Wrestling: Streaks honor past with win over Del Val

WASHINGTON TWP. -- Warren Hills certainly did its part to honor the program's storied past with wrestlers and coaches from one of its greatest teams in attendance.

Those from that 1989-90 unbeaten and No. 1 team in the state, which was honored prior to the match on the 30th anniversary of its run to the school's first Group 3 state title, no doubt loved what they saw as the Blue Streaks won 10 of the first 11 bouts en route to an impressive 49-16 victory over Delaware Valley on Saturday night to secure the Skyland Conference Valley Division title.

Warren Hills (17-5), which shared the division title with Del Val and Voorhees last season, won its first outright title since the 1989-90 squad won the final Delaware River Conference championship.

"It was a nice night," said second-year coach Dave Sbriscia, a two-time district champion for the Blue Streaks in 2005-06. "It's awesome when you get a great rivalry like Warren Hills and Del Val -- two schools that are like 20 miles or whatever apart on a Saturday night. This is what will bring the sport back to its roots."

Delaware Valley (15-6), which had rated as a slight underdog coming in, had won 17 of the previous 19 meetings in the series, including three straight, dating to 1963. The Terriers, who won just three of the 14 bouts, got off to a slow start as they didn't get their first offensive points until the fourth bout, when senior Gage Crater got a takedown with 48 seconds left in the opening period before decking Max Pagano in 2:30 at 126 for his 99th career victory.

Warren Hills made a few key moves on the scale as freshman Shawn Redfield (106), senior Greg Slivka (113) and sophomore Jared Lee (120) all dropped a weight class and secured key early wins.

Redfield dominated Derek Schepens, a Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament placewinner, in a 5-0 decision to open the match, while Slivka, who was fifth in Region 3 last season, decked Robert Groogan in 3:37. Lee followed with a 13-2 major and the Blue Streaks raced out to 13-0 lead.

"We knew we had to make moves in the first four weights," said Sbriscia, who pointed out that his wrestlers went 0-4 in matchups at 106, 113 and 126 during the season at either the John Goles Invitational or Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament. "We were able to win the first three weights and turn the tide."

Warren Hills junior Reese Manfredi put a huge dent in Del Val's comeback hopes with a stunning pin of favored Shane Reynolds at 145 pounds. Down, 5-1, in the third period, Manfredi, a second-year wrestler, hit a headlock for the fall in 5:36.

Blue Streaks - 49
Del Val - 16

Wow - what a match and the first standalone Conference Title since 1990 - with that team in attendance!!

Very proud of the effort from this team as they rose to the occasion. Big thanks to all in attendance for the continued support! pic.twitter.com/XkbMVi0bQi

— Warren Hills Wrestling (@WHR_Wrestling) February 2, 2020

"It was just instinct," said Manfredi, who said he had never hit a headlock in previous matches. "It just came to me. I was just trying not to get taken down. I was so in the moment and I hit it. I was in shock. I almost had hit it accidentally at some point earlier in the match so I knew I could do it again."

Manfredi said the packed gym and having the 1989-90 team looking on provided a big spark.

"It was amazing to have them here and to show respect to them," Manfredi said. "Coach [Sbriscia] really wanted us to win. He had a great idea of bumping kids up and down [the lineup]."

Sophomore Stephen Malia stretched the Blue Streaks' lead to 31-6 through eight bouts with a pin at 152. Sophomore Owen Frizzell got the home crowd going in an 8-6 win at 160 by converting a takedown 13 seconds into sudden-victory overtime against Garett Tettemer, while senior Nick Hildebrant sealed it with his pin at 170. Freshman Jarett Pantuso, who has missed most of this season with a collarbone injury, capped a run of seven straight wins for the Streaks by decking Andrew Larsen with a cradle in 41 seconds.

In a featured bout at 285, sophomore Tyler McCatharn avenged an earlier loss to Ryan Sutter with two takedowns in a 5-2 decision to cap things.

"This was the first time we put together 14 weights this season," Sbriscia said. "It's something to build off of."

WARREN HILLS 49, DELAWARE VALLEY 16
106 -- Fr. Shawn Redfield (16-12), WH, d. Sr. Derek Schepens (17-12), 5-0.
113 -- Sr. Greg Slivka (22-6), WH, p. So. Robert Groogan (15-12), 3:37.
120 -- So. Jared Lee (18-10), WH, md. Jr. Cooper Gill (18-10), 13-2.
126 -- Sr. Gage Crater (25-4), DV, p. So. Max Pagano (4-7), 2:30.
132 -- Sr. Logan Nauta (22-6), WH, d. Sr. Chase Christie (15-13), 11-6.
138 -- Sr. Geir Nemeth (21-7), WH, d. Jr. Corey Crater (16-13), 9-5.
145 -- Jr. Reese Manfredi (6-12), WH, p. Sr. Shane Reynolds (15-11), 5:36.
152 -- So. Stephen Malia (23-5), WH, p. Fr. Brayden Schneider (2-5), 1:54.
160 -- So. Owen Frizzell (22-6), WH, d. Fr. Garett Tettemer (19-8), 8-6 SV.
170 -- Sr. Nick Hildebrant (16-6), WH, p. Sr. Nick Ferri (7-7), 1:59.
182 -- Fr. Jarett Pantuso (3-0), WH, p. Sr. Andrew Larsen (9-11), :41.
195 -- Sr. Zach Zuchowski (17-8), DV, md. So. Michael Galka (11-11), 16-2.
220 -- Sr. Nick Moose (19-10), DV, p. Jr. Matthew Moreno (0-2), :35.
285 -- So. Tyler McCatharn (25-3), WH, d. Sr. Ryan Sutter (11-3), 5-2.
Records -- Delaware Valley 15-6, 3-1; Warren Hills 17-5, 4-0.
Official  -- Mike Internoscia.