NJAC division alignments for 2016-18 seasons

Well, here we go again. Conference realignments. I can only equate this annual two-year shakeup with that of having a root canal.

The absurdity of it all never ceases to amaze. Here's hoping the madness ends and we go back to the old Sussex County Interscholastic League. Well, one can dream it any way.

But if you talk with most wrestling coaches, they'd sign up for the old tomorrow.

"I wish we'd go back to the bigger conferences," said Newton coach Eric Bollette, a Kittatinny graduate and former wrestler. "I liked the SCIL or even the first year of the NJAC when there were eight teams. Now, we have four league bouts.

"However, I am more excited about my conference [moving from the Colonial Division to the Freedom] as opposed to my conference the last three years. Having to wrestle Kittatinny as an independent will be odd."

Newton replaces Jefferson, which moves to the American Division and trades places with Vernon, while the rest of the Freedom Division stays intact.

Kittatinny essentially becomes the overwhelming favorite to win the Colonial Division title as long as the current format exists. Sussex Tech dropped its wrestling program after the 2004-05 season, leaving just three other schools -- Hopatcong, North Warren and Wallkill Valley in the Colonial.

High Point (Freedom), Pope John (American) and Kittatinny (Colonial) are currently in the driver's seat for division titles in wrestling. High Point captured the first five American titles until moving to the Freedom last season, which was won by Lenape Valley. Pope John has clinched at least a share of its first conference title since 1986, when the Lions captured their second and last SCIL crown -- a share with Jefferson.

Here is how the seven divisions will look in all sports except football for 2016-17 and 2017-18:

Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference

Freedom	American	Colonial	National	United	Liberty	Independ
Hackettstown	Jefferson	Hopatcong	M. Knolls	Chatham	Dover	Boonton
High Point	M. Hills	Kittatinny	Par Hills	Delbarton	Hanover Pk	Butler
Lenape V.	M. Olive	N. Warren	Randolph	Mendham	Madison	Kinnelon
Newton	PopeJohn	Sussex T.	Roxbury	Montville	Mo-Beard	M. Catholic
Vernon	Sparta	Wallkill V.	W. Morris	Morristown	Mtn Lakes	Pequannock
					Parsippany	St. Elizabeth
					Villa Walsh	Whippany Pk