Wrestling: North top public in final NJWWA Top 20

North Hunterdon, fresh off of winning its first state championship in 18 years, finished as the No. 1 public school program in the state in the final New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20.

The Lions (23-0), ranked No. 4, completed the program's first unbeaten season -- and first in Hunterdon County since Voorhees went 22-0 in 1986-87 -- and captured their fifth state title with a 34-22 win over Kingsway in the Group 4 final at RWJBarnabas Health Arena on Sunday. Coach Chris Hrunka's team, which also beat No. 5 Kingsway for the Boresch Duals title on Jan. 4, claimed its first sectional title since 2015, while becoming the first in Lions history to beat Phillipsburg twice in a season with a 37-12 victory in the North 2, Group 4 sectional final.

"Definitely something special. It was a year to remember," said Evan Klimas, one of five starting seniors for North who enters the individual postseason 24-5 at 145 pounds. "We have a strong bond, definitely a family. We went in confident knowing exactly what we wanted to achieve [in the Group championships] and we were able to do it. It's something we're going to remember for a long time."

North is among four Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area teams, which have been ranked from the start of this season, to grace the final poll. For only the second time since the Top 20 debuted in 2013, when South Plainfield finished in the top spot, there is a new No. 1 as Delbarton ended Bergen Catholic's six-year reign with a 45-12 win over the Crusaders in the Non-Public North A sectional semifinals. The Green Wave, coached by Bryan Stoll, went on to claim the A state title with a 54-7 victory over No. 8 St. Augustine Prep for the Morris County-based school's second championship and first since 2011.

Phillipsburg, which lost twice to the Lions, including a 30-24 defeat at home on Jan. 15 that essentially decided the Skyland Conference Raritan Division title, is No. 10, followed by High Point at No. 12 and Pope John at No. 15.

P'burg (15-3), which lost a sectional title match for just the third time overall and the second since 2013 in the tournament's 41-year history, went 2-3 against ranked teams this season -- with wins over High Point (34-24 at The Pit on Jan. 27) and Toms River North (29-28 at home on Jan. 16). In addition to a double defeat against North, the 'Liners also dropped a 36-24 decision to No. 6 Southern on Jan. 25.

High Point has won six state titles (four in Group 2).

High Point (15-4) faced five Top 20 teams this season, including a win over No. 20 Mount Olive (32-23 on Jan. 23), a Group 4 semifinalist. The 'Cats, who captured their second Group 2 title in three seasons with a 38-28 victory over West Deptford on Sunday, also lost to No. 7 Howell (37-36 on most first points), North Hunterdon (38-23 in the Patriot Duals final), Phillipsburg and Southern (43-25 on Jan. 30). High Point, which has won six state championships -- all under head coach John Gardner -- also claimed a Sussex-County best 28th sectional title. Kittatinny leads the county with eight state titles.

Pope John (11-8), which also has won six state championships (all in Non-Public B), captured the program's third consecutive North B sectional title and its 10th overall with a 59-17 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas (formerly Bishop Ahr) before falling to No. 2 Camden Catholic, 51-15, for the second straight year in the state title match in Toms River.

Rank	School	Record	Previous
1	Delbarton	(18-3)	2
2	Bergen Catholic	(17-3)	1
3	Camden Catholic	(22-2)	3
4	North Hunterdon	(23-0)	4
5	Kingsway	(18-4)	5
6	Southern	(20-1)	9
7	Howell	(24-2)	6
8	St. Augustine Prep	(18-4)	7
9	St. Joseph-Montvale	(12-5)	8
10	Phillipsburg	(15-3)	10
11	Toms River North	(19-5)	11
12	High Point	(15-4)	12
13	Paulsboro	(21-2)	13
14	Seton Hall Prep	(17-2)	14
15	Pope John	(11-8)	15
16	Montville	(19-2)	16
17	Brick Memorial	(17-4)	17
18	West Essex	(21-5)	18
19	St. Peter's Prep	(13-8)	19
20	Mount Olive	(18-3)	20

Others receiving votes: Manalapan (26-4).

NJWWA voting members listed in alphabetical order: Donald J. Brower (GardenStateHSWrestling.com); Frank D’Esposito (theshoreconference.com; Steven Falk (Asbury Park Press and APP.com); Sean Farrell (The Record of Hackensack and NorthJersey.com); Jane Havsy (Daily Record and DailyRecord.com); “Screwy” Louie Lazzari (New Jersey wrestling historian); John Lewis (Burlington County Times and phillyburbs.com); Ron Mazzola (NJWWA president and Region V ranking chairman); Tom McGurk (Courier Post of Cherry Hill); Andy Mendlowitz (Courier News and MyCentralJersey.com); Greg Tufaro (Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com); Michael Weilamann (Open Mike).

Wrestling: 'Cats follow their leaders to Group 2 title

Changing of the guard?

It sure looked that way as High Point was busy celebrating its second Group 2 title in three years following a 38-28 victory over West Deptford at RWJBarnabas Health Arena on Sunday in Toms River.

Devon Liebl, PJ Soldano and Billy Talmadge.

There was sophomore Brian Soldano, one of the most talented wrestlers in New Jersey and a state title contender at 160 pounds, sharing a special moment with the team's trio of seniors -- Billy Talmadge, Devon Liebl and older brother PJ Soldano. It sure seemed as if those three were passing the torch. If so, Brian Soldano would make an excellent caretaker.

"Hopefully, we can keep this up for the next couple of years," he said. "I'm really proud of [the team]."

High Point (15-4), which cruised to a 51-15 victory over Caldwell in the semifinals, was the heavy favorite to return to Toms River and secure the championship after a disappointing 46-26 loss to South Plainfield in 2019. It has not been easy by any stretch, as coach John Gardner's team has experienced one big injury or illness after another.

But with a 14-point lead through 11 bouts, thanks largely to unexpected wins from freshman Ryan Mangano (106) and junior Nick Douma (132), and junior Alex Buchwald setting the stage with a victory at 160 pounds, Gardner turned to his sophomore ace to clinch it. Soldano delivered the title with a 42-second pin at 170.

"We came down to that point and we had planned on having Brian go out at 82, but when had a chance to win at 70, why not?" Gardner said. "I'll take that. I think a lot of people would take that. I'm happy he's with us. He works tremendously hard. Sometimes he makes it look easy. It's not that easy. He's dedicated to what he does. Very proud of him."

Gardner and his crack staff of assistants also formulated a winning plan by shuffling the lineup. With freshman Roman Citro (106) sidelined by an illness, they opted to weigh-in up with Talmadge at 145 and Brian Soldano at 170. There was an unexpected twist as the 'Cats were expecting to see South Plainfield, which lost 36-27 in the semifinals to West Deptford, in the title match.

"We had to mix up our lineup because we needed to match up ... we didn't know with who, either South Plainfield or West Deptford," Soldano said. "So we had to mix it up a little bit, which worked in our favor, so it was all good."

With the start of the individual postseason set to commence with the district tournament on Saturday, Solando is on to the next goal -- being a state champion.

"Me and my partner Billy Talmadge [a returning fifth-place finisher] have been going real hard in the room so hopefully we can make a good run at the end," Soldano said. "I think we can do it."

Steady as they go

High Point had to make many lineup adjustments this season, but Liebl, Talmadge and Soldano, along with junior Josh Gervey (132) and sophomore Clayton Utter (113), both returning state qualifiers, were wrestlers who could be counted on. All five went 2-0 on Sunday. PJ Soldano (182) also emerged as a leader in the upper weights.

"We've had some other kids on a bit of a roller coaster, but those guys have been steady as can be," Gardner said. "Super happy they're on our team. Very proud of what they've done and all they've given to the program."

But give props to Mangano and Douma, who entered with a combined record of 1-11 this season. Mangano scored a tide-turning 9-2 win over Jacob McDonald in the third bout, while Douma, who broke both wrists last season and his leg during football in the fall, was down, 7-1, before reversing and decking Justin Monzo-Hull to give High Point a 19-13 lead it would not relinquish.

"For those guys to be able to hang in and have the confidence to stick with it, and the will to get it done ... it was a great stage to do it," said Gardner, whose teams are 377-107-2 overall in 22 seasons. "Nick was feeling good and Ryan was super confident. Roman spent a lot of time with him, talking him through that match."

Title time

Hunterdon and Sussex counties went a combined 2-2 in the finals. Pope John fell, 51-15, to Camden Catholic in the Non-Public North B title match, while North Hunterdon claimed the Group 4 championship with a 34-22 win over Kingsway. Delaware Valley, in its first Group 1 final appearance, was waxed by Paulsboro, 50-9.

High Point celebrates its sixth state championship.

High Point, making its 28th appearance in the state championships, knows the road to a title is not an easy journey. The 'Cats are now 6-10 overall in the state finals after breaking through for their first in 2008. Four have come in Group 2 and the other two in Group 3, which for many years had to go through Phillipsburg. That's what makes each title even sweeter than the one before for Gardner, who begrudgingly joined the team photo afterward. For those who don't know, Gardner makes any success about his wrestlers, not about himself. While you see other coaches in the middle of team photos, he prefers to stay out of the spotlight. Gardner also faces the music with media members after tough losses and always makes himself accessible -- a stand-up guy all-around.

"We've seen both sides," said Gardner, now 13-6 overall (6-4 in finals) in Group matches. "[Longtime assistant] Mickey [Thomas] has seen a lot. I've certainly seen enough. To be able to come down here and win two matches -- that's a wonderful accomplishment for any team."

Gardner was also happy for his seniors for making good in their last chance at that coveted trophy.

"It was so ingrained into their minds," he said. "They wanted a shot to walk out of here as Group 2 champs and they were able to do that [on Sunday]."

Wrestling: North joins elite company with G4 title

North Hunterdon's historic wrestling season was capped off in championship fashion on Sunday as the Lions captured the program's fifth state championship and first in 18 years with a 34-22 victory against Kingsway in the Group 4 final at RWJBarnabas Health Arena in Toms River.

North picked up its 776th win in the Group 4 final.

When told that he and his teammates joined some of North's most legendary figures -- like former coaches Jason Hawk and Tim Flynn, along with two-time individual state champ Ricky Frondorf, who were all part of the previous title team in 2002 -- senior Nate Fossett summed it up best:

"Those guys are Hall of Famers," said Fossett, a two-time Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament champion who has been the Lions' rock up top all season at either 182 or 195 pounds.

Those names mentioned above adorn the championship wall in North's practice room, which documents all of the team and individual accomplishments. Flynn, who is now the school's vice principal, and Hawk, still a health and physcial education teacher at North who served as head coach for nine seasons (2001-10) and another eight as Flynn's assistant (2010-18), were also wise enough to bring current head coach Chris Hrunka, now in his third season, on board as an assistant. Longtime coach and all-around good guy Dennis Haughey, who owns the program wins record at 231, was also in attendance on Sunday.

"They're like legends [at North Hunterdon]," said Hrunka, whose teams are 59-8 overall. "Everyone knows them as wrestling coaches. Jason Hawk never coached any of these kids, but they all know he was a coach. They all know how good of a wrestler he was [at Phillipsburg and Rutgers]. It's a good feeling [to be alongside them]."

Perfect storm

North's 23-0 season -- a program record for wins and its fourth of at least 20 victories-- is the first unbeaten campaign by a Hunterdon County school since Voorhees went 22-0 and captured the Group 3 title in 1986-87. It's also the county's ninth overall as Hunterdon Central did it five times before the sectional era (1963, '64, '76, '77 and '79), while Voorhees also finished 20-0 and won a sectional title in 1979-80. Delaware Valley (19-0-1 in 1983-84), which won the Group 2 title and finished No. 1 in New Jersey, is the county's only other undefeated state championship team along with North.

"Definitely something special. It was a year to remember," said North senior Evan Klimas, who also added a key decision win against Kingsway on Sunday. "We have a strong bond, definitely a family. We went in confident knowing exactly what we wanted to achieve [in the Group championships] and we were able to do it. Wouldn't want to do it with anyone else. It's something we're going to remember for a long time."

How loose and confident was this team? Klimas said they went to play mini golf following the 40-19 win over Mount Olive in the Group 4 semifinals.

That may have been the secret to success as North's tremendous lineup balance was again on display against Kingsway, which was looking to avenge  a 40-21 loss to the Lions on Jan. 4 and repeat as Group 4 champion. But that group from 170 through 285 all came through again against the Dragons and erased a 22-12 deficit through eight bouts.

"We knew we were solid everywhere and we knew everyone could come up big," said junior Connor Quinn, whose pin of Jake Gentile at 132 was a nine-point swing from the first meeting and avenged a 3-2 loss at the Boresch Duals. "We just had faith in every single weight class."

The upper weights, who recorded a major and four pins in those matchups in the first meeting, were expected to provide big team points, but that group only needed wins this time around.

"We didn't want our guys going crazy and something happening, getting caught cause then it puts you in a bad spot," Hrunka said. "We told them, 'If you can find easy points take them. If you can find an easy pin, you take it. If you're on top, you can ride tough.' Our guys are good on top. There we were comfortable. On our feet look for one takedown and secure the win. We knew we were a lot better than a lot of those kids there."

Can there be a repeat?

With this title run in the books, what are the chances that North can go for back-to-back titles next season? That surely will not be easy as Klimas and Fossett, along with Drew Doscher (138), Kyle Anderson (152) and Ian Gaburo (220), are all seniors. But with nine returning starters, it's likely that North will again be in the mix, along with Phillipsburg (11 returning starters) and Kingsway, which is mostly juniors.

"I want to be back here," Quinn said.

The Lions will have the target on their backs next time around.

"Last year, I thought we kind of flew under the radar and snuck up on some people. This year, people were like, 'Look at [North]. After [the Boresch Duals] it was like, 'Holy cow look at these guys. Then, we were in an unfamiliar spot of being at the top. The [No. 4 ranking in the NJWWA Top 20] didn't matter to us, our goal was to win the Group 4 championship."

Wrestling: 'Cats climb back to top in Group 2

TOMS RIVER -- High Point will take laying the outcome of a dual meet on the capable shoulders of sophomore stud Brian Soldano any day of the week. But it was two relatively unknown wrestlers who helped paved the way for a championship.

High Point celebrates its sixth state championship.

Soldano's pin at 170 pounds sealed it, but clutch victories by freshman Ryan Mangano and junior Nick Douma helped vault the Wildcats to a 38-28 victory over West Deptford to secure the Group 2 championship on Sunday evening at RWJBarnabas Health Arena.

"We had two kids, Ryan hadn't won this year, and Nick got [his first win earlier today]. For those guys to come up as big as they did is a great thing for us," veteran coach John Gardner said. "Certainly wasn't something that West Deptford expected.

High Point (15-4) picked up the program's sixth state title and second in three seasons after winning the Group 2 championship in 2018. The 'Cats were hoping to get some redemption against South Plainfield, which scored a 46-26 victory over the Sussex County school in last year's final. But the Tigers were denied a sixth straight championship (winning five in a row, including the previous two Group 2 titles) appearance with a 36-27 loss to West Deptford (21-8), which was seeking its second state title and first since 2000, in Sunday's semifinals.

"The only thing we think about Day 1 in the practice room is winning this Group title," said Billy Talmadge, one of three senior starters. "The pressure building up until now really made it emotional for me and the seniors. Thankful for the juniors stepping it up. They did a really good job this year stepping up and helping us be captains. Lot of heart from High Point. There's nothing like being coached by Mr. Gardner, Mr. [Billy] Smith, Mr. [Mickey] Thomas and Otto [Mark Veltri]."

The Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area crowned two champions as North Hunterdon (23-0) capped its first unbeaten season and picked up its first championship since 2002 with a 34-22 victory over Kingsway in the Group 4 title match.

High Point, which cruised to a 51-15 win over Caldwell in the semifinals, dropped the first two bouts against West Deptford before Mangano turned the tide with a mildly surprising 9-2 win at 106 pounds -- his first varsity win after going 0-10 in a backup role behind freshman Roman Citro, who was unable to wrestle due to an illness.

Sophomore Clayton Utter followed with a pin at 113, and after West Deptford answered with a pin at 120, senior Devon Liebl got the 'Cats back on track with a 17-3 major at 126 -- setting the stage for Douma, who trailed, 7-1, after the first period before reversing and decking Justin Monzo-Hull in 2:34.

"He was trying to work the bar and I work on sitting through the bar all the time [in practice]," Douma said, "so the second he started running around the head, I just sat and I knew it was over once I sat through it. It was a big match and I had to win. I got my job done."

Douma (2-1), who had broken both of wrists last wrestling season and his leg during this past football season, only recently joined the team for the start of the run toward a North 1, Group 2 sectional title. It was shades of then-freshman Josh Gervey, whose victory sent High Point to the state title in 2018.

"Douma has always had heart," Talmadge said. "Him being hurt beginning of the year, I knew it wasn't going to set him back or our team back. I knew he was going to come out with the win."

Gervey's pin at 138 and Talmadge's 15-4 major at 145 gave High Point a comfortable 29-13 lead through nine bouts. Junior Alex Buchwald added a huge 8-3 win at 160 to set up Soldano, who completed the championship run by flattening Jordyn Roane with a cradle in 42 seconds.

"I wanted to get one more for our seniors," said Soldano, now 68-5 overall. "They've put so much into this program and I'm happy to see them go out with a last bang."

Championship

HIGH POINT 38, WEST DEPTFORD 28
220 -- Sr. Tasir Money (27-7), WD, md. Jr. Justin Klass (14-15), 14-5.
285 -- Jr. Tion Cherry (17-2), WD, d. Jr. Troy Van Orden (7-8), 9-7.
106 -- Fr. Ryan Mangano (1-10), HP, d. So. Jacob McDonald (10-17), 9-2.
113 -- So. Clayton Utter (23-4), HP, p. Jr. AJ Monahan (23-10), :43.
120 -- So. Mike Amoriello (19-12), WD, p. So. Charles Antcliff (16-13), 3:11.
126 -- Sr. Devon Liebl (31-3), HP, md. Sr. Jake McConville (31-4), 17-3.
132 -- Jr. Nick Douma (2-1), HP, p. So. Justin Monzo-Hull (19-15), 2:34.
138 -- Jr. Josh Gervey (27-4), HP, p. Sr. Tom Steffney (19-15), 1:14.
145 -- Sr. Billy Talmadge (34-0), HP, md. Sr. Steven Brittingham (12-12), 15-5.
152 -- Sr. Brad Schultes (16-15), WD, d. So. Noah Ripley (8-21), 4-1.
160 -- Jr. Alex Buchwald (11-4), HP, d. Sr. Gavin Gismondi (18-10), 8-3.
170 -- So. Brian Soldano (27-1), HP, p. Fr. Jordyn Roane (7-4), :42.
182 -- Sr. Gavin Shields (28-5), WD, forfeit.
195 -- Jr. Cody Thurston (29-4), WD, forfeit.
Records -- High Point 15-4; West Deptford 21-8.
Officials -- Dave Marotta and Anthony Zullo.

Semifinals

HIGH POINT 51, CALDWELL 15
195 -- PJ Soldano, HP, d. John Casale, 6-2.
220 -- Ben Rivera, C, d. Sean Van Wingerden, 6-5.
285 -- Justin Klass, HP, p. Anthony Perosio, 2:11.
106 -- Ian Flanagan, C, d. Ryan Mangano, 7-0.
113 -- Clayton Utter, HP, d. Ricardo Caamano, 5-1.
120 -- Charles Antcliff, HP, p. Joshua Eng, 4:50.
126 -- Devon Liebl, HP, p. Pasquale Capozzoli, 2:51.
132 -- Nick Douma, HP, p. Mark DeJesus, 3:05.
138 -- Josh Gervey, HP, p. Kayleb Egoavil, 2:53.
145 -- Billy Talmadge, HP, d. Joseph Jenkins, 5-1.
152 -- Jack Askling, C, p. Noah Ripley, 3:24.
160 -- Luke Schaffer, C, d. Alex Buchwald, 5-2.
170 -- Troy Tiger, HP, forfeit.
182 -- Brian Soldano, HP, p. Max Ruiz, :21.
Records -- High Point 14-4; Caldwell 18-6.

WEST DEPTFORD 36, SOUTH PLAINFIELD 27
195 -- Thomas Renna, SP, d. Cody Thurston, 7-4.
220 -- Tasir Money, WD, p. Julian Medina, 2:48.
285 -- Tion Cherry, WD, d. Austin Scott, 10-5.
106 -- J.J. Giordano, SP, p. Jacob McDonald, :35.
113 -- AJ Monahan, WD, d. Julian Irizzary, 9-4.
120 -- Jacob DelVecchio, SP, p. Mike Amoriello, :35.
126 -- Jake McConville, WD, d. Andrew Loniewski, 9-5.
132 -- Anthony White, SP, d. Justin Monzo-Hull, :39.
138 -- Tom Steffney, WD, d. Tyler Balent, 6-5.
145 -- Steven Brittingham, WD, d. Daniel Gonzalez-Ross, 4-2.
152 -- Xavier Santos, SP, p. Brad Schultes, 1:49.
160 -- Gavin Gismondi, WD, d. Daniel Borsos, 4-0.
170 -- Jordyn Roane, WD, p. Aidan MacKenzie, 3:18.
182 -- Gavin Shields, WD, p. Kenneth Clevenger, 2:18.
Records -- West Deptford 21-7; South Plainfield 18-8.

Wrestling: North savors perfection, Group 4 title

TOMS RIVER -- Just win baby. That's exactly what North Hunterdon's wrestling did team did better than any other public school in the state this season.

The Lions ran the table and put the finishing touches on the program's first unbeaten campaign with a 34-22 victory over Kingsway in the Group 3 final on Sunday evening at RWJBarnabas Health Arena.

North celebrates the program's first state title since 2002.

North Hunterdon (23-0), making its first title appearance since 2003, captured the program's fifth state championship and first since the 2001-02 squad -- led by head coach Jason Hawk and assistant Tim Flynn -- won a Group 3 title. In addition the Lions are the first team in Hunterdon County to go unbeaten since Voorhees went 22-0 and won the Group 3 championship in 1986-87.

"It was a lot of emotions. Everyone was really pumped up," said junior Connor Quinn, whose stunning pin at 138 pounds sent North on it way to a second win over Kingsway, which was looking for its second straight Group 4 title. "We just came out on the right foot. We had a lot of confidence from Friday and the experience earlier in the season, We just rode the momentum into today."

North, which scored a 40-21 win over Kingsway (also winning nine bouts in that one) and a 39-29 victory over Group 1 champion Paulsboro to capture the Boresch Duals title on Jan. 4, once again won all six bouts from 170 through 106, including sophomore Liam Akers' match-clinching pin in the next-to-last bout at 285, against Kingsway (18-4), to erase a 22-12 deficit through the first eight bouts.

"It's a first. It's pretty cool," third-year coach Chris Hrunka said of going unbeaten. "I thought we looked pretty good. You have to give Kingsway credit. That was a 19-point win last time and they made it a heckuva match. We kept telling the guys that it was going to be a war."

Quinn's pin off a cradle with 35 seconds left in the third period reversed a 3-2 loss to Jake Gentile in January. It could not have come at a better time as Kingsway won two of the first three bouts heading into its formidable middle of the lineup.

"I knew he was going to beat that kid," said senior Nate Fossett, a member of the self-proclaimed "Murderers Row" of North Hunterdon upper weights. "He came out there and packed him. Big momentum booster, big swing. Big reason we won the match."

North senior Evan Klimas added another crucial win at 145, and winning the flip gave Hrunka the ability to get Klimas on David DiPietro, who dropped a 6-3 decision when they met in January, rather than the favored Dakota Morris, which would have given Kingsway the potential for a sweep from 138 through 160.

Junior James Holder started that run up top with a 9-5 win at 170 and Fossett followed with a 3-1 decision in sudden-victory overtime at 182. North, which recorded four pins and a major last time from 170 through 285, settled for three regular decisions, a pin and a major -- knowing it just needed victories.

"All we needed to do was win out and we win the match," Fossett said. "We did that. Akers picked up six which was big and [freshman Logan] Wadle [at 106] finished the match.

Championship

NORTH HUNTERDON 34, KINGSWAY 22
113 -- So. Josh Palmucci (5-1), K, md. So. Nick DeLorenzo (17-13), 12-1.
120 -- Jr. Frank DiEsso (26-4), NH, d. So. Joey Miranda (16-17), 9-5.
126 -- Sr. McKenzie Bell (26-5), K, p. Fr. Daniel Delusant (14-15), 3:24.
132 -- Jr. Connor Quinn (23-6), NH, p. Jr. Jake Gentile (29-6), 5:25.
138 -- Jr. Finnegan McFadden (17-2), K, md. Sr. Drew Doscher (16-10), 12-4.
145 -- Sr. Evan Klimas (24-5), NH, d. Fr. David DiPietro (21-11), 6-2.
152 -- So. Dakota Morris (31-3), K, tf. So. William Cole (17-11), 16-1, 3:42.
160 -- Sr. Cheney Kinner (4-0), K, d. Sr. Kyle Anderson (18-9), 6-4.
170 -- Jr. James Holder (22-9), NH, d. Sr. John Sambogna (9-12), 9-5.
182 -- Sr. Nate Fossett (27-2), NH, d. Jr. Kevin Pandorf (26-7), 3-1 SV.
195 -- Fr. Alex Uryniak (25-3), NH, md. Sr. Dennis Lee (4-7), 13-0.
220 -- Sr. Ian Gaburo (22-1), NH, d. So. Christian Aiken (3-5), 5-2.
285 -- So. Liam Akers (27-2), NH, p. Jr. Sylvester VanMorter (17-12), 1:47.
106 -- Fr. Logan Wadle (27-4), NH, d. Fr. Brendan Callahan (18-14), 6-4 SV.
Records -- North Hunterdon 23-0; Kingsway 18-4.
Officials -- Bill Dickson and Russ Scorese.

Semifinals

NORTH HUNTERDON 40, MOUNT OLIVE 19
106 -- Logan Wadle, NH, d. Jack Bastarrika, 7-4.
113 -- Nick DeLorenzo, NH, d. Seth Hagensen, 9-6.
120 -- Frank DiEsso, NH, p. Joshua McGill, 1:40.
126 -- David Ryerson, MO, d. Daniel Delusant, 8-1.
132 -- Connor Quinn, NH, d. Blaine Hammond, 4-2 SV.
138 -- Brian Bienus, MO, d. Drew Doscher, 4-2 SV.
145 -- Evan Klimas, NH, p. Cameron Thorkildsen, 3:15.
152 -- Evan Perrault, MO, d. Kyle Anderson, 7-6.
160 -- Anthony Spera, MO, md. William Cole, 15-6.
170 -- James Holder, NH, inj. Hunter Perez, 5:18.
182 -- Nate Fossett, NH, md. Anthony Moscatello, 8-0.
195 -- Alex Uryniak, NH, p. Gavin Camoia, 1:18.
220 -- Stan Puzio, MO, forfeit.
285 -- Andrew Franklin, NH, d. Nicolas Negron, 5-3.
Records -- North Hunterdon 22-0; Mount Olive 18-3.

KINGSWAY 37, BRICK MEMORIAL 35
106 -- Anthony Santaniello, BM, tf. Brendan Callahan, 17-2.
113 -- Josh Palmucci, K, p. Braden Scott, 5:06.
120 -- Michael Richardson, BM, d. Joey Miranda, 3-0.
126 -- Vincent Santaniello, BM, d. McKenzie Bell, 7-2.
132 -- Jake Gentile, K, p. Ryan Smith, 2:19.
138 -- Finnegan McFadden, K, p. Victor DiPianta, :19.
145 -- Dakota Morris, K, p. Nelson DeJesus, 1:32.
152 -- David DiPietro, K, tf. Cory Martin, 15-0, 5:46.
160 -- Cheney Kinner, K, d. JT Henderson, 10-5.
170 -- Joe Colon, BM, inj. Noah Falabella, :29.
182 -- Kevin Pandorf, K, tf. Ruben Lizardi, 23-8, 4:57.
195 -- David Szuba, BM, forfeit.
220 -- Kyle Kohlmann, BM, forfeit.
285 -- Matt Murphy, BM, forfeit.
Records -- Kingsway 18-3; Brick Memorial 17-4.

Wrestling: Group 4, 2, 1 and Non-Public B previews

It could be a championship banner kind of day as four teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area battle for state titles on Sunday at RWJBarnabas Health Arena on the campus of Toms River North High School.

The semifinal round begins at 9 a.m. with Groups 4 and 3, followed by Group 1 semis and two Non-Public finals at 11:30 a.m. The Group 2 and 5 semifinals are at 2 p.m., with the title matches in Groups 1, 3 and 4 at 5 p.m. The Group 2 and 5 championships will be at 7 p.m.

Here's a closer look at the matches involving HWS teams:

Group 4

Titles: North Hunterdon 4 — (Group  3) 1982, '84, '94, 2002. Kingsway 4 — (Group 2) 1997, '98. (Group 3) 2007. (Group 4) 2019. Brick Memorial 9 — (Group 3) 1986, '88, '94, '98, '99. (Group 4) 2008, '09, '13. (Group 5) — 2015. Mount Olive 0 (won its second sectional title in 2020).

North seeks its first state title since 2002.

North Hunterdon Lions (21-0)

Fr. Logan Wadle (25-4) 106; So. Nick DeLorenzo (16-12) 113; Jr. Frank DiEsso (24-4) 120; Fr. Daniel Delusant (14-13) 126; Jr. Connor Quinn (21-6) 132; Sr. Drew Doscher (16-8) 138; Sr. Evan Klimas (22-5) 145; Sr. Kyle Anderson (18-7) 152; So. William Cole (16-9) 160; Jr. James Holder (20-9) 170; Sr. Nate Fossett (25-2)/Fr. Alex Uryniak (23-3)/So. Kyle Schultz (7-3) 182-195; Sr. Ian Gaburo (21-1) 220; So. Liam Akers (26-2) 285.

Mount Olive Marauders (18-2)

Fr. Jack Bastarrika (20-8) 106; Jr. Seth Hagensen (19-9) 113; So. Joshua McGill (9-15) 120; So. David Ryerson (28-3) 126; Jr. Blaine Hammond (14-10)/Sr. Luke Poggi (7-5) 132; So. Brian Bienus (17-13) 138; Sr. Cameron Thorkildsen (11-15)/Sr. Evan Perrault (21-8) 145-152; Sr. Anthony Spera (27-3) 160; So. Hunter Perez (24-5) 170; Fr. Anthony Moscatello (26-5) 182; Sr. Gavin Camoia (26-3) 195; Sr. Stan Puzio (5-1) 220; Jr. Christian Santos (10-11)/Sr. Nicolas Negron (8-5) 285.

Brick Memorial Mustangs (17-3)

Fr. Anthony Santaniello (31-0)/Fr. Max Wright (5-2) 106; So. Braden Scott (5-4) 113; Jr. Vincent Santaniello (28-1) 120; Sr. Michael Richardson (27-4)/Jr. Michael Cate (4-3) 126; So. Ryan Smith (15-6) 132; Jr. Victor DiPianta (15-12) 138; So. Nelson DeJesus (6-11) 145; So. Henry Lindquist (4-8)/Sr. Anthony Albanese (1-3)/So. Cory Martin (2-7) 152; Jr. JT Henderson (12-10) 160; Sr. Joe Colon (25-3) 170; Jr. Ruben Lizardi (15-10) 182; Jr. David Szuba (25-1) 195; So. Matt Murphy (8-12)/Jr. Kyle Kohlmann (7-10) 220-285.

Kingsway Dragons (17-3)

Fr. Brendan Callahan (18-12) 106; So. Josh Palmucci (3-1)/Jr. Nate McCullough (15-9) 113; So. Joey Miranda (16-15) 120; Sr. McKenzie Bell (25-4) 126; Jr. Jake Gentile (28-5) 132; Jr. Finnegan McFadden (15-2)/Jr. Kyle Bomenblit (1-6)/Jr. Connor Ward (4-3) 138; So. Dakota Morris (29-3) 145; Fr. David DiPetro (20-10) 152; Sr. Cheney Kinner (2-0)/Sr. John Sambogna (9-11)/So. Seamus Calhoun (5-7) 160; Sr. Noah Falabella (15-10) 170; Jr. Kevin Pandorf (25-6) 182; Jr. Ryan Ostrowski (6-9) 195; Jr. Henry Chavez (2-8)/Sr. Dennis Lee (4-6)/So. Christian Aiken (3-4) 220; Jr. Sylvester VanMorter (17-11) 285.

Boresch Duals championship

NORTH HUNTERDON 40, KINGSWAY 21

138 -- Jr. Finnegan McFadden, K, d. Sr. Drew Doscher, 9-2.
145 -- So. Dakota Morris, K, p. Fr. Brendan Raleyh, 4:22.
152 -- Sr. Evan Klimas, NH, d.  Fr. David DiPietro, 6-3.
160 -- Sr. Kyle Anderson, NH, d. Sr. John Sambogna, 5-1.
170 -- Jr. James Holder, NH, md. Sr. Noah Falabella, 11-3.
182 -- Sr. Nate Fossett, NH, p. Jr. Kevin Pandorf, :12.
195 -- Fr. Alex Uryniak, NH, p. Jr. Ryan Ostrowski, 1:14.
220 -- Sr. Ian Gaburo, NH, p. Jr. Henry Chavez, 2:33.
285 -- So. Liam Akers, NH, p. Jr. Sylvester VanMorter, 1:30.
106 -- Fr. Logan Wadle, NH, d. Fr. Brendan Callahan, 7-3.
113 -- Jr. Nate McCullough, K, d. So. Nick DeLorenzo, 6-2.
120 -- Jr. Frank DiEsso, NH, d. So. Joey Miranda, 8-1.
126 -- Sr. McKenzie Bell, K, forfeit.
132 -- Jr. Jake Gentile, K, d. Jr. Connor Quinn, 3-2.

Prediction: North Hunterdon over Kingsway, 37-23. North looks to complete the first unbeaten season in program history and already owns a win over Kingsway -- 40-21 in the Boresch Duals title match on Jan. 4. The Lions are wrestling with a ton of confidence and coming off a 37-12 waxing of Phillipsburg in the North 2, Group 3 final. Coach Chris Hrunka's team is probably the most balanced, with a good set of upper weights as the anchor, among the public schools and his wrestlers yield few bonus points. But the road to a title won't be all that easy as Mount Olive should provide a good test in the semifinals. If Kingsway gets past Brick Memorial in the other semifinal, the Dragons, who should be at full strength with McFadden and Kinner (who wasn't in the lineup vs. North last month) will be hungry to repeat and avenge that earlier loss. I think it's a little tighter, but North matches up well with huge advantages down low and up top (where it logged four pins and a major from 170 to 285) and the ability to hang with Kingsway's tough middle of the lineup.

Group 2

Titles: High Point 5 — (Group 2) 2013, '14, '18. (Group 3) 2008, '11. South Plainfield 12 —  (Group 3) 2001, '05, '06, '10, '12, '13, '16, '17, '18. (Group 2) — 2000, '07, '19. West Deptford 1 — (Group 3) 2000. Caldwell 0.

High Point Wildcats (13-4)

Fr. Roman Citro (13-5)/Fr. Ryan Mangano (0-9) 106; So. Clayton Utter (21-4) 113; So. Charles Antcliff (15-12)/So. Andrew Brevot (4-10) 120; Sr. Devon Liebl (29-3)/Jr. Nick Douma (0-1) 126; Jr. Josh Gervey (25-4) 132; Sr. Billy Talmadge (32-0) 138; Jr. Clay Sytsema (4-9) 145; So. Noah Ripley (8-19) 152; So. Brian Soldano (25-1) 160; Jr. Alex Buchwald (10-3)/So. Troy Tiger (2-11) 170; Sr. PJ Soldano (21-9) 182; Jr. Sean Van Wingerden (14-11) 195; Jr. Justin Klass (13-14)/Jr. Troy Van Orden (7-7) 220; Jr. Robert Juliano (4-6) 285.

Caldwell Chiefs (18-5)

Fr. Ian Flanagan (15-11) 106; Sr. Ricardo Caamano (30-3) 113; So. Joshua Eng (15-14) 120; So. Pasquale Capozzoli (13-17) 126; So. Kayleb Egoavil (6-9) 132; So. Sean Haas (6-7) 138; Sr. Joseph Jenkins (13-11) 145; Sr. Jack Askling (20-12)/Sr. Dominic Perna (5-15) 152; Fr. Dylan Mooney (1-5) 160; Jr. Luke Schaffer (26-7) 170; Jr. Max Ruiz (20-11) 182; Jr. John Casale (24-7) 195; Jr. Ben Rivera (26-5)/David Zerrei (6-11) 220-285.

South Plainfield Tigers (18-7)

So. Jeffrey Jacome (8-1)/Fr. J.J. Giordano (22-4) 106; So. Julian Irizarry (20-11) 113; So. Jacob DelVecchio (23-9) 120; Fr. Andrew Loniewski (18-14) 126; Jr. Anthony White (30-0) 132; So. Tyler Balent (17-14)/Fr. Daniel Gonzalez-Ross (7-10) 138-145; Jr. Xavier Santos (21-10) 152; Fr. Daniel Borsos (8-16) 160; So. Aidan MacKenzie (4-25) 170; Jr. Thomas Renna (22-3)/Jr. Kenneth Clevenger (4-24) 182-195; Jr. Julian Medina (22-6)/Jr. Austin Scott (19-6) 220-285.

West Deptford Eagles (20-7)

So. Jacob McDonald (10-15)/Fr. Gavin Zuzulock (3-3) 106; Jr. AJ Monahan (23-9) 113; So. Justin Monzo-Hull (19-13) 120; So. Mike Amoriello (18-11) 126; Sr. Jake McConville (30-3) 132; Sr. Ryan Monzo (8-2)/Sr. Tom Steffney (18-14) 138; Sr. Steven Brittingham (11-11) 145; Sr. Brad Schultes (15-14)/Fr. Dominic Gentile (2-4) 152; Sr. Gavin Gismondi (17-9) 160; Fr. Jordyn Roane (6-2) 170; Sr. Gavin Shields (26-5) 182; Jr. Cody Thurston (28-3) 195; Jr. Tion Cherry (15-2)/Jr. Mike Griffith (14-5)/Sr. Tasir Money (25-7) 220-285.

Prediction: High Point over South Plainfield, 31-26. It's all about the matchups. The Wildcats, who are ranked No. 12 in the New Jersey Writers Association Top 20, will need to do some juggling as unranked South Plainfield presents matchup problems down low, where High Point is strong, and up top where the 'Cats will need to hold the fort. Bonus points may be scarce, but High Point should be able to get enough to hoist their second trophy in two seasons against a program that has been a postseason thorn in its side.

Group 1

Titles: Paulsboro 32 — (Group 1) 1983, '84, '85, '86, '87, '88, '89, '90, '91, '92, '93, '94, '95, '96, '97, '98, '99, 2000, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07, '09, '10, '11, '16, '17, '18, '19. Delaware Valley 8 — (Group 2) 1984, '85, '87, '88, '89, '90, '99, 2017. Emerson 1 — (Group 2) 2016. Point Pleasant Beach 0 (won its fourth sectional title in 2020).

Paulsboro Red Raiders (19-2)

So. Dante Onorato (22-7) 106; So. Jackson Sichelstiel (23-6) 113; Sr. Georgio Mazzeo (30-2)/So. Devin Horton (17-11) 120-126; Sr. Anthony Rosano (11-5)/So. DJ Hainey (9-2) 132; Sr. Jacob Perez-Eli (28-4)/Sr. Frank Richards (3-10) 138; Sr. Gabe Onorato (12-0)/Sr. Anthony Giordano (9-7) 152; Jr. Shawn Williams (22-8) 160; Jr. Jason Lucci (6-3) 170; Sr. Jamel Miles-Benjamin (24-7) 182; So. McGuire Cabanas (10-12) 195; So. Christian Brady (15-16) 220; Jr. Tino Savaiinaea (19-8) 285.

Emerson-Park Ridge Cavos (16-10)

So. Kenny Brouwer (15-10) 106; Jr. Thomas Comeau (20-14) 113; Sr. Nick Babin (32-0) 120; Sr. Logan Mazzeo (31-1)/Sr. Andrew Farquhar (6-3) 126; Fr. Louden Mazzeo (29-3) 132; Jr. Danny Cerbone (10-16) 138; Jr. Robert Anzilotti (18-10)/So. Anthony Wagner (4-9) 145; Christian Farquhar (2-15) 152; Fr. Jake Falatico (11-16) 160; Sr. Gio Ramaci (6-5) 170; Jr. Casey Allen (27-2)/Jr. Brendan Hughes (8-3) 182; So. Ayden Giacomelli (13-20) 195-220; Fr. Chris Kersul (1-18) 285.

Point Pleasant Beach Garnet Gulls (19-4)

So. Teddy Jarahian (15-13)/Fr. Aidan Loughran (6-6) 106; So. Michael Storino (5-13)/Jr. Justin Mazzatta (0-7) 113; So. Rowan McLoughlin (3-7)/Fr. Nicholas Gardella (2-3) 120; So. Jack Schulter (1-6)/So. Tanner Curtis (0-1) 126; Jr. Riley Simon (22-6)/So. Jonah Bowers (5-9) 132; Jr. Kip Lovgren (19-8) 138; Sr. Jesse Bowers (26-2)/Sr. Jared Kerr (19-6)/Sr. Jake Sage (3-2) 145; Jr. Jason Schulz (19-6)/Sr. Brandon Castronovo (2-2) 152; Jr. John Liotta (7-3) 160; Sr. George Kaiafas (18-5)/Jr. Rowan Doyle (5-2) 170; Sr. Jason Sherlock (29-3)/So. Ryley Thomas (3-1) 182; Jr. Joshua Ramos (16-9) 195; Sr. Liam Buday (21-4) 220; Sr. Noah Ramos (10-9) 285. 

Delaware Valley Terriers (18-7)

Sr. Derek Schepens (21-12) 106; So. Robert Groogan (18-13) 113; Jr. Cooper Gill (20-12) 120; Sr. Gage Crater (27-6)/Fr. Chris Colasurdo (9-8) 126; Sr. Chase Christie (16-15) 132; Jr. Corey Crater (17-15) 138; Sr. Shane Reynolds (18-12)/Fr. Brayden Schneider (2-5) 145; Fr. Garett Tettemer (21-9) 152; Jr. Tyler Lagun (11-12) 160; Sr. Andrew Larsen (10-12)/Sr. Nick Ferri (7-9) 170; Sr. Matt Zdepski (9-16) 182; Sr. Zach Zuchowski (20-9) 195; Sr. Nick Moose (22-11) 220; Sr. Ryan Sutter (14-4) 285.

Prediction: Paulsboro over Delaware Valley, 31-18. The Terriers have done well to get here and should be able to get past Point Pleasant Beach (37-19 in the semifinals), which struggles down low and relies on its strength up top, where Del Val can weather the storm. Coach Andy Fitz's team will likely get a title crack at Paulsboro, which is without state champion and Virginia Tech recruit Brandon Green, who was recently hospitalized with a heart condition. Best wishes to him for a speedy recovery. Without Green, that could be a nine-point swing depending on the matchups. But Paulsboro will have the edge down low and through the middle, and should be able to hang up top where Del Val needs to come through in a big way to have a shot at pulling off the upset. Bonus points will be the difference for the reigning champs as well.

Non-Public B

Titles: Pope John 6 — 1982, '83, '86, '92, '94, 2018. Camden Catholic 16 — (Non-Public A) 1996, '99, 2000, '01, '04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09. (Non-Public B) 2002, '10, '11, '12, '13, '19.

Pope John Lions (11-7)

Fr. Bryce O'Hara (8-17) 106; So. Zachary Hentschel (14-13) 113; Jr. Shane Percelay (27-5) 120; Sr. Eddie Ventresca (28-3) 126; So. Collin Neal (13-15) 132; Jr. Michel Ritacco (8-15) 138; Sr. Kaya Sement (25-4) 145; Sr. Matthew Garcia (20-6) 152; Sr. Connor Fritsch (15-10) 160; Fr. Cardin Madry (1-7) 170; So. Jack Stoll (16-16) 182; So. Peter Delaportas (19-10) 195; Sr. Cole Zydel (17-9) 220; So. Jake Rubin (7-14) 285.


Camden Catholic Irish (21-2)

Fr. Wayne Rold (21-9)/Jack Baylouny (4-5) 106; So. Ryan Ladner (10-5) 113; So. Chase Casey (26-5) 120; Jr. Danny McKennon (14-6)/So. Deacon Houston (2-5) 126; So. Branden Clark (13-3) 132; Sr. Ellery Perfect (15-7) 138; Sr. Cody Walsh (22-9) 145; Sr. Dante Monaco (25-6)/Sr. Brandon Mooney (27-4) 152-160; Sr. Harrison Hinojosa (25-6) 160-170; Jr. Austin Raynor (25-6) 182; Fr. Jonathan Murff (19-4)/So. Martin Cosgrove (28-1) 195-220; Jr. Hunter Suter (24-1) 220-285.

Prediction: Camden Catholic over Pope John, 42-20. Pope John had little trouble reaching a third straight finals appearance while capturing the program's 10th sectional championship -- all in Non-Public North B. But the Lions, while strong in spots, with state placewinners in Percelay and Sement, as well as Ventresca, a returning state champion, don't appear to have enough to deal with the balance and overall strength the Irish bring to the mat. We could see a good matchups at 145 (Walsh vs. Sement).

Wrestling: North, High Point dialed in for state titles

Wrestlers almost always recall their losses, whether it's team or individual. For High Point, last year's disappointment in the Group 2 final -- a 46-26 loss to South Plainfield -- remains a driving force this season.

"It will stick with us forever, but I think with how hard we've worked this year and how much time we've put in, especially our seniors, I think we can come out on top," senior ace Billy Talmadge said prior to the Wildcats' 44-19 win over Westwood in the North 1, Group 2 final on Friday night that gave the program a Sussex County-best 28th sectional championship and its fourth straight appearance in the Group 2 championships on Sunday at Toms River North High School.

High Point won a 4th straight section title. (Rhonda Gaccione)

High Point (13-4), which is seeking its second state title in three years (fourth in Group 2) and its sixth overall, will face Caldwell (18-5), while South Plainfield (18-7) squares off against West Deptford (20-7) in the other semifinal at 2 p.m. The winners will meet in the title match at 7 p.m.

In all, four teams representing the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area will be in action when the Group championships commence, starting with the semifinals in Groups 4 and 3 at 9 a.m. North Hunterdon (21-0), which advanced with a 37-12 win over Phillipsburg in the North 2, Group 4 final, looks to complete the program's first unbeaten season with its first state championship since 2002.

The semifinals in Group 1 and the two Non-Public title matches are set to follow at 11:30 a.m., with the semis in Group 2 and 5 slated for 2 p.m. The finals for Groups 1, 3 and 4 will be at 5 p.m., with the Group 2 and 5 finals scheduled for 7 p.m.

Delaware Valley (18-7) bids for its first championship in Group 1 after winning its eighth in Group 2 in 2017. The Terriers look to get past Point Pleasant Beach in the semis to set up a likely showdown against perennial champion Paulsboro in the final.

2020 Section Champs!

DV 42, Bound Brook 31

Win #793

Chase Christie changed the number! pic.twitter.com/ybw59XyhDm

— Del Val Wrestling (@DVRWrestling) February 15, 2020

Pope John (11-7), coming off winning its third consecutive sectional championship, looks to avenge last season's Non-Public B title loss in a rematch with Camden Catholic.

3️⃣-peat! Your Lions are Non-Public, North B champs again after beating St. Thomas Aquinas, 59-17! On to Toms River on Sunday for the Non-Public B Final! #WeArePopeJohn #thepride #Brotherhood #PJWrestling #njwrestling pic.twitter.com/8GWiNZz9ho

— Pope John Lions Wrestling (@PJ_Wrestling) February 15, 2020

South Plainfield (18-7), which graduated the bulk of last season's title team, has won four consecutive state championships, including three in a row in Group 3 from 2016-18. The Tigers, who own a 10-3 lead in the all-time series against High Point dating to 2010 -- 5-1 in postseason matchups -- beat the 'Cats, 26-24, in the Group 2 final in 2010, before the Sussex County school turned the tables with a 30-28 win the following season in two of the most memorable matches here. Veteran coach John Gardner, who is 5-5 overall in state finals (3-1 in Group 2), said his team knows what's at stake on Sunday.

"The reality of it is, we haven't mentioned [last year's finals loss] once," Gardner said. "I know [our kids] think about it. I know that's what motivated them to work all summer. So we've never had to speak of that. We've been trying to get some other guys on the team in line to put ourselves in a spot to get back there."

The road to getting back has not been an easy one. High Point once again has dealt with a myriad of injuries, including the loss of talented freshman Shane Woolf (138-145), who sustained a season-ending knee issue early last month, that resulted in multiple lineup configurations On the plus side, the returns of juniors Alex Buchwald (9-3 at 160-170), who will be a key wrestler this weekend and for 2020-21, and Nick Douma (126-132), give the 'Cats flexibility.

Down low, freshman Roman Citro (13-5 at 106), sophomore Clayton Utter (21-4 at 113) and junior Josh Gervey (25-4 at 132), who was among the heroes in the team's Group 2 title run in 2018, have come up big all season, along with sophomore Brian Soldano (25-1 at 160), a state title contender.

But it's the tough losses to Howell, Southern, Phillipsburg and North Hunterdon -- all NJWWA Top 20 teams -- that probably have gotten the 'Cats to this point as much as anything else. Gardner said in the preseason that an ambitious schedule could result in a few defeats, but none that would ultimately hinder his team's state title quest.

"Coach [Gardner] always gives us a tough schedule so that we wrestle the tough teams," said senior Devon Liebl (29-3 at 126). "It gets us better as a team, so I feel like we're ready to wrestle all these teams right now. We just look at it as another way to get us better. Learn from our losses and make ourselves better."

For Talmadge (32-0 at 138), whose decision in the final bout sealed a 30-25 victory against Raritan in the Group 2 final in 2018, and Liebl, along with fellow senior PJ Soldano (21-9 at 182), this is the most important match of their careers.

"I just want to get my revenge," said Liebl, who is sitting on 97 career wins.

Talmadge, a returning fifth-place finisher in the state tournament, improved to 132-26 overall in the sectional final win -- passing Gardner (131-8-1 from 1987-90) for sixth place on the school's all-time list.

"It's pretty exciting," Talmadge said. "It's really awesome keeping up a great tradition of tough wrestling and working hard."

North on a mission

Moments after its dominating performance in the North 2, Group 4 sectional final, North Hunterdon was ready for the next step -- capturing the program's first state title in 18 years and an anticipated rematch against reigning Group 4 champion Kingsway, which dropped a 40-21 decision when the teams met in the Boresch Duals title match on Jan. 4.

North has won four state titles -- all in Group 3.

"We're happy tonight. Tomorrow, we go back to work," said Nate Fossett, one of five starting seniors for the Lions, who became the first North team to beat P'burg twice in a season. "We just get better every day. I'll worry about Kingsway when they're in front of us. We can't let a previous victory dictate how we wrestle. It's a different team now. We're a different team now."

How big was that first win over Phillipsburg -- 30-24 on the road back on Jan. 15 -- as far as giving North, which had dropped 17 straight in the series since 2007 from a confidence standpoint and just getting to Toms River?

"That was huge," said third-year coach Chris Hrunka, whose team will open against North 1 champ Mount Olive, which gave coach Sean Smyth his 300th win and the program's second sectional title on Friday, in the semifinals. "That [first] win and being back here ... it was tight there and we didn't wrestle great there."

North, which undoubtedly features the most balanced public school lineup in the state, got an early boost from its talented upper weights as junior James Holder set the tone with his 8-6 win over P'burg sophomore Nate Zastowny, a Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament champion at 160 who scored a 10-8 win -- on the strength of a shin whizzer -- in their previous dual-meet matchup.

"That was a huge win," Hrunka said. "In the past there's been a couple times where he struggled for us in a big setting, and he came through this time. We've been drilling that high-crotch to a double to stop that shin whizzer tilt that [Zastowny] hits a hundred of and we stayed out of that. [Holder] gave him eight points with that last time. He lost, 10-8. You stay out of that, you win."

Another key win came from freshman Alex Uryniak, who also avenged an earlier loss with a 3-2 decision against Jacob Wicks, whose father is Del Val legend and two-time state champ Jamie Wicks, at 195, while fellow ninth-grader Logan Wadle's major at 106 pounds capped North's six-bout run to open the match. Adding to the Hunterdon County connection is Wadle's father, Rudy, who was a three-time district and region champion for the Lions.

"Alex is the better wrestler. That's what it is," Hrunka said. "Wicks is a smart wrestler. Got to give that kid credit. He wins a lot of matches without doing a lot of things. He's just really disciplined at what he does. He keeps moving forward and hand fighting. Alex is just a better wrestler. He's poised for a freshman in this environment against a kid who he had lost to. He didn't seem nervous going out and had a little swagger of I know I can beat this kid."

Kingsway (18-3), which will take on Brick Memorial in the other Group 4 semifinal, is a different team than it's been most of this season. The Dragons appear to now have their full lineup with the return of region qualifier Cheney Kinner, who had missed most of the year following a preseason automobile accident, along with state qualifier Finnegan McFadden, who wrestled at the Boresch Duals but had been sidelined recently due to an injury.

"We haven't been looking ahead," said Hrunka, who noted in January that Kingsway really didn't attempt to maneuver its lineup in that first meeting. "We've got some info on them. They've got all of their guys back it seems. They're going to be a tough team to beat. I think they've got to move around us. We don't have to do much. If you have 14 good wrestlers, you don't need to do anything. If you move, you sacrifice stuff. Everyone is good size for our weights. We are pretty big at our weights. Why change it? If it works, make other people make big drastic moves."

As for Kingsway having the advantage of having been here before, Hrunka said his team should be just fine after wrestling in big events like the Boresch Duals and Patriot Duals, which included High Point and reigning Group 3 champion West Essex.

"I think [Phillipsburg] was the match they were really nervous about," Hrunka said. "I think [the sectional final win] is going to catapult them into a really confident weekend. The venue [RJWBarnabas Arena] is completely different. We're going to have a lot of fans there, but it's not a packed gym [like at home]. Every time we've wrestled this year in that type of setting, those team tournaments, that was training for this. We've done it before and they've always responded really well because they just wrestle for each other. I think they'll do it again."