Wrestling: DV state champ Lightner out for season

Will he or won't he? That seemed to be the big question around the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area regarding Delaware Valley senior and Rutgers University recruit Kyle Lightner, who sustained a knee injury during the offseason.

We got the disappointing answer on Thursday as Terriers coach Andy Fitz confirmed what had been speculation for weeks -- Lightner, last season's state champion at 195 pounds, is out for the season.

"He will be unable to wrestle this year due to a knee injury," said Fitz, whose team rallied for a 36-33 win at Warren Hills on Wednesday night on the heels of a 46-19 independent loss to Hopewell Valley on Tuesday.

HWS state champs Kyle Lightner and Nick Palumbo.

Lightner went 42-2 while winning district and region titles before and capturing Delaware Valley's ninth state championship last season -- its first since Dan Kelly won at 112 pounds in 2007. Lightner (68-10 overall) was one of two winners for the HWS area, joining Lenape Valley's Nick Palumbo, who rolled to his school's first title at 145 pounds.

Among those previous champs for Del Val are two-time winners Jamie Wicks (1987-88) and Brent Conly (1992-93). Lightner, who is Hunterdon County's first champ since Hunterdon Central's Alex Shaffer won at 119 in 2010, was eager to attempt to become just the third at his school to win back-to-back titles.

"This feels great. It feels amazing to be up there with the legends at Del Val," Lightner said shortly after a 5-1 win over Collingswood senior Michael Taulane at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. "They are the people I always wanted to be like. I wanted to be Jamie Wicks."

Delaware Valley (1-1), which won its first Group 2 title since 1999 last season, has been battling inexperience and several injuries. Along with Lightner, seniors Shawne Ramsby (170) and Eli Kalfaian (195) are also on the shelf with knee issues. Kalfaian is expected to miss at least a few weeks, including Friday night's match against Phillipsburg at The Pit. Del Val will be a heavy underdog in that one as Kalfaian and junior A.J. DeRosa (132) figured to be favorites at their respective weights against the Stateliners.

"We're just going to keep plugging away with our season," Fitz said. "[Losing Kalfaian] just puts another inexperienced guy on the mat."