Where: Kittatinny Regional High School, Hampton.
Teams: High Point, Jefferson, Kittatinny, Newton, Pope John, Sparta, Vernon, Wallkill Valley.
Friday's schedule: Quarterfinals, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday's schedule: Semifinals, 9 a.m.; third-place consolations, 11 a.m.; championships, 12:30 p.m.
Returning champions (8): Jr. Garrett Gerndt, Sparta (113); Sr. Dom Gallo, High Point (126, 2013); Jr. Austin Scrivani, Kittatinny (132); Jr. Jared Kobis, High Point (138, 2013); Sr. Jason Gaccione, High Point (145); Sr. Ian Burke, Sparta (145); Sr. Luke Bohn, Jefferson (170); Sr. Gus Protogeropoulos, Newton (195).
Predictions: The top three finishers in each weight class advance to the Region 1 Tournament that begins on Wednesday at Wallkill Valley Regional High School in Hardyston.
106 -- 1. Mark DiGeronimo, Kittatinny; 2. Christian Deehan, Pope John; 3. Malcolm Sinclair, High Point.
Notes: Easy choice here as DiGeronimo, the No. 1 seed, has pinned all but one wrestler at this weight class, including Deehan in 37 seconds in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex quarterfinals. Kittatinny has crowned at least two champs every year since being shut out in 1993.
113 -- 1. Jake Rotunda, Pope John; 2. Chase Babus, High Point; 3. Garrett Gerndt, Sparta.
Notes: Rotunda, who is looking to become the first freshman to win at his school since former state champ Brian Unkert 1987, beat Gerndt, 2-1, while Babus also scored a 2-1 win in UTB over the returning champion. Gerndt also has a loss to Kittatinny's Perry Maio, the No. 4 seed, 3-2.
120 -- 1. Nick Klinger, Kittatinny; 2. Trevor Morales, Newton; 3. Ryan Luchs, Pope John.
Notes: Klinger, who has finished third and second in previous seasons, beat Morales, 6-4, in the HWS semifinals. Morales, who has 81 career wins, was a runner-up at 113 last season, while Luchs finished second at 106.
126 -- 1. Dom Gallo, High Point; 2. Mark Bohn, Jefferson; 3. Dominic Koert, Pope John.
Notes: Gallo, who is two wins shy of 100 overall, won as a sophomore and finished third after being upset by Klinger in last year's semifinals at 120. Bohn is a dangerous wrestler, with a cement job as his primary weapon. Koert, who is 58-9 for his career but has never competed in the postseason, lost 3-0 to Gallo at HWS. No. 4 seed and fellow Dolphins fan Taylor Molfetto of Kittatinny was fourth a year ago.
132 -- 1. Austin Scrivani, Kittatinny; 2. Sawyer Fenlon, High Point; 3. Ryan Brigante, Newton.
Notes: Scrivani is looking to become just the 11th wrestler at his school to win at least three titles and the first to win in his first three seasons since former state champ Will Livingston (2003-06). Scrivani's brother Garrett was a two-time champ in 2010-11. Fenlon scored a 13-8 decision over Brigante, who decked No. 4 seed Brandon Barnet of Wallkill Valley in 48 seconds on Jan. 6.
138 -- 1. Jared Kobis, High Point; 2. Dylan Minter, Kittatinny; 3. Jake DeLuca, Newton.
Notes: Kobis is seeking his second title since winning as a freshman. He's 24-0 on the season and 64-4 overall in a career that's been hampered by injuries. Did you know longtime assistant coach Mickey Thomas was the school's first champ as a freshman in 1968? DeLuca was a third-place finisher last year, while No. 4 seed Sean Siek of Wallkill Valley placed fourth.
145 -- 1. Jason Gaccione, High Point; 2. Ian Burke, Sparta; 3. Jake Vanwingerden, Kittatinny.
Notes: Gaccione (134-21 overall) is looking to match his older brother Joe and their uncle John Gardner, the 'Cats coach, with three titles. Amazingly, all three have combined for 397 wins, eight district and region titles, and five state medals. Burke also is a returning champ and is aiming to become the Spartans' first repeat winner since Phil Takacs-Senske in 2006-07.
152 -- 1. Ryan Cullen, High Point; 2. Nathan Sowers, Sparta; 3. Patrick Harsanyi, Jefferson.
Notes: Cullen and No. 1 seed Anthony Azzariti of Pope John, both third-place finishers last year, are on a collision course in the semifinals, while Sowers finished second. Harsanyi, the No. 3 seed, owns a win over Cullen, 4-2 in OT, and beat No. 4 seed Joe Tizzano of Wallkill Valley, 6-5. It's a very competitive weight class to say the least.
160 -- 1. Walker Schmitzer, Sparta; 2. Lance Fischer, Newton; 3. Jakob Jakova, Jefferson.
Notes: Schmitzer the favorite here after finishing second last season. He blanked Fischer, who was fourth a year ago, 7-0, in a dual meet. Jakova is a bit of a wild card here since he has wrestled up at 170-182 most of the season.
170 -- 1. Luke Bohn, Jefferson; 2. Jake Brown, Pope John; 3. Al Falco, Sparta.
Notes: Bohn, who has 127 career wins and is making the jump up from 160, is going for his third title. Brown is a very athletic freshman and is looking to avenge a 3-1 loss in sudden victory to Falco in December. We missed the rematch in the dual when Falco, who has finished third and second the previous two years, sat that one out.
182 -- 1. Connor Lore, Sparta; 2. Patrick Endrikat, Wallkill Valley; 3. Benjamin Sibblies, Newton.
Notes: This is another interesting weight class and a tough one to call. Lore should be extremely motivated after a pair of fourth-place finishes the last two seasons. He beat Endrikat, 7-2, in a dual meet on Jan. 3. Sibblies has wrestled at 170 most of the season. His father Ted, who is an assistant coach for the Braves, won a title in 1989.
195 -- 1. Gus Protogeropoulos, Newton; 2. Zach Herbert, Sparta; 3. Joe Frumolt, Pope John.
Notes: Protogeropoulos, who is sitting on 97 career wins, is a strong bet to become Newton's first to win back-to-back titles since outstanding heavyweight Ed Mattice in 2008-09. Herbert finished fourth a year ago. Frumolt owns an 8-0 win over Wallkill Valley's Ian McDonald.
220 -- 1. Gavin Lally, Sparta; 2. Tyler Wehrenberg, Kittatinny; 3. Ethan Reczka, Newton.
Notes: With Protogeropoulos down at 195, we won't see the rubber match with Lally, a two-time placewinner who becomes the solid choice here. The real intrigue is with the rest of the draw. No. 2 seed Tyler Wehrenberg of Kittatinny moved here from 195 after the seeds were done. Mike Alvarez of Vernon is 15-12 -- but he has five forfeits -- and he moved from the No. 2 seed to No. 3. That makes Reczka and Jefferson's Avery Sheruda the 5-4 matchup on Friday.
285 -- 1. Kevin Lewis, High Point; 2. Robbie Gennat, Sparta; 3. Tyler Pittenger, Newton.
Notes: Lewis has wrestled at 220 for all but a few matches this season, but he makes the wise move by jumping up for the postseason, where he is the No. 1 seed by virtue of an 11-1 major of Gennat in a dual meet. Lewis also has pinned No. 3 Tyler Pittenger of Newton. Gennat, a freshman, has had a nice rookie season with wins over Pittenger and Kittatinny's Griffin Waldron, the No. 4 seed.
Team champion: Sparta (fourth overall and first since 1983).
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