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).
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