasons ago. "There weren't too many nerves. I just focused on the task at hand."
North Hunterdon is slated to continue a big week with a potential showdown against No. 17 Brick Memorial on Saturday in a quad at Highland. P'burg also is in the midst of a brutal stretch against NJWWA Top 20 teams with a home match against No. 9 Toms River North on Thursday and an independent clash against No. 10 High Point at The Pit on Saturday. The weekend slate could be affected by the forecast for snow.
NORTH HUNTERDON 30, PHILLIPSBURG 24
120 -- Jr. Frank DiEsso (15-3), NH, p. So. Hakeem Ransdell (5-9), 6:37 SV.
126 -- Jr. Logan Maczko (10-4), P, p. Fr. Daniel Delusant (7-8), 4:59.
132 -- So. Joey Innamorato (13-5), P, d. Jr. Connor Quinn (12-5), 4-1 TB2.
138 -- Sr. Drew Doscher (11-3), NH, p. Jr. Jason Tino (11-10), 5:36.
145 -- Sr. Evan Klimas (15-2), NH, d. Sr. Jared Kukor (7-9), 7-3.
152 -- So. Matt D'Onofrio (9-9), P, d. Sr. Kyle Anderson (9-5), 3-2.
160 -- So. William Cole (11-4), NH, d. So. James Palitto (0-1), 6-3.
170 -- So. Nate Zastowny (17-4), P. d. Jr. James Holder (13-4), 10-8.
182 -- Fr. Alex Uryniak (12-3), NH, d. So. David Pierson (11-8), 4-3.
195 -- Sr. Nate Fossett (15-2), NH, d. Sr. Jacob Wicks (13-8), 7-2.
220 -- Sr. Ian Gaburo (13-1), NH, d. Jr. Gage Horvath (12-7), 3-1.
285 -- Sr. Cody Cruts (13-5), P, d. So. Liam Akers (15-2), 8-1.
106 -- Fr. Logan Wadle (17-2), NH, d. So. Sean Stasiulaitis (5-9), 8-5.
113 -- So. James Day (16-5), P, forfeit.
Records -- North Hunterdon 9-0, 3-0; Phillipsburg 4-1, 0-1.
Officials -- Frank Leitner and Russ Scorese.
JV score -- North Hunterdon, 15-9.
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