Wrestling: Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex predictions

What: Fifth annual Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.

Where: Hunterdon Central Field House.

When: Saturday, 9:15 a.m. (continuous wrestling)

Teams: Belvidere, Delaware Valley, Hackettstown, High Point, Hopatcong, Hunterdon Central, Kittatinny, Lenape Valley, Newton, North Hunterdon, North Warren, Phillipsburg, Pope John, Sparta, Vernon, Voorhees, Wallkill Valley, Warren Hills.

Returning champions (this year's weights): Brandon Paetzell, Phillipsburg (106), Ryan Pomrinca, North Hunterdon (126), Dylan Nace, Hunterdon Central (2012 winner, 132), Max Nauta, Warren Hills (138), Gary Dinmore, Hunterdon Central (152), Jake Kocsis, Phillipsburg (170), Kyle Stoll, High Point (195), Andrew Pacheco, Warren Hills (285).

Open Mike's picks for the top four in each weight class (seeds may change before Saturday's action):

106 -- 1. Brandon Paetzell, Phillipsburg; 2. Paul Robinson, North Hunterdon; 3. Joe Aumann, Hopatcong; 4. Peter Nace, Hunterdon Central.

Notes -- Potential finals rematch here. Paetzell is 4-0 all-time against Robinson -- including a 13-5 win in last year's title match to become only the second freshman to win a championship -- with two pins. He decked Robinson in a dual encounter on Thursday. Robinson, a District 17 champ scored a 2-0 win over Aumann, a Region 1 qualifier  in last year's quarterfinals. Nace is a tough freshman, but he's in the upper half with Paetzell, a fifth-place finisher in AC and a state title contender. 

113 -- 1. Austin Sisco, Pope John; 2. Kyle DiNapoli, Voorhees; 3. Matt Kolonia, Delaware Valley; 4. Trevor Morales, Newton.

Notes -- Wide open class. Sisco and DiNapoli are region qualifiers up from 106 last season. They finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in last year's HWS tourney. Morales, fourth in District 3 last season, is down for the first time this season. Kolonia is one of two very talented freshmen here, with Warren Hills' Matt Valli. The Blue Streak finished higher at the John Goles Invitational, but is the No. 7 seed and should get a rematch with DiNapoli, who won, 7-3, when they met on Dec. 20. Kolonia's only loss is to No. 9 seed Luke Approvato of North Hunterdon.

120 -- 1. Nick Klinger, Kittatinny; 2. Cody Ihling, Voorhees; 3. John Fluck, Warren Hills; 4. Joe Renne, Hackettstown.

Notes -- Solid weight class. Calling our first upset, according to seeds. Klinger really came on late last season and already has a 12-5 win over Renne. The Cougars sophomore is going to a real good one. Ihling, a District 17 champion and fourth at HWS, is solid. He squeezed out a 3-1 win over Fluck on Dec. 20, thanks to a first-period takedown. Fluck was a Region 1 qualifier two years ago and is wrestling well. Upset alert: Keep an eye on Phillipsburg's DJ Wissing, the No. 8 seed.

126 -- 1. Ryan Pomrinca, North Hunterdon; 2. Matt Ritchie, North Warren; 3. Christian Silva, Kittatinny; 4. Austin Pidoto, Warren Hills.

Notes -- Pomrinca, a returning champ and two-time finalist, is the class of the field. It's a shame that High Point's Jared Kobis (broken hand) can't compete. Those two waged a classic battle in last year's finals at 120, with Pomrinca winning a 3-2 decision in OT. Ritchie, a senior, has never reached the finals, finishing fourth as a freshman. This could be his year to do so, though Silva, who was third last year at 113, is a tough customer. Ritchie prevailed, 2-1, when they met on Dec. 27.

132 -- 1. Mike Derin, High Point; 2. Dylan Nace, Hunterdon Central; 3. Steve Friedman, Phillipsburg; 4. Austin Scrivani, Kittatinny.

Notes -- Tough weight at the top. Derin, who finished eighth in last year's state tournament, was a runner-up here two years ago. He's one of the best pure talents in this event. Nace, who won a title in 2012, is chasing HWS history in looking to become the first four-time finalist since the event's inception in 2010. It would be quite a feat considering only nine freshmen have ever made the finals. Nace (10-0) also enters the tourney with 99 career wins. Friedman, the No. 3 seed and a two-time fourth-place finisher, is eyeing redemption in the quarters should he face No. 6 Eric Martin of North Hunterdon, who earned a 10-4 win in their encounter on Thursday.

138 -- 1. Max Nauta, Warren Hills; 2. Ian Burke, Sparta; 3. Corey Zinsmeister, Phillipsburg; 4. Derek Ciavarro, North Hunterdon.

Notes -- Could be some movement of seeds here. Lenape Valley's Glenn Haines, the No. 2 seed and runner-up at 132 last year, is nursing a shoulder injury and is questionable for this weekend. He'd be our pick to reach the finals, but we're assuming Haines will be out. Zinsmeister is up top with Nauta regardless if Haines withdraws, and that would be an entertaining semifinal. Ciavarro, who is currently the No. 4 seed, dropped a 5-3 decision to No. 5 Zinsmeister on Thursday. Ciavarro would drop into the bottom bracket if Haines does not compete. Nauta, a two-time finalist won it at 113 last year, beating Ciavarro, 5-3 in the quarters, while Burke was third at 126.

145 -- 1. Jimmy Schuitema, Phillipsburg; 2. Collin Boylan, Hunterdon Central; 3. Brian Smolinsky, North Hunterdon; 4. Christian Okulicz, Voorhees.

Notes -- Schuitema is down a weight after finishing second at 152 last year -- unable to compete in the final due to a shoulder injury. He tuned up for this one by beating North Hunterdon's Mike Ciavarro, 2-1, on Thursday. Boylan was third at 132, and is unbeaten this season. That would shape up an excellent final. Okulicz is a two-time fourth-place finisher. 

152 -- 1. Gary Dinmore, Hunterdon Central; 2. Mike Ciavarro, North Hunterdon; 3. Max Elling, High Point; 4. Dominic LaBell, Lenape Valley.

Notes -- Dinmore clearly the one to beat here. The two-time state runner-up is seeking his second straight county title and third trip to the finals. He could get a rematch with Ciavarro, the champion at this weight last year. Dinmore prevailed, 5-0, when they met last Tuesday. Elling, a state qualifier who was fourth at 138 last season, won't be an easy out in the bottom half. LaBell was fourth at this weight a year ago.

160 -- 1. Broderick Bupivi, Phillipsburg; 2. Joey LaBell, Lenape Valley; 3. Mike Sicola, North Hunterdon; 4. Tommy Hooker, High Point.

Notes -- Tough weight to call. Bupivi was fourth in Region 1 at 170 last year, while LaBell finished fourth in the HWS tourney at 160. Sicola has really improved and is a title threat here as well. He should have a tough one against Luke Zehnbauer of Delaware Valley, who was fourth last year at 170, in a 5-4 matchup in the quarters. Hooker ran into Schuitema in last year's 152-pound quarterfinals and finished fifth.

170 -- 1. Jake Kocsis, Phillipsburg; 2. Kieran Gerrity, Kittatinny; 3. Joe Guzzo, North Hunterdon; 4. Nour Mays, Delaware Valley.

Notes -- Should be a heckuva final here. Kocsis won the 160-pound title last year and finished third in Region 1. He's been impressive in the early going this season. Top-seeded Gerrity is looking to get off the schneid here with runner-up finishes in 2012 and '13. Guzzo (13-1), who was sixth at 160 a year ago, also is on a roll and put in a lot of time during the offseason. He's on a collision course with Kocsis in the semifinals.

182 -- 1. Kody Eichlin, Delaware Valley; 2. Dylan Wunder, Kittatinny; 3. D.J. Barrett, Lenape Valley; 4. Antonio Porraspita, High Point.

Notes -- Eichlin was second last year at 160, while Wunder was fourth at 195. Eichlin's season was delayed by a forearm injury he sustained in the fall, so he hasn't had a lot of mat time. We'll see if that's a factor. He is on target to meet Barrett, the No. 3 seed, in the semifinals. Wunder, a runner-up in 2012, dropped a 3-1 decision to Barrett on Wednesday, giving up a late takedown. Porraspita, who was the No. 5 seed, is now the No. 4 after Warren Hills' Steve Cleaver withdrew due to an injury.

195 -- 1. Kyle Stoll, High Point; 2. Garrett Armstrong, Kittatinny; 3. Nick Suk, Hunterdon Central; 4. Gavin Lally, Sparta.

Notes -- Stoll was impressive last year in winning his first county title at this weight class. He also won a Region 1 title and finished sixth in the state tournament. Armstrong, who was a runner-up at 220 a year ago, lost twice to Stoll when they were sophomores -- 5-1 and by fall. Suk will likely have to get past Phillipsburg's Joe Maso in a 5-4 matchup to reach the semifinals and that won't be an easy task. 

220 -- 1. Bobby McDonnell, High Point; 2. Gus Protogeropoulos, Newton; 3. Andrew Simpson, Kittatinny; 4. Ryan Witner, Warren Hills.

Notes -- McDonnell was third here last year, dropping a tough 2-1 decision to Armstrong. Though he's the No. 2 seed, McDonnell, a Region 1 runner-up, is the one to beat. Protogeropoulos was a quarterfinalist at 195 last year and moved up to 220 for this one. He owns a win over top-seeded Witner -- 5-0 in the 2012 John Goles Invitational. Newton is looking to keep its streak going -- producing at least one finalist in the four previous HWS tourneys. Simpson is off to a good start in his first varsity campaign. P'burg freshman Drew Horun, who may win a few of these in the future, has a tough draw as the No. 7 seed.

285 -- 1. Andrew Pacheco, Warren Hills; 2. Marek Tomanek, Delaware Valley; 3. Noa Merritt, Pope John; 4. Tom Smith, Kittatinny.

Notes -- Pacheco gave us all quite a thrill in last year's finals -- defeating Phillipsburg's Jarrett Williams, 12-10 in OT. The Blue Streak will be even more motivated this time around to repeat, as he dropped a 3-2 decision to Tomanek in the John Goles Invitational finals on Dec. 27. Tomanek will likely have to get past Merritt, who finished third in Region 1 last year, in the bottom half of the draw. Smith is much improved and could lock up with High Point's Gunny Wassong in the quarters.

Team champion: Phillipsburg.

Wrestling: Hunterdon-Warren Sussex tourney history

The fifth annual Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament takes place on Saturday at the Hunterdon Central Field House. Action starts at 9:15 a.m.

The good news is that the tournament format has changed and semifinals will be on two mats, followed by the championship round on one mat. In the past, action was scattered and some of the best wrestling took place on multiple mats. Kudos to those who made the change happen.

Let's take a look back at previous tournament history.

Team Champions

Phillipsburg-3 (2011, 2012, 2013)

High Point-1 (2010)

Three-time Champions (1)

Jadaen Bernstein, Voorhees (2011, 2012, 2013).

Two-time Champions (5)

Cody Barbiche, Delaware Valley (2010, 2011); Jack Delia, North Hunterdon (2010, 2011); Beau Vrancken, North Hunterdon (2011, 2012); Brandon Hull, Phillipsburg (2011, 2012); Mike Pongracz, Delaware Valley (2012, 2013).

Champs by school
North Hunterdon	8
Delaware Valley	7
Phillipsburg	7
Hunterdon Central	5
High Point	4
Lenape Valley	4
Voorhees	4
Warren Hills	4
Belvidere	3
Hackettstown	2
Hopatcong	2
Newton	2
Kittatinny	1
North Warren	1
Pope John	1
Wallkill Valley	1

Wrestling: Streaks to host Alonzo Widenor Night

In a very classy move, the Warren Hills wrestling match with Phillipsburg on Wednesday, Jan. 22 will be held in honor of Alonzo Widenor, the Blue Streaks Super Fan who died shortly before the season.

Anyone wearing camouflage overalls -- Widenor's trademark along with his long white beard -- will receive free admission. So sport your camouflage gear in his honor.

Widenor's favorite seat in the Warren Hills gym has been saved in his honor and will remain vacant all season. In addition, the fastest pin award presented annually at the John Goles Invitational now bears his name. Warren Hills junior heavyweight Andrew Pacheco was the recipient this season for his 27-second fall at the 56th event on Dec. 27, 2013.

Wrestling: North makes Lions' share of right moves

People who fail to plan, almost certainly plan to fail.

But credit North Hunterdon wrestling coaches Tim Flynn, Jason Hawk, Joe Laspada and Chris Hrunka -- one of the best staffs, not only in the these parts, but around New Jersey -- with formulating a game plan, or two or three in Tuesday night's thrilling 28-27 victory over Hunterdon Central.

It was a battle from start to finish -- one of those good old fashioned dual meets that many of us around here were spoiled with week in and week out back in the day. Let's take a closer look at where this one was won, and also lost.

1. Coaches, the ones that do their homework, usually have a pretty good idea coming into a match on what moves to make in order to give their team a chance to win a close dual meet. But sometimes, it comes down to the coin flip. North Hunterdon lost the toss, giving Central control of a potential matchup of unbeatens between two-time state finalist Gary Dinmore and Lions senior Mike Ciavarro. That forced Flynn to go to Plan B and C. "We had a game plan all week, then we lost the toss, but we had a plan for that," the coach said. "Some things went our way and some things went their way. A lot of guys did their job." With North up 21-10 after Derek Ciavarro's 3-1 nailbiter over Nick Taylor at 138, Flynn inserted reserve junior Miles Mohan at 145 to face Central's talented Collin Boylan, who earned a technical fall win. Then, sophomore Brian Smolinsky was bumped to 152, where he earned a 15-5 major over Matt Suydam. Central opted to chase Ciavarro with Dinmore, who really tried too hard for a pin in a 5-0 win. Up 25-18, the Lions needed just one of the last three bouts to seal it. After Mike Sicola dropped a 5-0 decision to Joe Scerbo at 170, senior Joe Guzzo picked him up with a 4-3 win over Nestor Crespo at 182. Guzzo got a late takedown in the second period and one in the third period off a sweet ankle pick with 12 seconds left to pull it out.

2. While North made all the right moves, Central coach Steve Gibble was likely second-guessing the decision to bump freshman 106-pounder Peter Nace up to 113 to face junior Luke Approvato in order to gain a split of those two weights, as junior Paul Robinson would have been favored, although I feel slightly, against Nace at 106. Approvato, who showed me something at the John Goles Invitational when he knocked off Delaware Valley freshman Matt Kolonia, 7-6, in the quarterfinals to give Kolonia his only loss to date, was a little too big and strong for Nace, who almost threw Approvato to his back with a nasty chin whip in the final period to knot it at 7. But an escape with 1:15 left gave Approvato an 8-7 win. This after Robinson decked Bryce Hall at 106. Chances are that Central still gives up nine points with the matchups reversed, but bumping a freshman up to face a talented junior in the light weights can be a risky move. Losing a tossup at 220 to open the night may also have been the impetus behind the move.

3. Back to North's master plan, it was clear from the onset that the Lions wanted to stay in the neutral position. This was really where the match was won in my opinion. Despite losing the takedown battle, 18-16, Flynn's squad, which was aggressive and opted to cut its opponents loose to start periods on seven occasions, got at least one takedown from eight out of 14 wrestlers. "We're good on our feet and [Central] is good on the mat," Flynn said. "We spent a lot of time [working on takedowns] in the offseason." In fact, 15 of Central's 18 takedowns came from just four wrestlers -- Kyler Rodriguez (six at 120), Boylan (5), Dinmore (2) and Peter Nace (2). That means the Red Devils has just three takedowns from the other 10 wrestlers in their lineup.

4. North really had a collective effort in the win, but let's single out a few wrestlers. Junior Ryan Pomrinca (12-0 at 126) is looking awfully good after an injury spoiled his bid for a second medal in the state tournament last season. Not known as a pinner, Pomrinca got the job done against Hunter Orr in 1:47. Robinson also got a fall at 106, as those were two of just three pins in the match -- Central's Nick Suk had the other at 195. Derek Ciavarro at 138 and Guzzo both came through with clutch takedowns late to win their bouts. "I knew if I kept wrestling 100 percent and stayed with it, I could beat him," Guzzo said of his win at 182. "It was all about opportunity [converting an ankle pick for the winning takedown]. We all had a job to do." "Joe has worked his tail off since last season," Flynn said. Not to be overlooked is Tim Bartlett's gutsy 7-5 win in triple overtime against Central's Arturo Hernandez in the opening bout. Bartlett (5-4), a senior who never wrestled a varsity bout until this season, got an escape and takedown in the second overtime to snap a 4-4 tie. Conditioning was a factor in most of the upper weight bouts, with North winning that battle as well.

5. For a change, things finally went North's way in a tight match. Consider last season, when the Lions dropped two close ones to Central (29-27) and Voorhees (26-25). North had dropped four of the last five meetings with Central coming in, posting a 33-26 win at the Field House in 2012. In fact, the last four matches between the county rivals have been decided by a total of 18 points. "For once [we won a close one]," Flynn said. Now, North will hope to ride the momentum from this one into Thursday night's showdown with Phillipsburg at The Pit. The Stateliners, who own a 48-8-1 advantage in a series that began in 1961, have won the last nine meetings. The Lions, whose last win was 36-21 at home in 2007, haven't won at The Pit since a 27-24 upset victory in the 1993 Group 3 final. The matchups for this year's clash heavily favor P'burg.

Here is the full boxscore:

NORTH HUNTERDON 28, HUNTERDON CENTRAL 27

220 -- Sr. Tim Bartlett (5-4), NH, d. Arturo Hernandez (3-4), 7-5 OT3.
285 -- Sr. Dan Hausman (6-4), HC, d. Sr. Brandon Leonidas (4-6), 4-2.
106 -- Jr. Paul Robinson (9-2), NH, p. Fr. Bryce Hall (0-1), 1:41.
113 -- Jr. Luke Approvato (5-5), NH, d. Fr. Peter Nace (9-3), 8-7.
120 -- Jr. Kyler Rodriguez (6-5), HC, md. Jr. Mike Bednar (4-7), 15-6.
126 -- Jr. Ryan Pomrinca (12-0), NH, p. Jr. Hunter Orr (3-5), 1:47.
132 -- Sr. Dylan Nace (9-0), HC, d. Sr. Eric Martin (9-5), 1-0.
138 -- So. Derek Ciavarro (11-3), NH, d. Jr. Nick Taylor (7-4), 3-1.
145 -- Sr. Collin Boylan (11-0), HC, tf. Jr. Miles Mohan (0-1), 17-2, 5:06.
152 -- So. Brian Smolinsky (11-3), NH, md. Sr. Matt Suydam (5-4), 15-5.
160 -- Sr. Gary Dinmore (11-0), HC, d. Sr. Mike Ciavarro (11-1), 5-0.
170 -- Jr. Joe Scerbo (7-2), HC, d. Jr. Michael Sicola (9-4), 5-0.
182 -- Sr. Joe Guzzo (12-1), NH, d. Jr. Nestor Crespo (6-4), 4-3.
195 -- Jr. Nick Suk (8-2), HC, p. Sr. Kyle Stevens (5-6), 1:59.

Records -- North Hunterdon 5-1; Hunterdon Central 3-1.

Official -- Frank Leitner.

Wrestling: North Hunterdon at Hunterdon Central (LIVE)

Good evening wrestling fans. We're live from the Hunterdon Central Field House for tonight's Skyland Conference clash between the North Hunterdon Lions and the Hunterdon Central Red Devils.

Tonight's match will start at 220 pounds. Referee is Frank Leitner. Central will be home on the odd bouts. That will be big as the Red Devils will control the 152-pound matchup. Refresh often for updates.

220

Sr. Tim Bartlett (5-4), NH, d. Arturo Hernandez (3-4), 7-5 OT3. (North leads 3-0)

1-Hernandez with the opening takedown at the edge. Bartlett escapes seconds later. Bartlett with the takedown at the 25-second mark. Tied 3-3 after one.

2-Hernandez lets Bartlett up to start the period. Ends with Bartlett leading, 4-3.

3-Bartlett returns the favor and lets Hernandez go to start the third. Tied 4-4.

OT-Stall warning on Hernandez with 19 seconds left.

OT2-Bartlett escapes early and converts a takedown with four seconds left to take a 7-4 lead.

OT3-Bartlett lets Hernandez up, but they finish on their feet. Big win for North!

285

Sr. Dan Hausman (6-4), HC, d. Sr. Brandon Leonidas (4-6), 4-2. (Tied at 3-3) 

1-No score as neither came close to scoring points.

2-Hausman down to start the period. Leonidas lets him go immediately, no one wants to ride tonight. Bring back riding time! Takedown for Leonidas, who nearly gets backs with a nearside cradle. No backs and we're tied at 2 after Hausman escapes with 58 seconds left.

3-Leonidas down to start the third. Hausman gets two flags off a tilt, takes a 4-2 lead with a minute to go.

106

Jr. Paul Robinson (9-2), NH, p. Fr. Bryce Hall (0-1), 1:41 (North leads 9-3)

1-Robinson with the quick takedown. Central bumping Peter Nace to 113 to try and gain a split. Robinson up 4-0 with two backs. Bars up Hall for the Fall!

113

Jr. Luke Approvato (5-5), NH, d. Fr. Peter Nace (9-3), 8-7. (North leads 12-3)

1-Nace with a takedown at the edge with 48 seconds left. Approvato with the reversal to tie it -- 21 seconds left. Escape for Nace seconds later, he leads, 3-2 after one period.

2-Approvato down to start the second period. He escapes 24 seconds in to tie it at 3. Another stall warning on Nace, gives Approvato a 4-3 lead. Another takedown with a minute to go, he leads 6-3. He's just stronger than the freshman. Nace escapes to make it 6-4 with 50 seconds to go. Another stall warning with two seconds left, makes it 7-4.

3-Nace down to start the third, Approvato lets him go, it's 7-5. Nace gets a takedown and nearly chin whips Approvato to his back. Tied at 7, but Approvato escapes with 1:15 left to go up 8-7. This is a dandy. Approvato fights off a shot with 19 seconds left, and hangs on.

120

Jr. Kyler Rodriguez (6-5), HC, md. Jr. Mike Bednar (4-7), 15-6. (North leads 12-7) 

1-Rodriguez with a quick two and escape for Bednar. Another takedown makes it 4-1 and another escape. Third takedown with 18 seconds left makes it 6-2.

2-Rodriguez down to start the period. He's out in a flash. Rodriguez gets his fourth takedown with 1:05, Bednar escapes and Rodriguez right in for a fifth takedown. An escape and Rodriguez gets his sixth takedown at the edge in the closing seconds. He's up 13-4.

3-Bednar down. He's out quickly. Obviously, Rodriguez likes being on his feet. Gets his seventh takedown to go up 15-5, Bednar escapes and they're neutral.

126

Jr. Ryan Pomrinca (12-0), NH, p. Jr. Hunter Orr (3-5), 1:47 (North leads 18-7)

1-Pomrinca with a quick takedown. Gets another after an escape, leads 4-1. Escape for Orr and another takedown for Pomrinca. Escape for Orr, it's 6-3. Pomrica goes feet to back for the FALL!

132

Sr. Dylan Nace (9-0), HC, d. Sr. Eric Martin (9-5), 1-0. (North leads 18-10) 

1-Everything going the Lions way. Nace looks to stop the momentum. No score after one period.

2-Nace down and escapes quickly for a 1-0 lead.

3-Martin takes neutral. Not a lot of action in this one.

138

So. Derek Ciavarro (11-3), NH, d. Jr. Nick Taylor (7-4), 3-1 (North leads 21-10)

1-No score after one period.

2-Ciavarro down to start. He's out 16 seconds in. Taylor tries a throw near the edge late but to no avail. He's doing a nice job here.

3-Taylor down and is let up right away to tie it. Ciavarro counters and nearly throws Taylor to hos back but gets the takedown with 20 seconds left to win it! North needed that one.

145

Sr. Collin Boylan (11-0), HC, tf. Jr. Miles Mohan (0-2), 17-2, 5:06. (North leads 21-15) 

1-Boylan with a quick takedown and escape for Another takedown makes it 4-1

2-Neutral to start. Takedown for Boylan, he's up 6-1l. Lions moving Smolinsky up to lock in Dinmore at 152. Mike Ciavarro to go 160 and Mike Sicola at 170. Stall warning on Mohan. Cheap tilt for three and Boylan leads 9-1.

3-Boylan out and another takedown makes it 12-1. Three more backs and an escape, 15-2.

152

So. Brian Smolinsky (11-3), NH, md. Sr. Matt Suydam (5-4), 15-5 (North leads 25-15)

1-Smolinsky with the quick two and an escape. So Central counters by chasing M. Ciavarro with Dinmore up to 160. Another takedown with 14 seconds left gives Smolinsky a 4-1 lead.

2-Smolinsky down. Escape, he leads 5-1. Smolinsky goes feet to back and switches to a headlock for five points and a 10-1 lead. Escape for Suydam, who would like to keep this to a decision.

3-Suydam down. Smolinsky gives the escape to make it 10-3. Takedown for a 12-3 lead almost sunk a half on  the way down. Another escape, 12-4. Stall point makes it 13-4 with 40 seconds left. And another takedown stretches it to 15-4. Escape with 18 seconds left caps the scoring.

160

Sr. Gary Dinmore (11-0), HC, d. Sr. Mike Ciavarro (11-1), 5-0. (North 25-18) 

1-Dinmore spins behind for a takedown with 27 seconds left.

2-Dinmore down, Ciavarro lets him go. Both with injury timeouts. Central needs bonus here. If not, North will likely only need to win one of the next two to clinch it. Nice takedown near the edge with 15 seconds left gives Dinmore a 5-0 lead.

3-Ciavarro takes feet. Nearly gets the takedown at the edge with 30 seconds but Dinmore sits on his butt and keeps one leg free.

170

 Jr. Joe Scerbo (7-2), HC, d. Jr. Michael Sicola (9-4), 5-0. (North leads 25-21)

1-North in good shape after losing only a decision in the battle of unbeatens at 160. Takedown for Scerbo with five seconds left.

2-Sicola down. Two backs off a tilt, coach Tim Flynn pleading that Leitner stopped counting then restarted but to no avail. Scerbo up 4-0 after two.

3-Scerbo down. Sicola lets him up right away. Good win for Scerbo.

182

Sr. Joe Guzzo (12-1), NH, d. Jr. Nestor Crespo (6-4), 4-3 (North leads 28-21)

1-Lions win here it's over. Central will be heavily favored at 195. Penalty point for Crespo as Leitner says Guzzo was fleeing the mat. Flynn argues and the North crowd voices its displeasure. It's 1-0 after one period.

2-Guzzo takes feet. With 10 seconds left, Guzzo gets in on a leg at the edge and finishes for a takedown and a 2-1 lead. Crowd is going crazy!

3-Crespo down and is let up -- we're tied at 2. Ankle pick by Guzzo with 12 seconds left for the takedown. Crespo out but it doesn't matter. Lions clinch it!

195

Jr. Nick Suk (8-2), HC, p. Sr. Kyle Stevens (5-6), 1:59. (North wins 28-27) 

1-Suk with the quick takedown. Half for the turn and FALL!

Wrestling: Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex info, seeds

What: Fifth annual Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.

Where: Hunterdon Central Field House.

When: Saturday, 9:15 a.m. (continuous wrestling)

Teams: Belvidere, Delaware Valley, Hackettstown, High Point, Hopatcong, Hunterdon Central, Kittatinny, Lenape Valley, Newton, North Hunterdon, North Warren, Phillipsburg, Pope John, Sparta, Vernon, Voorhees, Wallkill Valley, Warren Hills.

Returning champions (this year's weights): Brandon Paetzell, Phillipsburg (106), Ryan Pomrinca, North Hunterdon (126), Dylan Nace, Hunterdon Central (2012 winner, 132), Max Nauta, Warren Hills (138), Gary Dinmore, Hunterdon Central (152), Jake Kocsis, Phillipsburg (170), Kyle Stoll, High Point (195), Andrew Pacheco, Warren Hills (285).

Top eight seeds at each weight class

Note: Seeding was done according to a points system that factors in winning percentage and previous HWS and postseason placements. Head to head results applied to only the top eight seeds and to cases where a wrestler was directly above or below in the preseeds.

Phillipsburg and Warren Hills earned the most No. 1 seeds (3), while the 'Liners matched Hunterdon Central and Kittatinny with the most top eight seeds (11).

Top eight seeds by school: Hunterdon Central (11); Phillipsburg (11); Kittatinny (11); Lenape Valley (9); Delaware Valley (8); North Hunterdon (8); Voorhees (8); High Point (7); Warren Hills (7); Pope John (6); Belvidere (5); Hopatcong (5); North Warren (4); Sparta (4); Newton (3); Vernon (2); Hackettstown (2); Wallkill Valley (1).

106 pounds

1. So. Brandon Paetzell (10-1), Phillipsburg
2. Jr. Paul Robinson (8-2), North Hunterdon
3. Jr. Joe Aumann (8-1), Hopatcong
4. Fr. Peter Nace (9-2), Hunterdon Central
5. So. Garrett Gerndt (9-2), Sparta
6. So. Harley Sacks (6-2), Voorhees
7. Jr. Dominick Koert (4-1), Pope John
8. So. Taylor Molfetto (6-5), Kittatinny

113 pounds

1. Sr. Austin Sisco (6-1), Pope John
2. So. Kyle DiNapoli (7-2), Voorhees
3. Fr. Matt Kolonia (9-1), Delaware Valley
4. Jr. Trevor Morales (7-2), Newton
5. So. Zach Merkey (6-2), Lenape Valley
6. Jr. Jimmy Smith (7-3), Belvidere
7. Fr. Matt Valli (5-3), Warren Hills
8. Fr. Kasey Hotz (6-5), Kittatinny

120 pounds

1. Sr. Cody Ihling (8-2), Voorhees
2. Jr. John Fluck (5-3), Warren Hills
3. So. Nick Klinger (9-3), Kittatinny
4. So. Joe Renne (6-3), Hackettstown
5. Fr. Nick Palumbo (6-2), Lenape Valley
6. Jr. Kyler Rodriguez (5-5), Hunterdon Central
7. Jr. Gino Fluri (6-3), North Warren
8. So. DJ Wissing (7-5), Phillipsburg

126 pounds

1. Jr. Ryan Pomrinca (11-0), North Hunterdon
2. Sr. Matt Ritchie (7-1), North Warren
3. Sr. Christian Silva (8-4), Kittatinny
4. Jr. Austin Pidoto (6-3), Warren Hills
5. Jr. Joey Ioffredo (5-4), Hopatcong
6. Sr. Tylor Petchonka (4-5), Phillipsburg
7. Sr. Kenny Morgan (5-4), Belvidere
8. Sr. Zeke Lewie-Cepero (3-4), Pope John

132 pounds

1. Sr. Dylan Nace (8-0), Hunterdon Central
2. Jr. Mike Derin (7-5), High Point
3. Jr. Steve Friedman (5-4), Phillipsburg
4. So. Austin Scrivani (7-3), Kittatinny
5. Jr. Ryan Erwin (8-2), Delaware Valley
6. Sr. Eric Martin (9-4), North Hunterdon
7. Sr. Dale Hull (6-3), Voorhees
8. So. Aaron Arzon (5-3), Lenape Valley

138 pounds

1. Jr. Max Nauta (6-2), Warren Hills
2. Jr. Glenn Haines (2-0), Lenape Valley
3. Jr. Ian Burke (10-1), Sparta
4. So. Derek Ciavarro (10-3), North Hunterdon
5. Jr. Corey Zinsmeister (5-2), Phillipsburg
6. Jr. Nick Taylor (7-3), Hunterdon Central
7. Jr. Sean Siek (5-2), Wallkill Valley
8. Sr. Nick West (3-7), Kittatinny

145 pounds

1. Jr. Jimmy Schuitema (5-2), Phillipsburg
2. Sr. Collin Boylan (10-0), Hunterdon Central
3. Sr. Christian Okulicz (7-2), Voorhees
4. So. Brian Smolinsky (10-3), North Hunterdon
5. Sr. Niko Grello (6-4), Newton
6. Jr. Walker Schmitzer (8-2), Sparta
7. So. Anthony Carida (7-3), Hackettstown
8. Fr. Jake Wilkerson (6-3), Hopatcong

152 pounds

1. Sr. Gary Dinmore (10-0), Hunterdon Central
2. Sr. Mike Ciavarro (11-0), North Hunterdon
3. Jr. Max Elling (10-3), Phillipsburg
4. Sr. Dominic LaBell (6-2), Lenape Valley
5. Sr. Johnny Hayes (8-2), North Warren
6. Sr. Chris Auer (5-7), High Point
7. Jr. Cory Lightner (9-2), Delaware Valley
8. So. Tim VanLenten (3-0), Vernon

160 pounds

1. Sr. Broderick Bupivi (8-6), Phillipsburg
2. Sr. Tommy Hooker (8-7), High Point
3. Jr. Joey LaBell (4-3), Lenape Valley
4. Sr. Luke Zehnbauer (3-2), Delaware Valley
5. Sr. Mike Sicola (9-3), North Hunterdon
6. Jr. David Harris (6-3), Belvidere
7. Sr. Matt Suydam (5-3), Hunterdon Central
8. Jr. Devon Thomas (4-2), Voorhees

170 pounds

1. Sr. Kieran Gerrity (12-2), Kittatinny
2. Sr. Jake Kocsis (10-2), Phillipsburg
3. Sr. Joe Guzzo (11-1), North Hunterdon
4. Jr. Hunter Guzzo (6-2), Pope John
5. Sr. Nour Mays (10-1), Delaware Valley
6. Jr. Joe Scerbo (6-2), Hunterdon Central
7. Sr. Jordan Juliano (8-3), Voorhees
8. Jr. Kevin Merle (7-3), Belvidere

182 pounds

1. Sr. Dylan Wunder (9-4), Kittatinny
2. Sr. Kody Eichlin (2-0), Delaware Valley
3. Jr. D.J. Barrett (5-3), Lenape Valley
4. Sr. Steve Cleaver (7-1), Warren Hills
5. Sr. Antonio Porraspita (8-5), High Point
6. Sr. Troy Bongiovanni (7-3), Hopatcong
7. Jr. Nestor Crespo (6-3), Hunterdon Central
8. Sr. Deriam Guridy (4-3), Pope John

195 pounds

1. Sr. Kyle Stoll (7-5), High Point
2. Sr. Garrett Armstrong (11-2), Kittatinny
3. Jr. Gavin Lally (9-1), Sparta
4. Jr. Joe Maso (4-2), Phillipsburg
5. Jr. Nick Suk (7-2), Hunterdon Central
6. So. Sam Palumbo (5-3), Lenape Valley
7. So. Derek Howerth (5-4), Voorhees
8. Sr. Mark Wolfe (5-5), Belvidere

220 pounds

1. Sr. Ryan Witner (5-2), Warren Hills
2. Sr. Bobby McDonnell (7-6), High Point
3. Sr. Brian Baehr (3-3), Delaware Valley
4. Jr. Gus Protogeropoulos (8-1), Newton
5. Jr. Christian Burgos (8-2), Hopatcong
6. Jr. Andrew Simpson (8-3), Kittatinny
7. Fr. Drew Horun (5-4), Phillipsburg
8. So. Ralph Hall (4-4), Lenape Valley

285 pounds

1. Jr. Andrew Pacheco (7-1), Warren Hills
2. Sr. Noa Merritt (7-0), Pope John
3. Sr. Marek Tomanek (10-0), Delaware Valley
4. Sr. Gunny Wassong (2-2), High Point
5. Sr. Tom Smith (10-1), Kittatinny
6. Jr. Will O'Connell (7-3), North Warren
7. Sr. Robert Chavez (3-0), Vernon
8. Sr. Dan Hausman (5-4), Hunterdon Central

Wrestling: New Jersey Wrestling Writers Top 20

Bergen Catholic's wrestling team, which placed third at The Clash national duals tournament in Minnesota over the weekend, retained its No. 1 ranking in the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20 poll.

Injury-riddled Bound Brook, which competed in the same tournament without four starters, dropped to No. 5 in the rankings and lost its No. 2 spot to St. Peter’s Prep, which defeated the Crusaders at The Clash.

No. 3 Don Bosco Prep and No. 4 Phillipsburg each moved up a spot, while Hanover Park, with an impressive showing at the Henry Boresch Duals over the weekend, made the biggest jump in the rankings, moving from No. 12 to No. 8 following victories over No. 11 Howell and No. 15 Raritan.

Roselle Park, which won its own holiday tournament, finishing ahead of Hanover Park, debuts in the Top 20 in the final spot this week, taking the place of Warren Hills, the lone team to drop out of the rankings after opening the year at No. 15.

Rank	School	Record	Votes	Prev
1	Bergen Catholic	4-2	340	1
2	St. Peter’s Prep	5-1	313	3
3	Don Bosco Prep	1-0	308	4
4	Phillipsburg	1-0	287	5
5	Bound Brook	3-4	284	2
6	Delbarton	0-0	252	6
7	High Point	0-0	236	7
8	Hanover Park	3-0	215	12
9	Brick Memorial	5-0	200	9
10	Kittatinny	3-0	184	8
11	Howell	9-1	179	10
12	Paulsboro	3-0	157	13
13	Southern	3-0	145	11
14	St. Joseph-Mont.	0-1	121	14
15	Raritan	13-2	104	16
16	South Plainfield	7-2	76	18
17	Hunterdon Cent.	3-0	54	19
18	Clearview	7-0	46	20
19	Delaware Valley	5-2	37	17
20	Roselle Park	3-0	25	NR

Others receiving votes: North Hunterdon 7, St. Augustine Prep 4, DePaul 2, Warren Hills 2, Monroe Township 1, Roxbury 1, Voorhees 1.

NJWWA VOTING MEMBERS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER): Donald J. Brower(MorrisCountyHSWrestling.com); Patrick Buganski (The Mat Pack); Bill Evans (South Jersey Times); Frank D'Esposito (TheShoreConference.com); Steve Falk (Asbury Park Press of Neptune and Hitting the Mats); Brian Fortner (Express-Times); Harry Frezza (Courier News of Bridgewater); Joe Hofmann (Daily Record of Parsippany); Screwy Louie Lazzari (New Jersey Wrestling Historian); John Lewis (Burlington County Times); Ron Mazzola (On the Mat); Tom McGurk (Courier Post of Cherry Hill); John O'Kane (The Press of Atlantic City); Anthony Spaulding (New Jersey Herald); Greg Tufaro (Home News Tribune of East Brunswick); Mike Weilamann (Open Mike/Mugs Media); Joe Zedalis (Trenton Times).