Wrestling: New Jersey Writers Association Top 20

Six teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area highlight the initial New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20 poll for 2017-18.

Phillipsburg (3-0), which is seeking a fifth straight Group 4 state championship, debuts at No. 5. The Stateliners improved to 2-0 in Skyland Conference Raritan Division action with a 54-21 thumping of Bound Brook on Wednesday night.

Pope John is one spot behind P'burg -- two of the favorites to win the team title at the upcoming Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament -- at No. 6. The Lions, who have not won a sectional title since 1994, dropped to Non-Public B this season.

Hunterdon Central (8-0), last season's Group 5 runner-up, is No. 8, while High Point (6-0) checks in at No. 12, followed by Kittatinny (4-1) at No. 18 and Newton (2-1) at No. 19.

Newton is gearing up for its 13th annual Boresch Duals on Saturday. The eight-team event also features No. 4 Paulsboro, No. 7 Hanover Park and No. 11 South Plainfield.

Bergen Catholic, the six-time defending Non-Public A champion, is the consensus No. 1. The Crusaders feature six nationally-ranked wrestlers. Delbarton is ranked No. 2, while Howell, the defending Group 5 champion, is the highest-ranked public school team at No. 3.

Rank	School	Record
1	Bergen Catholic	(1-0)
2	Delbarton	(3-1)
3	Howell	(10-0)
4	Paulsboro	(3-0)
5	Phillipsburg	(3-0)
6	Pope John	(2-1)
7	Hanover Park	(2-0)
8	Hunterdon Central	(8-0)
9	Seton Hall Prep	(8-0)
10	Raritan	(6-1)
11	South Plainfield	(7-1)
12	High Point	(6-0)
13	Southern	(5-1)
14	St. Augustine	(2-0)
15	Camden Catholic	(4-1)
16	St. John Vianney	(3-0)
17	Emerson-Park Ridge	(6-0)
18	Kittatinny	(4-1)
19	Newton	(2-1)
20	St. Peter's Prep	(4-0)

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