Wrestling: Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex rankings

This week doesn't get any bigger for Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex wrestling with what should be two outstanding dual meets on tap heading into this weekend's tri-county tournament.

Phillipsburg will make the trip to Hunterdon Central for a key Skyland Conference Raritan Division showdown, while High Point heads over to Newton in a match that will likely determine the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division champion.

Hunterdon Central (9-0) tuned up for this one with an impressive 27-point win over Kittatinny on Saturday in a battle of state-ranked teams. The Red Devils have the talent throughout the lineup to make things very difficult for P'burg (4-0), which rates about a four- or five-point favorite.

"I'm excited to have a good dual match where everyone on our team has to perform," said Stateliners coach Dave Post, whose team has won its first four by an average margin of 34 points, including a closer-than-anticipated 38-29 win over Newton on Dec. 23.

"We've seemed to wrestle to the level of our competition. I'm excited for Wednesday."

It may be hard to top last season's barnburner at the new Phillipsburg High School gym -- a 34-24 victory for the Stateliners in a match that came down to the final bout. Unlike that one, the rematch should feature far fewer bonus points as seven bouts a year ago, not including a forfeit, were worth four or more team points.

We will take a closer look at this one on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Newton (3-3) has a legitimate shot to end the program's 14-match skid against High Point, which owns a 37-7 edge in a series dating to 1970. The Braves, who haven't beaten the 'Cats since a 31-27 victory in 2003, dropped a 39-24 decision last season in Wantage, their closest margin of defeat since a 21-point loss in '09.

Newton has been battle tested early on this season, facing Phillipsburg before the New Year, in addition to Paulsboro and South Plainfield on Saturday in the 13th annual Henry Boresch Duals.

"It's a tough stretch [facing Paulsboro, South Plainfield and High Point in the span of five days]," said Braves coach Eric Bollette, who is 1-15 all-time vs. the 'Cats. "We need to stay off our backs and win [a few of the close ones]."

That matchup will come down to whether Newton can limit the damage down low where High Point is super tough -- Devon Liebl (10-3 at 106), Brandon LaRue (14-1 at 113), Devin Flannery (13-2 at 120), Maverick Liebl (13-2 at 126), Billy Talmadge (14-3 at 132) and Shane Kobis (15-0 at 138) -- because the Braves will have some advantages up top -- Wyatt McCarthy (10-1 at 152), Jonathon Borgognoni (10-1 at 160), Joseph DeLuca (10-3 at 182) and Luke Fischer (9-2 at 195). Also, 126 is a key bout between Maverick Liebl and junior Matthew Rosa (8-5).

Now, onto this week's rankings and notes:

1. Phillipsburg (4-0) -- Stateliners rolled to a pair of wins over Bound Brook (54-21 on Wednesday in a Skyland Conference Raritan Division matchup) before capping the short week with a 52-18 thumping of Cranford on Saturday. The latter was a bit of payback for a 36-32 loss to the Cougars last season -- the only New Jersey loss for coach Dave Post's team en route to winning a fourth straight Group 4 title. Keep an eye on senior Lance Wissing (16-2 at 170) this weekend, a strong contender for a tri-county title. He could face Kittatinny's Josh Hiler twice this week.

Up next: at Hunterdon Central on Wednesday; at Kittatinny on Thursday; Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at home on Saturday.

2. Pope John (5-1) -- Lions made the long trek down the Shore -- a scheduled quad at Delsea was cancelled reportedly due to team discipline and skin issues for the hosts -- to register lopsided wins over three overmatched opponents on Saturday -- Central Regional (74-0), Pinelands (79-0) and Donovan Catholic (61-16). Coach Mark Piotrowsky's team will get the chance to showcase its star power this weekend in the tri-county tournament as senior Jake Rotunda (14-4 at 132) and junior Joe Aragona (15-1 at 138) will look to join an exclusive list of three-time champions.

Up next: at Jefferson on Thursday; Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at Phillipsburg on Saturday.

3. Hunterdon Central (9-0) -- Red Devils steamrolled longtime rival Warren Hills (54-12) in a Skyland Conference Raritan Division matchup on Wednesday, while adding an impressive 46-19 win over Kittatinny on Saturday. The balanced lineup for coach Jon Cantagallo-Rohm's team was on full display in both victories. Freshman Brett Ungar (13-0 at 106) will be one to watch this weekend, while junior Dan Furmato (12-2 at 170) scored an 11-9 win in OT against Kittatinny senior Shane Smith, a returning HWS champ who bumped from 160.

Up next: Phillipsburg at home on Wednesday; Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at Phillipsburg on Saturday.

4. High Point (9-1) -- Wildcats finished second in the Zephyr Duals at Whitehall (Pa.) on Saturday -- beating Catasauqua (72-12), Wyalusing (44-25), East Stroudsburg South (48-21) before a 43-17 loss to a strong Liberty squad in the final. Kobis picked up his 70th career win. Coach John Gardner's team will get its first stiff test in the area against Newton on Wednesday.

Up next: at Newton on Wednesday; at Vernon on Thursday; Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at Phillipsburg on Saturday.

5. Kittatinny (4-3) -- Cougars made a tough road trip to the Shore area on Saturday, dropping decisions against Hunterdon Central (46-19) and Howell (53-14), last season's Group 5 finalists and two of the top public schools in New Jersey. Junior Zach Mafaro (10-2 at 182) got his 70th career win vs. Central. Coach John Gill's team is gearing up for another big week with its annual matchup vs. Phillipsburg on Thursday -- the Sussex County school's fourth opponent of the season as ranked by the New Jersey Writers Association.

Up next: Wallkill Valley at home on Wednesday; Phillipsburg at home on Thursday; Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at Phillipsburg on Saturday.

6. Newton (3-3) -- Braves gave a good account in going 1-2 at their Boresch Duals on Saturday -- beating Caldwell, 54-13, in their opener before falling to state-ranked Paulsboro (53-9) in the semis and South Plainfield (39-27) in the third-place match. McCarthy picked up his 70th career win in the nightcap, while senior Borgognoni scored a nice 4-1 win over Paulsboro's Riley Onorato, a Region 7 qualifier in 2015 and '16. Lineup also got a boost with the return of senior Devin Mager (1-1 at 220), who bolsters a good group of upper weights.

Up next: High Point at home on Wednesday; at Hackettstown on Thursday; Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at Phillipsburg on Saturday.

7. North Hunterdon (6-2) -- Lions opened last with a 42-22 win over Voorhees on Wednesday before getting the state buzzing with a 31-30 loss to Raritan, ranked No. 10 in the first New Jersey Writers Association poll, despite winning eight bouts. Coach Chris Hrunka's team added wins over West Essex (58-9) and host Wayne Valley (45-18) on Saturday. North matched up really well against the Rockets, getting key wins from freshman Frank Diesso (9-1 at 113), senior Andrew Gapas (13-0 at 138) and junior Michael Wilson (13-0 at 145). Hrunka will face his alma mater for the first time as head coach on Wednesday.

Up next: Warren Hills at home on Wednesday; Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at Phillipsburg on Saturday.

8. Delaware Valley (3-3) -- Terriers rolled to a 41-24 win over Emmaus (Pa.) on Wednesday in their only match of the week. That night was more about celebrating the return of former wrestler Nick LaFevre, a four-time district champion for Del Val who is now the head coach at Emmaus. Coach Andy Fitz's team will take on Hunterdon County rival Voorhees on Friday in what should be an interesting clash --- Vikes match up well on paper -- on Gold Rush night in Alexandria Township.

Up next: Watchung Hills at home on Wednesday; Voorhees at home on Friday; Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at Phillipsburg on Saturday.

9. Warren Hills (1-2) -- Blue Streaks took a 54-12 loss to Hunterdon Central on Wednesday in their lone action of the week. Senior Jarod Ostir (8-0 at 182) and junior Nick Galka (7-1 at 220) were among the winners for coach Jarrett Hosbach's team, which was originally slated to be in a dual tournament on Sunday in Lancaster, Pa. However, the NJSIAA -- in its infinite wisdom two days before the event -- informed the school on Friday there was a problem and it could not attend for reasons still unclear, though one was a question as to whether it was a National Federation event.

Up next: at North Hunterdon on Wednesday; Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at Phillipsburg in Saturday.

10. Sparta (6-2) -- Spartans enjoyed a 3-0 week, starting with a win over Mount Olive (37-32 on Thursday), before sweeping a tri-meet on Saturday with DePaul (39-32) and Hackettstown (36-27). Senior Robbie Gennat (13-1 at 195) is sitting on 99 career wins, while sophomore Cooper Stewart (11-1) will also be one to watch this weekend in a loaded 106-pound class at HWS.

Up next: at Morris Hills on Thursday; Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at Phillipsburg on Saturday.

On the bubble: Voorhees (8-5).

Wrestling: HWS schedule for Jan. 8-13

Tuesday, Jan. 9

(All matches 7 p.m., unless noted)

Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference

Morris Hills at Lenape Valley, 7:30 p.m.
North Warren at Parsippany Hills

Independent

Elmwood Park at Hopatcong, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 10

(All matches 7 p.m., unless noted)

Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference

High Point at Newton

Wallkill Valley at Kittatinny, 6 p.m.

Skyland Conference

Watchung Hills at Delaware Valley

Phillipsburg at Hunterdon Central, 6:30 p.m.

Bound Brook at Voorhees

Warren Hills at North Hunterdon

Belvidere at Bernards

Thursday, Jan. 11

(All matches 7 p.m., unless noted)

Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference

High Point at Vernon, 6 p.m.

Pope John at Jefferson

Newton at Hackettstown

Lenape Valley at North Warren

Sparta at Morris Hills

Independent

Phillipsburg at Kittatinny

Belvidere at Hanover Park

Friday, Jan. 12

Skyland Conference

Voorhees at Delaware Valley, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 13

Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at Phillipsburg, 10 a.m.

Wrestling: Braves fourth in rugged Boresch Duals

NEWTON -- There's something to be said for taking the opportunity to see where your program stands among some of the top teams in New Jersey.

Newton did just that on Saturday -- going 1-2 and finishing fourth in its own 13th annual Henry Boresch Duals. The tough eight-team field included four squads ranked in the New Jersey Writers Association Top 20, as No. 19 Newton dropped a 39-27 decision to No. 11 South Plainfield in the third-place match.

Newton will host No. 12 High Point in a key NJAC clash on Wednesday.

No. 4 Paulsboro (6-0) was the class of the field, rolling to a 53-9 win over Newton in the semifinals before an impressive 48-20 victory over No. 7 Hanover Park (5-1) in the championship match.

"We wanted to beat South Plainfield ... we've never beaten them," said Newton coach Eric Bollette, whose team held a 27-24 lead before giving up a decision and two pins in the final three bouts.

"We were right there. They did a great job saving points, and so did we."

Down by 12 through seven bouts, Newton behind its aces as junior Wyatt McCarthy stopped a four-match run by South Plainfield with a pin at 145, while senior Jonathon Borgognoni scored a key 5-0 decision over Marc Giordano at 152. Junior Ryan Brigante (170) and senior Joseph DeLuca (182) followed with decisions to give the Braves a three-point lead.

But South Plainfield had a pair of aces in the hole as Luke Niemeyer posted a 6-2 win over Luke Fischer at 195. Bollette was hoping that Tigers state placewinner Zach DelVecchio would go 220 rather than 285, but freshman Julian Medina ended any shot at the upset by decking Matt Somers. DelVecchio bumped up to heavyweight and sealed the win by pinned Devin Mager, who is just coming back from an injury sustained during the football season.

"I was hoping [South] didn't know how good Devin is," said Bollette, whose team opened the day with a 54-13 thumping of Caldwell. "I thought we wrestled well against South Plainfield and Paulsboro."

Paulsboro was just a complete matchup nightmare for Newton, which won just three bouts against the South Jersey and Group 1 powerhouse. The Red Raiders are one of the most balanced teams around with few if any real weak spots.

"At best, we thought we could win seven bouts," said Bollette, whose program had not faced Paulsboro since a 40-18 loss in the 2010 Group 1 final. "That was very optimistic. We battled."

Junior Jimmy Harding got Newton off to a good start with a hard-fought 5-3 win in sudden-victory overtime in the opening bout at 285. But Paulsboro reeled off eight straight wins to take a 41-3 lead -- capped by George Worthy's 10-6 decision over McCarthy at 152 in a battle of state qualifiers.

McCarthy (10-1) held a 4-3 lead after the two traded takedowns in the second period. Worthy escaped to start the third period and countered an off-balance duck-under attempt by McCarthy for the go-ahead takedown, while adding another with 18 seconds left on the clock to ice it.

"[Wyatt] just got planted there, then all of the sudden, you're playing catch up," Bollette said.

Borgognoni, who earlier took his first loss of the season (3-2 to Caldwell's Gerald Jones), capped a nice afternoon with a 4-1 win over state qualifier Riley Onorato at 160. A turn on top for three back points in the second period proved to be the difference.

"Borg is wrestling well," Bollette said.

Fischer, who went 2-1 overall, was the only winner for Newton in the final four bouts, scoring a 7-3 win over Anthony Morina at 195. Paulsboro, which is a heavy favorite to claim its record 31st Group 1 title next month, finished with a 40-6 advantage in takedowns as Fischer (9-1) registered three for the Braves.

"We are balanced," said veteran Paulsboro coach Paul Morina, whose teams are now 662-42-4 in his 32 seasons. "This is good competition and [Newton] does a nice job [running this event]. We'll be back."

Championship

PAULSBORO 48, HANOVER PARK 20

106 -- So. Jake Bursese (7-2), HP, p. Fr. Jason Lucci (6-3), :36.
113 -- Fr. Joey Olivieri (9-2), HP, d. So. Georgio Mazzeo (8-3), 3-0.
120 -- Jr. Geno Duca (10-2), P, md. Fr. Dom Merola (5-6), 14-5.
126 -- Jr. Domenic DiFrancescantonio (6-2), HP, d. So. Jacob Perez (10-2), 5-4.
132 -- Jr. Nick Raimo (8-0), HP, tf. Jr. Matt Marcucci (5-5), 21-6, 4:42.
138 -- Sr. Rick Eli (10-2), P, p. Sr. Michael Rubin (2-7), 1:20.
145 -- So. Gabe Onorato (5-0), P, d. Sr. Sean Conley (5-4), 5-1.
152 -- Jr. George Worthy (10-1), P, p. Sr. Connor Mildon (2-3), 4:21.
160 -- Sr. Matthew Liberato (8-3), HP, d. Sr. Riley Onorato (9-4), 3-1.
170 -- So. Brandon Green (10-2), P, tf. Jr. Sr. Nick Corrao (3-5), 24-9, 5:47.
182 -- Jr. Santino Morina (13-0), P, p. Sr. Sebastian Bassolino (5-5), :33.
195 -- Jr. Anthony Morina (9-3), P, p. Fr. Daniel Gregory (3-4), 5:32.
220 -- Sr. Dimetrius Day (10-2), P, p. So. Gianluca Birnbaum (1-4), 4:51.
285 -- Jr. Austin Mooney (7-5), P, p. Sr. Daniel Jimenez (6-4), 1:41.
Records -- Paulsboro 6-0; Hanover Park 5-1.

Third-place consolation

SOUTH PLAINFIELD 39, NEWTON 27

106 -- Fr. Anthony White (11-0), SP, tf. Fr. Nathan Fitt (4-7), 19-4, 4:32.
113 -- Fr. Danny Cleary (4-6), N, p. Sr. Frank Mannino (0-8), 2:49.
120 -- Fr. JoJo Lotruglio (6-5), N, forfeit.
126 -- Sr. Joe Heilmann (12-0), forfeit.
132 -- Jr. Thomas Fierro (8-3), SP, d. Jr. Matthew Rosa (8-5), 6-4.
138 -- Jr. Alex Amato (6-4), SP, md. Jr. Michael Freda (7-5), 9-1.
145 -- Jr. Joe Sacco (11-1), SP, p. So. Trevor Aughenbaugh (1-4), :55.
152 -- Jr. Wyatt McCarthy (10-1), N, p. Sr. Xavier Nunez (1-1), :35.
160 -- Sr. Jonathon Borgognoni (10-1), N, d. Jr. Marc Giordano (8-5), 5-0.
170 -- Jr. Ryan Brigante (6-6), N, d. Jr. Divon Pender (5-5), 5-3.
182 -- Sr. Joseph DeLuca (10-3), N, d. Jr. Brenden Hedden (8-3), 3-0.
195 -- Jr. Luke Niemeyer (11-0), SP, d. Jr. Luke Fischer (9-2), 6-2.
220 -- Fr. Julian Medina (5-1), SP, p. Jr. Matt Somers (2-3), 1:13.
285 -- Jr. Zach DelVecchio (11-0), SP, p. Sr. Devin Mager (1-1), 2:18.
Records -- South Plainfield 9-2; Newton 3-3.

Semifinals

PAULSBORO 53, NEWTON 9

285 -- Jr. Jimmy Harding (4-2), N, d. Jr. Austin Mooney (6-5), 5-3 SV.
106 -- Fr. Jason Lucci (5-3), P, p. Fr. Nathan Fitt (4-6), :30.
113 -- So. Georgio Mazzeo (8-2), P, p. Fr. Danny Cleary (3-6), 4:36.
120 -- Jr. Geno Duca (9-2), P, tf. Fr. Nick Costa (0-1), 23-8, 4:57.
126 -- So. Jacob Perez (10-1), P, d. Jr. Matthew Rosa (8-4), 10-6.
132 -- Jr. Matt Marcucci (4-5), P, p. So. Julian Sibblies (2-6), 2:57.
138 -- Sr. Mike Keen (4-3), P, p. So. Ryan Sosa (0-1), 2:13.
145 -- So. Gabe Onorato (4-0), P, p. So. Trevor Aughenbaugh (1-3), 2:38.
152 -- Jr. George Worthy (9-1), P, d. Jr. Wyatt McCarthy (9-1), 10-6.
160 -- Sr. Jonathon Borgognoni (9-1), N, d. Sr. Riley Onorato (9-3), 4-1.
170 -- So. Brandon Green (9-2), P, p. Jr. Ryan Brigante (5-6), 1:03.
182 -- Jr. Santino Morina (12-0), P, d. Sr. Joseph DeLuca (9-3), 6-0.
195 -- Jr. Luke Fischer (9-1), N, d. Jr. Anthony Morina (8-3), 7-3.
220 -- Sr. Dimetrius Day (9-2), P, d. Jr. Matt Somers (2-2), 10-3.
Records -- Paulsboro 5-0; Newton 3-2.

Second round

NEWTON 54, CALDWELL 13

220 -- Sr. Devin Mager (1-0), N, p. Fr. Ben Rivera (4-6), 3:08.
285 -- Sr. Stephen Murphy (8-4), C, d. Jr. Jimmy Harding (3-2), 6-2.
106 -- Fr. Nathan Fitt (4-5), N, p. So. Ricardo Caamano (5-3), 3:05.
113 -- Sr. Mark DeAngelis (7-3), C, d. Fr. Danny Cleary (2-6), 13-7.
120 -- So. Darren Jones (10-2), C, md. Fr. JoJo Lotruglio (5-5), 10-2.
126 -- Jr. Matthew Rosa (8-3), N, d. Fr. Luke Schaffer (10-3), 3-0.
132 -- Jr. Michael Freda (7-4), N, p. So. Dominic Perna (0-4), 1:03.
138 -- So. Julian Sibblies (2-5), N, p. Jr. Matthew Goldbach (0-2), 3:17.
145 -- So. Trevor Aughenbaugh (1-2), N, p. Jr. Saverio D'Angelo (1-6), 3:20.
152 -- Jr. Wyatt McCarthy (9-0), N, p. Jr. Jason Frank (1-4), :47.
160 -- Sr. Gerald Jones (11-1), C, d. Sr. Jonathon Borgognoni (8-1), 3-2.
170 -- Jr. Ryan Brigante (5-5), N, p. Sr. Ryan Naturale (0-5), :52.
182 -- Sr. Joseph DeLuca (9-2), N, p. Jr. Frank Mondsni (6-5), 1:05.
195 -- Jr. Luke Fischer (8-1), N, d. Sr. Kyle Schaffer (9-1), 1-0.
Records -- Newton 3-1; Caldwell 4-1.

Wrestling: Boresch Duals schedule gets slight tweak

The 13th annual Henry Boresch Duals has a new entry in West Orange as action is set to get underway at 9 a.m. on Saturday at Newton High School.

West Orange (3-0) assumes the No. 6 seed originally held by Northern Burlington, which was forced to withdraw from the event since it was not able to practice with the school being closed the past two days following the recent snowstorm.

As a result, four-time winner Newton (2-1) is now the No. 5 seed and will face No. 4 Caldwell in the second round. No. 3 South Plainfield, which has won four of the past six events, including titles in 2016 and '17, will take on West Orange in the opening round.

The eight-team field also includes Paulsboro (3-0) and Hanover Park (2-0), ranked No. 4 and No. 7 in the state by the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association. South Plainfield is No. 11, while Newton checks in at No. 19.

West Orange, which is housed in District 10, features Region 3 qualifiers Edgar Moreno (8-1 at 126), Michael Charles (4-4 at 145), Sebastian Rawls (8-1 at 182) and Noah Tandy (5-2 at 195), a district champion who finished fifth in the region last season.

Cost is $8 for adults and $5 for students.

Here is the schedule (All times approximate as a new round will begin following the completion of the previous session.):

Quarterfinals, 9 a.m.

3-South Plainfield vs. 6-West Orange
2-Hanover Park vs. 7-Northern Highlands

Quarterfinals, 10:30 a.m.

1-Paulsboro vs. 8-Morris Hills
4-Caldwell vs. 5-Newton

Wrestleback semifinals, noon

South Plainfield-West Orange loser vs. Hanover Park-Northern Highlands loser
Paulsboro-Morris Hills loser vs. Caldwell-Newton-loser

Semifinals, 1:30 p.m.

South Plainfield-West Orange winner vs. Hanover Park-Northern Highlands winner
Paulsboro-Morris Hills winner vs. Caldwell-Newton winner

Consolation round, 3 p.m.

Fifth- and seventh-place matches.

Championship round, 4:30 p.m.

First- and third-place matches.

Memory lane of champions

2006 -- Don Bosco 50, Haddonfield 24

2007 -- Newton 54, Pequannock 9

2008 -- Newton 36, Haddonfield 31

2009 -- Newton 43, Haddonfield 18

2010 -- Newton 34, Don Bosco 32

2011 -- Raritan 41, Newton 24

2012 -- South Plainfield 47, Raritan 18

2013 -- South Plainfield 62, Raritan 8

2014 -- Hanover Park 35, Raritan 29

2015 -- Howell 40, South Plainfield 15

2016 -- South Plainfield 45, Howell 20

2017 -- South Plainfield 43, Hanover Park 23

Wrestling: New Jersey Writers Association Top 20

Six teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area highlight the initial New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20 poll for 2017-18.

Phillipsburg (3-0), which is seeking a fifth straight Group 4 state championship, debuts at No. 5. The Stateliners improved to 2-0 in Skyland Conference Raritan Division action with a 54-21 thumping of Bound Brook on Wednesday night.

Pope John is one spot behind P'burg -- two of the favorites to win the team title at the upcoming Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament -- at No. 6. The Lions, who have not won a sectional title since 1994, dropped to Non-Public B this season.

Hunterdon Central (8-0), last season's Group 5 runner-up, is No. 8, while High Point (6-0) checks in at No. 12, followed by Kittatinny (4-1) at No. 18 and Newton (2-1) at No. 19.

Newton is gearing up for its 13th annual Boresch Duals on Saturday. The eight-team event also features No. 4 Paulsboro, No. 7 Hanover Park and No. 11 South Plainfield.

Bergen Catholic, the six-time defending Non-Public A champion, is the consensus No. 1. The Crusaders feature six nationally-ranked wrestlers. Delbarton is ranked No. 2, while Howell, the defending Group 5 champion, is the highest-ranked public school team at No. 3.

Rank	School	Record
1	Bergen Catholic	(1-0)
2	Delbarton	(3-1)
3	Howell	(10-0)
4	Paulsboro	(3-0)
5	Phillipsburg	(3-0)
6	Pope John	(2-1)
7	Hanover Park	(2-0)
8	Hunterdon Central	(8-0)
9	Seton Hall Prep	(8-0)
10	Raritan	(6-1)
11	South Plainfield	(7-1)
12	High Point	(6-0)
13	Southern	(5-1)
14	St. Augustine	(2-0)
15	Camden Catholic	(4-1)
16	St. John Vianney	(3-0)
17	Emerson-Park Ridge	(6-0)
18	Kittatinny	(4-1)
19	Newton	(2-1)
20	St. Peter's Prep	(4-0)

NJWWA voting members (in alphabetical order): Donald J. Brower (MorrisCountyHSWrestling.com); Frank D'Esposito (TheShoreConference.com); Steve Falk (Asbury Park Press); Josh Friedman (Courier Post of Cherry Hill, Daily Journal of Vineland); Screwy Louie Lazzari (New Jersey historian); John Lewis (Burlington County Times); Ron Mazzola (NJWWA president, Region 5 ranking chairman); Tom McGurk (Courier Post of Cherry Hill); Andy Mendlowitz (Courier News); Mark Trible (Courier Post of Cherry Hill); Greg Tufaro (Home News Tribune of East Brunswick); Mike Weilamann (Open Mike); Brad Wilson (Express-Times).

Wrestling: HWS sneak preview (weight by weight)

It's never too early to take a look at what is sure to be an entertaining Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament. The ninth annual version will be held for the first time at the spacious Phillipsburg High School gymnasium on Saturday, Jan. 13.

Brian Meyer (third from left) on the podium in AC in 2017.

How tough is this tournament?

Well, consider several state placewinners, including Phillipsburg senior Brian Meyer (third at 145 in 2017), Pope John junior Robbie Garcia (fourth in '17) and Hunterdon Central senior Hunter Graf (eighth as a sophomore) seek their first HWS titles.

Pope John, which won its first tri-county team championship last season, has a strong chance to repeat, while Phillipsburg, Hunterdon Central and High Point should also be in the mix.

On the individual side, there are several loaded weight classes, including 138 pounds. North Hunterdon senior Andrew Gapas, last year's 132-pound champion and the tourney's Outstanding Wrestler, is one of two state placewinners in this year's class, along with Pope John junior Joe Aragona, a two-time HWS champion and state runner-up in 2017.

"It's a pretty tough weight," Gapas said recently after winning his first John Goles Invitational championship. "I'm going in to have fun and keep my title."

Let's take a weight-by-weight look. Wrestlers are ranked by Open Mike at the lowest weight they've competed at this season. Official pairings and seeds will be determined on Friday, Jan. 12.

106 pounds

1. Jr. Quinn Melofchik (8-0), Belvidere
2. Fr. Brett Ungar (11-0), Hunterdon Central
3. So. Cooper Stewart (8-1), Sparta
4. Fr. Shane Percelay (8-4), Pope John
5. Jr. Connor Robinson (7-2), North Hunterdon

Keep an eye on: So. Devon Liebl (7-2), High Point; Fr. Nathan Fitt (3-5), Newton; Fr. Logan Maczko (6-5), Phillipsburg.

Notes: Melofchik, a runner-up last year at this weight and a third-place finisher in Region 3, will receive a strong challenge from Ungar, a blue-chip rookie who opened eyes with a first-period pin against Robinson, fourth at this weight last year, on Dec. 22. Stewart will also be a tough out, while Percelay, another quality freshman, dropped a 6-2 decision to Ungar in the Hunterdon Central Invitational finals.

113 pounds

1. So. Eddie Ventresca (11-2), Pope John
2. Sr. Cullen Day (8-4), Phillipsburg
3. Jr. Brandon LaRue (11-0), High Point
4. Sr. Colby Koshinski (10-2), Voorhees
5. Fr. Frank Diesso (5-1), North Hunterdon

Keep an eye on: Fr. Spencer Stewart (9-2), Sparta; Fr. Colton Washleski (9-3), Hunterdon Central.

Notes: Ventresca, fourth in the state tournament at this weight last season, is a heavy favorite to win his second straight title. Day vs. LaRue would be a dandy semifinal. They were in opposite brackets last year -- with Day winning the 106-pound championship and LaRue finishing third.

120 pounds

1. Jr. Travis Jones (11-4), Phillipsburg
2. Jr. Devin Flannery (9-2), High Point
3. So. Kia Sement (10-4), Pope John
4. Jr. Jack Bauer (8-2), Hunterdon Central
5. Jr. Aidan Taylor (7-5), Voorhees

Keep an eye on: So. Zac Creeden (5-0), Wallkill Valley; Fr. JoJo Lotruglio (5-4), Newton; Jr. Chris Hwang (5-4), Sparta; Jr. Mike Nelson (7-3), Kittatinny.

Notes: Jones, one of the most entertaining and best mat wrestlers around, burst onto the scene last season with a second-place finish at 113. Flannery, a returning state qualifier as well, is a strong title contender. Sement, who wrestled for Blair Academy last season, scored a a 2-1 win in overtime against Bauer in the Hunterdon Central Invitational semifinals.

126 pounds

1. Sr. Maverick Liebl (9-2), High Point
2. Sr. Codey O'Rourke (6-1), Warren Hills
3. Jr. Hunter Rinehart (9-3), Voorhees
4. So. Anthony Romaniello (8-2), Hunterdon Central
5. Fr. Tyler Marason (5-2), Phillipsburg

Keep an eye on: Jr. Matthew Rosa (7-3), Newton; So. Evan Klimas (4-3), North Hunterdon; Jr. Dominic Falleni (4-2), Lenape Valley; So. Mathew Garcia (7-4), Pope John.

Notes: Pretty wide-open weight with Liebl -- a fifth-place finisher in Region 1 last season -- rating a slight favorite. O'Rourke is dangerous and always looking for the pin, while Marason, a talented freshman, handed Rosa a 2-0 loss on Dec. 23.

132 pounds

1. Sr. Jake Rotunda (12-4), Pope John
2. Sr. Hunter Graf (11-1), Hunterdon Central
3. Jr. A.J. DeRosa (9-0), Delaware Valley
4. Sr. Anthony Mastroeni (8-1), Hopatcong
5. So. Billy Talmadge (11-2), High Point

Keep an eye on: So. Garrett Stewart (8-3), Sparta; Jr. Kyle Tino (5-2), Phillipsburg; So. Eric Falleni (5-2), Lenape Valley; Sr. Kyle Wulff (4-5), Warren Hills.

Notes: Pretty deep class with Rotunda, who recently joined his school's 100-win club, looking to become just the fourth wrestler to win three titles. He handed Graf, who was a runner-up in 2017, a 6-1 loss in the Hunterdon Central Invitational finals. DeRosa, who has placed fifth twice here, is another strong contender. Mastroeni is a two-time bronze medal winner here, while Talmadge, a returning third-place finisher, is capable of an upset.

138 pounds

1. Jr. Joe Aragona (14-1), Pope John
2. Sr. Andrew Gapas (9-0), North Hunterdon
3. Jr. Cody Harrison (10-2), Phillipsburg
4. Sr. Shane Kobis (12-0), High Point
5. So. Gage Crater (9-3), Delaware Valley

Keep an eye on: Sr. Mike Callahan (10-2), Kittatinny; Jr. Michael Freda (6-4), Newton.

Notes: Just a ridiculously loaded weight and easily the toughest in the tournament. Aragona, a two-time state medal winner, is also looking to join the exclusive list of three-time winners. Gapas, who placed eighth in the state as a junior, seeks back-to-back HWS titles, while Harrison, also an eighth-place finisher in the state tournament, was a HWS runner-up as a freshman. Kobis, a state qualifier, hasn't finished higher than fifth in the HWS, while Crater was a finalist in 2017.

145 pounds

1. Jr. Robbie Garcia (14-2), Pope John
2. Sr. Alex Carida (12-0), Hackettstown
3. Jr. Michael Wilson (9-0), North Hunterdon
4. Jr. Vincent Romaniello (8-3), Hunterdon Central
5. Sr. Perry Maio (9-4), Kittatinny

Keep an eye on: Jr. Jayson Zinsmeister (7-6), Phillipsburg; Jr. Chris Ostir (6-3), Warren Hills; Jr. Carter Sheridan (8-3), Sparta.

Notes: Garcia, a two-time HWS runner-up, rates the favorite here, but Carida is a returning HWS and Region 3 champion. Wilson has really come on the last two seasons, finishing fifth in last year's tournament.

152 pounds

1. Sr. Brian Meyer (9-2), Phillipsburg
2. Jr. Wyatt McCarthy (8-0), Newton
3. Sr. Calvin Brook (8-3), Kittatinny
4. Sr. Tucker Kirchberger (10-1), North Hunterdon
5. Sr. Trey Osborn (8-4), High Point

Keep an eye on: So. Connor Fritsch (7-4), Pope John; Fr. Norman Cella (7-3), Hunterdon Central; So. Geir Nemeth (6-4), Warren Hills.

Notes: Meyer, who finished third in the state last season, eyes his first HWS title after back-to-back runner-up finishes. McCarthy, a runner-up as a sophomore, also has his sights set on the gold in what could be a great finals matchup. Keep an eye on Kirchberger, who has really improved after winning a district title last season.

160 pounds

1. Sr. Kevin Ciresa (9-3), Hunterdon Central
2. Sr. Jonathon Borgognoni (8-0), Newton
3. Sr. Shane Smith (7-3), Kittatinny
4. Sr. William Hughes (2-0), North Hunterdon
5. Sr. Robbie Turro (8-4), High Point

Keep an eye on: Sr. Brad Kalinchak (8-3), Voorhees; Sr. Josh Ramos (5-5), Phillipsburg; Sr. Joseph Desapio (8-4), Delaware Valley.

Notes: Ciresa, a state qualifier as a sophomore, has been knocking on the finals door with back-to-back third-place finishes and a fourth his freshman season. Borgognoni also won a bronze medal last season, while Smith is a returning champion at this weight. Hughes is working his way back into the lineup after being sidelined with an injury.

170 pounds

1. Sr. Josh Hiler (7-3), Kittatinny
2. Sr. Lance Wissing (15-2), Phillipsburg
3. Jr. Dan Furmato (10-2), Hunterdon Central
4. Sr. James Swentzel (3-3), Pope John
5. So. Nathaniel Fossett (7-4), North Hunterdon

Keep an eye on: Jr. Nick Brigante (4-5), Newton; Fr. Shane Exley (6-3), Belvidere.

Notes: Hiler, who pinned Furmato on Dec. 16, is a returning third-place finisher at this weight. Wissing, who was a 138-pounder last season, is off to a great start and looks like a title threat. Furmato, a sixth-place finisher as a junior, could also push for a trip to the finals.

182 pounds

1. Sr. Jarod Ostir (7-0), Warren Hills
2. Jr. Zach Mafaro (9-1), Kittatinny
3. Sr. Reece Muldoon (7-0), Pope John
4. Sr. Joseph DeLuca (8-2), Newton
5. Jr. Grayson Sabo (9-2), High Point

Keep an eye on: Jr. Matt Castro (9-3), Hackettstown; Sr. John Spies (6-4), North Hunterdon; Jr. Kyle Barrett (7-5), Hunterdon Central.

Notes: Ostir, a returning runner-up, is a two-time state qualifier. Mafaro was fifth at 195 last season after winning a title as a freshman. Muldoon, a finalist at 160 last season, will also be in the title mix.

195 pounds

1. Sr. Scott Fernandes (11-1), Voorhees
2. Sr. Robbie Gennat (10-1), Sparta
3. Sr. Eli Kalfaian (5-1), Delaware Valley
4. So. Lukas Bakerian (10-3), Hunterdon Central
5. Jr. Luke Fischer (7-1), Newton

Keep an eye on: Fr. Jackson Crawn (8-3), Kittatinny; Sr. Ryan Kokawski (5-3), Belvidere; Jr. Austin Roth (3-3), Phillipsburg.

Notes: Fernandes, a returning state qualifier who was a tri-county third at 182 last season, decked Gennat, who placed fourth at this weight class in 2017 after a third-place finish in '16, in just 29 seconds on Saturday to set the Voorhees pins record with 64. Kalfaian just returned after missing a few weeks with a knee issue.

220 pounds

1. Jr. Lewis Fernandes (12-0), Voorhees
2. Jr. Nick Galka (6-1), Warren Hills
3. Sr. Angelo Crespo (5-0), Hunterdon Central
4. So. Jacob Mafaro (8-2), Kittatinny
5. Jr. Lorenzo Becerril (6-2), North Hunterdon

Keep an eye on: Jr. Matt Somers (2-1), Newton; So. Ryan Hall (6-2), Lenape Valley; Jr. Andrew Lewis (7-4), High Point.

Notes: Pope John senior Jake Brown, third at this weight last season, has yet to wrestle and his status is unknown. Fernandes is primed for a big season after finishing one round shy of a medal in the state tournament last season. He was a tri-county third at 195 as a sophomore. Galka, a returning district champion, will likely drop to 195 at some point this season, but 220 looks like an easier road to the finals.

285 pounds

1. Sr. Joe Andes (10-1), Hackettstown
2. Jr. Sam Huff (11-0), Voorhees
3. Sr. Joey Sprague (6-1), North Warren
4. Sr. Thomas Hubmaster (8-3), High Point
5. Sr. Ryan Joyce (5-6), Hunterdon Central

Keep an eye on: Sr. Patrick Sharpe (9-5), Phillipsburg; Sr. Jack Morelli (6-3), Pope John; Jr. Zachery Dora (3-3), Wallkill Valley.

Notes: Andes, a state qualifier who was fourth at this weight last season, is the favorite, but he lost by injury default on Friday. Huff, a district champion, is a 220-pounder and may be the most athletic at this weight.

Wrestling: State powers headline Boresch Duals

Three of the state's top teams will chase a championship in the 13th annual Henry Boresch Duals on Saturday at Newton High School. Action gets underway at 9 a.m.

Four-time winner Newton is the No. 5 seed and will face No. 4 Caldwell in the second round.

South Plainfield, which has won four of the past six events, including titles in 2016 and '17, is the No. 3 seed and will face No. 6 West Orange in the opening round. The eight-team field also includes Paulsboro and Hanover Park.

"It should be fun," Newton coach Eric Bollette said. "It's right up there [with the best set of Boresch Duals we've had]. "We've had some good teams in the past."

Newton (2-1), which has one of its best teams in recent years, dropped a tough 38-29 decision at Group 4 favorite Phillipsburg on Dec. 23 and captured the program's first John Goles Invitational team title since 2008 on Wednesday at Warren Hills.

The Braves are led by junior state qualifier Wyatt McCarthy (8-0 at 152), who is closing in on 70 career wins and senior Jonathon Borgognoni (8-0 at 160). Senior Joseph DeLuca (8-2 at 182) and junior Luke Fischer (7-1 at 195) anchor the upper weights, which figure to receive a boost this week with the return of senior Devin Mager, who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury, at 195.

Paulsboro (2-0), the perennial Group 1 champion, is a new addition to this event. The Red Raiders feature a balanced and strong lineup -- bolstered by the additions of former Collingswood wrestlers Gabe and Riley Onorato. Gabe (1-0) was a fourth-place finisher in Region 7 at 132 pounds as a freshman, while Riley, a senior, is 7-2 at 160.

Georgio Mazzeo (5-2 at 113) and Jacob Perez (7-1 at 126), both sophomores, are returning state qualifiers, while junior Santo Morina (9-0 at 182) finished eighth in the state at 160 pounds as a sophomore. Junior George Worthy (6-1 at 152) and sophomore Brandon Green (6-2 at 170) also qualified for the state tournament last season.

Paulsboro, one of the most storied programs in the nation and in its 75th season, is 1,135-88-12 overall, while longtime coach Paul Morina is 658-42-4 in 32 seasons.

Hanover Park (2-0), which won its only Boresch Duals title in 2014, is the No. 2 seed. The Hornets, now coached by former assistant and Kittatinny graduate Tyler Branham, won the Group 2 title in 2015 and were runners-up in '17.

Junior Nick Raimo (6-0), a two-time state finalist and last season's 126-pound champion, is off to a strong start at 132, while junior Domenic DiFrancescantonio (4-2 at 126), and seniors Sean Conley (2-2 at 145) and Matthew Liberato (6-3 at 160) are returning state qualifiers.

South Plainfield (6-1), last season's Group 3 champion, has been a regular in this event -- also winning championships in 2012 and '13, while making the finals in '15.

Senior Joe Heilmann (10-0 at 126), third at 120 last season, and junior Zach DelVecchio (9-0), fourth at 220, are two-time state medal winners for South Plainfield, while juniors Alex Amato (4-4 at 138), Joe Sacco (9-1 at 145) and Luke Niemayer (9-0 at 195) advanced to Atlantic City last season.

Also returning from previous tournaments are No. 4 seed Caldwell (4-0) -- featuring three-time state qualifier Gerald Jones (9-2 at 152) -- while No. 7 Northern Highlands (1-1) and No. 8 Morris Hills (5-1) round out the field.

"Paulsboro is the favorite, but there are a lot of good teams in the bottom bracket," said Bollette, whose youngest brother, Brian, a former standout at Kittatinny, is the head coach at Morris Hills.

Cost is $8 for adults and $5 for students.

Here is the schedule (All times approximate as a new round will begin following the completion of the previous session.):

Quarterfinals, 9 a.m.

3-South Plainfield vs. 6-West Orange
2-Hanover Park vs. 7-Northern Highlands

Quarterfinals, 10:30 a.m.

1-Paulsboro vs. 8-Morris Hills
4-Caldwell vs. 5-Newton

Wrestleback semifinals, noon

South Plainfield-West Orange loser vs. Hanover Park-Northern Highlands loser
Paulsboro-Morris Hills loser vs. Caldwell-Newton-loser

Semifinals, 1:30 p.m.

South Plainfield-West Orange winner vs. Hanover Park-Northern Highlands winner
Paulsboro-Morris Hills winner vs. Caldwell-Newton winner

Consolation round, 3 p.m.

Fifth- and seventh-place matches.

Championship round, 4:30 p.m.

First- and third-place matches.

Memory lane of champions

2006 -- Don Bosco 50, Haddonfield 24

2007 -- Newton 54, Pequannock 9

2008 -- Newton 36, Haddonfield 31

2009 -- Newton 43, Haddonfield 18

2010 -- Newton 34, Don Bosco 32

2011 -- Raritan 41, Newton 24

2012 -- South Plainfield 47, Raritan 18

2013 -- South Plainfield 62, Raritan 8

2014 -- Hanover Park 35, Raritan 29

2015 -- Howell 40, South Plainfield 15

2016 -- South Plainfield 45, Howell 20

2017 -- South Plainfield 43, Hanover Park 23