Wrestling: Kittatinny at High Point preview, lineups

What: Kittatinny Cougars at High Point Wildcats.

Where: High Point Regional High School, Wantage Twp.

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Records: Kittatinny 11-0, 0-0; High Point 2-2, 0-0.

Conference: Northwest Jersey Athletic Freedom Division.

Area rankings (Open Mike): Kittatinny No. 5; High Point No. 7.

Coaches: John Gill (617-195-5, 42nd season (14-26-1 vs. HP); John Gardner (383-110-2, 24th season (11-11 vs. Kitt).

Series history: High Point owns a 29-15-1 edge dating to 1976, including a 48-24 win at home in 2020. Kittatinny won three of the previous five in this series, including a 36-30 victory at home on March 25, 2021. which snapped a two-match skid. The teams did not meet during the 2017-18 season for the first time -- and for just the second during the regular season -- in series history. The 'Cats came out on top with a 32-31 win in the 2015 North 1, Group 2 quarterfinals -- the first postseason match between the longtime rivals. Kittatinny snapped a seven-match skid in the series with a 35-18 win at home in 2013. Prior to that stretch, the Cougars won seven straight from 1999-2005.

Probable lineups (Kittatinny wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses):

106 -- Open vs. Fr. Nick Clayton (10-4) or So. Carson Citro (0-0).

113 -- So. Dylan Zupkay (2-10) or So. Liliana Zaku-Ramos (3-3) vs. Fr. Colton Jaust (1-2) or Jr. Kaden Conover (0-1).

120 -- Zaku-Ramos or Zupkay vs. Sr. Charles Antcliff (0-1) or Jr. Roman Citro (6-4) or Fr. Michael Tidona (0-1).

126 -- Sr. Shane Nelson (15-3) vs. Sr. Clayton Utter (1-2).

132 -- Jr. Chris Casale (13-4) vs. So. Ty Woods (6-6).

138 -- Sr. Avery Yeager (4-4) or Jr. Anthony Ferrari (9-5)  vs. Sr. Andrew Brevot (6-6).

144 -- So. Reece Smith (14-3) vs. Jr. Will Gomez (1-2) or Fr. Nick Marangi (0-2) or So. Eli Nosal (0-1).

150 -- So. Bryce Coesfeld (17-4) vs. Jr. Shane Woolf (3-4).

157 -- Sr. Steven Dalling (15-3) or Fr. Ethan Dalling (11-7) vs. Fr. Daniel Musilli (0-3).

165 -- E. Dalling or S. Dalling vs. So. Dalton Yetter (1-3).

175 -- So. Tucker Lockburner (7-5) vs. Sr. Joe Pauls (1-4) or Sr. Troy Tiger (4-2).

190 -- Sr. Tyler Holste (11-6) vs. Sr. Brian Soldano (13-0).

215 -- Sr. Jay Martin (12-5) or Sr. Ty Eldred (17-2) vs. Sr. Noah Ripley (3-7).

285 -- Eldred or Martin vs. Jr. Arik Hums (8-6).

Breakdown: The battle to likely decide the NJAC Freedom Division title isn't as cut and dried this season with COVID-19 still raging and High Point, which had two matches postponed or canceled last week, including this one, yet to put its 'A' lineup on the mat. The 'Cats, who scored a convincing 48-29 win over West Morris (Kittatinny won that matchup, 48-30, on Saturday) on Tuesday, were coming off a second lopsided loss this season -- 54-12 to Southern last Wednesday -- after falling to Group 4 favorite Mount Olive (47-18 at home on Jan. 6). The return of Utter, a three-time state qualifier who battled a shoulder injury in the preseason, is big and Tiger, who hadn't stepped on the mat since the Sam Cali Tournament in late December, took a forfeit win at 190 vs. West Morris. Antcliff has been absent since the opening-season tournament at Southern, while Roman Citro, a Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament runner-up, returned against West Morris after missing the Southern match. If you ask Gill, who lives in High Point country, he always expects the 'Cats to be at full strength and they usually are for this one. Kittatinny, which is facing its second big test in a dual meet (30-29 win over Delaware Valley on Saturday) after 10 blowouts, is expected to struggle all season in the first three

Kittatinny eyes its first 12-0 start since 2016.

weights, but the lineup is pretty solid from 126 through 285 (Yeager won a wrestle-off with 2020 region qualifier Ferrari). Despite being heavy underdogs at 106-120, the Cougars have the potential to win 10 weights straight up. It likely won't happen, but Soldano rates as High Point's only big favorite from 132-285. Nelson vs. Utter, who is just easing back into action, is a tossup with a lean toward the 'Cats, though Utter, an excellent mat wrestler, looked good in an 8-6 loss to Southern state finalist Conor Collins. It's also tough to predict where High Point will have its guys on the weigh-in sheets. Both teams should have excellent chances to collect bonus points. Another key bout is 150, and High Point will need it. Gardner will likely bump Clayton to 113 instead of having him take a forfeit and they also could run Roman Citro and Utter to 126 and 132, and slide Woods to 138 and Brevot to 144. Up top, Tiger at 190 and Soldano at 215 would keep Eldred at 285 and help get a split of the last two. The question then becomes whether High Point can win 175 and get bonus at 120. Those moves could net eight wins for the 'Cats, with 138 and 150, being the crucial bouts. Kittatinny is a bit better through the middle, but the Cougars, who I think get eight bouts, need to minimize bonus. This one's a lot tighter than I would have suspected less than a week ago. It's a race to 30 points. Should be fun.  

Prediction: Kittatinny, 30-28.