Wrestling: New Jersey Writers Association Top 20

With sectional and state championships on the line this week, five teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area headline this week's New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20 poll.

Phillipsburg (12-1), which is the top seed in North 2, Group 4 and the odds-on-favorite to win sectional (its 36th) and Group 4 titles for a fourth straight season, holds steady in the No. 5 spot.

The Stateliners, who rolled to a 58-9 win over No. 8 Sayreville tonight in a first-round sectional matchup, have not won four consecutive state championships since 1995-2000 -- the first two during that six-year run coming in Group 3. P'burg claimed the program's 20th title with a 40-21 victory over Clearview in last year's Group 4 final.

Pope John (15-1) sits in the No. 6 spot as the Lions compete for their seventh sectional title and first since 1994 in rugged Non-Public North A, which includes the top two teams in the state -- No. 1 Bergen Catholic and No. 2 Delbarton.

Hunterdon Central (20-2) follows in the No. 7 spot. The Red Devils seek their 21st sectional title as the No. 1 seed in Central Jersey, Group 5, having already matched the 1988-89 team for most wins in a season. That could be a good omen, as that squad, which finished 20-2, won the program's first and only state title in '89.

Delaware Valley (18-3) falls one spot to No. 11, while North Hunterdon (16-5) enters for the first time this season at No. 19.

The Terriers are seeking their third straight title in Central Jersey, Group 2 -- something the program hasn't done since winning four in a row from 1987-90 -- while the Lions are the No. 3 seed in North 2, Group 4, with No. 17 Middletown North the No. 2 seed.

(Records through Saturday)

Rank	School	Record	Votes	Previous
1	Bergen Catholic (13)	(10-4)	260	1
2	Delbarton	(14-2)	247	2
3	South Plainfield	(25-1)	234	3
4	Cranford	(17-0)	221	4
5	Phillipsburg	(11-1)	208	5
6	Pope John	(15-1)	195	6
7	Hunterdon Central	(20-2)	182	7
8	Howell	(25-1)	169	8
9	Hanover Park	(13-4)	156	9
10	Paulsboro	(18-0)	134	11
11	Delaware Valley	(18-3)	133	10
12	Don Bosco Prep	(9-6)	106	12
13	Delsea	(20-4)	103	13
14	Raritan	(24-2)	94	15
15	Seton Hall Prep	(24-1)	79	16
16	Monroe Township	(16-1)	64	17
17	Middletown North	(21-3)	45	18
18	Mendham	(18-3)	39	20
19	North Hunterdon	(16-5)	27	NR
20	DePaul	(9-4)	14	NR

Others receving votes: Egg Harbor Township (19-2) 11; Bound Brook (9-6) 6; Queen of Peace (7-4) 3.

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); Brad Wilson (Express-Times).