Wrestling: New Jersey Writers Association Top 20

Five teams representing the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area grace the season's first New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20 poll.

Phillipsburg (3-1) opens in the No. 5 spot, where it finished last season after winning the Group 4 championship -- the storied program's 20th state title overall. The Stateliners will host No. 7 Hunterdon Central (6-1) on Wednesday in a key Skyland Conference Raritan Division match.

Delaware Valley (6-2), the Group 2 runner-up last season, is tied with Hanover Park for the No. 9 spot, while Pope John (5-0) enters the rankings for the first time at No. 12. The Lions will be a strong contender for the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament team championship on Saturday at Hopatcong High School.

High Point (6-1) rounds out the area teams in the No. 18 spot. The 'Cats scored a big 31-28 win over No. 19 Southern on Dec. 30.

The NJWWA trophy awarded to the No. 1 team.

Bergen Catholic, which has been ranked in every one of the polls for the last three seasons, begins the season No. 1. The Crusaders received all 13 first-place votes. 

The Crusaders, who have won the last five Non-Public A championships, are led by two-time state champion Shane Griffith (152 pounds) and 2015 state champion Gerard Angelo (138).

Griffith, a junior, won the 132-pound title in 2015 and the 138-pound championship last season. Angelo won at 106 when he was a freshman at Hanover Park, and he was third at 120 last season.

Other key wrestlers for the Crusaders are junior Carmen Ferrante (126), who was fifth in the state last season at 113, freshman Nick Kayal (106), sophomore Chris Foca (160) and sophomore upperweight Josh McKenzie, who was fifth in the state last season at 182.|

Delbarton, which is led by two-time state runner-up Pat Glory and won the South Jersey Duals on Dec. 23 -- an event that included No. 6 Bound Brook, No. 13 Don Bosco Prep and No. 15 Delsea -- is ranked No. 2. 

The top public school team in the rankings is Cranford at No. 3. The Cougars earned a 36-32 win over P'burg on Saturday night.

The rankings will appear each week through the dual-meet season.

(Records through Saturday)

Rank	School	Record	Votes
1	Bergen Catholic (13)	(1-0)	260
2	Delbarton	(6-0)	247
3	Cranford	(5-0)	227
4	South Plainfield	(12-0)	225
5	Phillipsburg	(3-1)	204
6	Bound Brook	(3-3)	190
7	Hunterdon Central	(6-1)	176
8	Howell	(9-1)	163
9	Delaware Valley	(6-2)	147
	Hanover Park	(6-1)	147
11	Paulsboro	(6-0)	137
12	Pope John	(5-0)	118
13	Don Bosco Prep	(1-2)	111
14	DePaul	(2-1)	90
15	Delsea	(5-3)	89
16	Queen of Peace	(2-0)	69
17	Raritan	(11-1)	52
18	High Point	(6-1)	39
19	Southern	(6-1)	26
20	Middletown North	(8-0)	9

Others receving votes: Monroe (6-1) 3; West Morris (7-1) 1.

NJWWA voting members (in alphabetical order): Donald J. Brower (MorrisCountyHSWrestling.com); Frank D'Esposito (TheShoreConference.com); Steve Falk (Asbury Park Press and app.com); 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); Anthony Spaulding (New Jersey Herald); Mark Trible (Courier Post of Cherry Hill); Greg Tufaro (Home News Tribune of East Brunswick); Mike Weilamann (Open Mike/Mugs Media); Brad Wilson (Express-Times).