Wrestling: High Point at Phillipsburg preview, lineups

What: High Point Wildcats at Phillipsburg Stateliners.

Where: The Pit at Phillipsburg Middle School.

When: Monday, 7 p.m.

Conference: Independent.

Live feed: Stateliner Sports

State rankings (New Jersey Writers): High Point No. 11; Phillipsburg No. 7.

Area rankings (Open Mike): High Point No. 3; Phillipsburg No. 2.

Records: High Point 6-2; Phillipsburg 7-2.

Coaches: John Gardner (368-105-2, 22nd season, 1-5 vs. P'burg); Dave Post (154-25, 10th season, 3-0 vs. HP).

Series history: Phillipsburg owns an 18-1 edge dating to 1989, including six postseason meetings and a 62-6 rout in the last matchup at The Pit on Jan. 30, 2015. High Point's lone win came in a regular-season dual meet -- 30-22 at The Pit on Jan. 31, 2009. Stateliners are 6-0 on the road, including a 30-27 win last season on Jan. 18, 2019.

Note: High Point wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses.

106 -- Fr. Roman Citro (9-5) vs. So. Sean Stasiulaitis (7-11).

113 -- So. Clayton Utter (13-3) vs. So. James Day (19-6).

120 -- So. Charles Antcliff (13-8) vs. Jr. Logan Maczko (12-6) or So. Hakeem Ransdell (5-10).

126 -- Sr. Devon Liebl (20-3) or So. Andrew Brevot (2-9) vs. So. Joey Innamorato (16-5).

132 -- Jr. Josh Gervey (17-3) or Jr. Nick Douma (0-0) vs. Jr. Jason Tino (13-11).

138 -- Sr. Billy Talmadge (23-0) or Jr. Clay Sytsema (2-4) vs. Fr. Hunter Cleaver (2-4).

145 --  Sytsema or Talmadge vs. Sr. Jared Kukor (11-9).

152 -- So. Noah Ripley (7-14) vs. So. Matt D'Onofrio (11-11).

160 -- So. Brian Soldano (17-1) vs. So. Nate Zastowny (19-5) or Sr. Denny Perez (7-10) or So. James Palitto (1-1).

170 -- Jr. Alex Buchwald (4-2) vs. Palitto or Perez or Zastowny.

182 -- Sr. PJ Soldano (15-7) vs. Sr. Jacob Wicks (17-8) or So. David Pierson (13-10).

195 -- Jr. Sean Van Wingerden (8-10) vs. Pierson or Wicks.

220 -- Jr. Justin Klass (10-10) or Jr. Troy Van Orden (3-4) vs. Jr. Gage Horvath (14-9).

285 -- Van Orden or Jr. Robert Juliano (4-3) vs. Sr. Cody Cruts (15-7).

P'burg is 278-53-3 all-time vs. HWS opponents.

Breakdown: This "Return to The Pit" matchups has all the makings to be a good one. Both lineups look markedly different from December. High Point is getting healthy, though not having freshman Shane Woolf (out for the season with a knee injury) at 138 or 145 is a big loss for the 'Cats, especially in this one. Citro down at 106 makes this team much better and the return of Douma, who has been out all season with an injury, will help lengthen the lineup in Woolf's absence. Maczko, Innamorato and Tino are all down a weight to make room for Cleaver, who came up with a big pin in the win over Toms River North on Jan. 16. Both teams are coming off losses -- High Point to North
Hunterdon, 38-23, which also owns a 30-24 win over P'burg, and the 'Liners to Southern, 36-24, on Saturday. Straight up,  High Point is favored at 106, 126, 132, 138 and 160. Give P'burg the edge at 120, 145, 152, 170 (Zastowny), 182, 195, 220 and 285. Call 113 a tossup, though Utter scored a 10-3 win when they met in last season's dual. Day has been wrestling well and the rematch could be a swing bout -- certainly one that High Point needs if P'burg runs the table up top and is able to get Zastowny away from Brian Soldano. The 'Cats need the flip there and 113, unless they can steal one somewhere else. Both teams will have opportunities for bonus points, while there should be little if any movement of the lineups, other than to get the desired matchups at 160 and 170. P'burg will find a way to win eight bouts -- perhaps an upset somewhere along the way since it is The Pit -- and it should get the better of the bonus-point battle. If High Point wins the flip, it's a lot tighter.

Prediction: Phillipsburg, 30-23.