Wrestling: 'Liners tough to beat with sectional 5-peat

It's that time of year again for Phillipsburg, which took another big step toward its ultimate goal of a fifth straight Group 4 title with a 32-30 win in the North 2, Group 4 sectional final on Friday night at Middletown North High School.

P'burg celebrates its 37th sectional championship. (Courtesy of Kyle Purdy)

Despite having to go on the road for the first time in five years, P'burg (15-2), ranked No. 8 in the New Jersey Writers Association Top 20, earned the program's fifth straight sectional title and an impressive 37th overall in the tournament's 39-year history.

The Stateliners, seeking a fifth straight state championship, will face Roxbury at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday in the Group 4 semifinals on at Toms River North High School. The winner will take on either Long Branch or Highland in the title match at 5 p.m.

"None are ever easy, but this one was very special," said coach Dave Post, who has been a part of 11 sectional titles at Phillipsburg, including winning four as a wrestler from 2000-03. "The way that our kids carried themselves tonight made me very proud. I am very blessed to coach the kids that I do."

P'burg, which has knocked off Middletown North in four straight postseason meetings -- including the last three finals -- had to climb out of an early 10-0 hole after Tyler Klinsky's 8-1 decision over senior Cullen Day in a matchup between state qualifiers at 113 pounds. Day handed Klinsky a 6-1 loss in last year's sectional final.

But as he's done all season, junior Travis Jones helped right the ship with a 7-0 win over Freddy Luchs at 120 in another battle between state qualifiers. Jones won, 12-6, in their finals meeting in 2017.

Juniors Kyle Tino (132) and Cody Harrison (138) added a technical fall and a pin to give P'burg a 14-12 lead through seven bouts. Seniors Josh Ramos (152) and Lance Wissing (170) also added crucial pins down the stretch.

Curiously, Middletown North, which won the flip, opted to be home on the even bouts, meaning it could not control the key matchups it needed to at 120 and 182. Instead, P'burg got exactly what it wanted anyway, a Jones vs. Luchs and moving Roth away from state qualifier Nicholas Cofone at 182. Roth lost, 3-1, at 195, but he saved some valuable team points, as the 'Liners otherwise would have been heavy underdogs in the last two bouts.

Now, Phillipsburg will bid for its first state championship five-peat since winning six in a row from 1996 to 2000, two of those coming in Group 3.

"The pressure is immense, but our kids are mentally stronger than others because they relish in that responsibility," Post said.

PHILLIPSBURG 32, MIDDLETOWN NORTH 30

285 -- Sr. Austin Dewise (19-7), MN, d. Sr. Patrick Sharpe (18-13), 3-0.
106 -- So. Thomas O'Keefe (25-8), MN, d. Fr. Logan Maczko (14-13), 7-1.
113 -- So. Tyler Klinsky (29-4), MN, d. Sr. Cullen Day (23-8), 8-1.
120 -- Jr. Travis Jones (29-4), P, d. So. Freddy Luchs (20-11), 7-0.
126 -- Jr. Nate Pujols (21-10), MN, d. Jr. Luke Hardin (1-5), 6-2.
132 -- Jr. Kyle Tino (17-8), P, tf. So. Chris McCarthy (5-11), 25-7, 4:54.
138 -- Jr. Cody Harrison (24-3), P, p. Fr. Kyle Puzo (5-11), :28.
145 -- Sr. Stanley Wojdylak (29-4), MN, d. Jr. Jayson Zinsmeister (15-11), 7-1.
152 -- Sr. Josh Ramos (17-7), P, p. Jr. Joe Cavanagh (3-6), 5:55.
160 -- Sr. Brian Meyer (27-2), P, forfeit.
170 -- Sr. Lance Wissing (30-3), P, p. Fr. Nico Cerbo (17-14), 1:45.
182 -- Sr. Nicholas Cofone (31-2), MN, forfeit.
195 -- Jr. Jacob Anderson (21-0), MN, d. Jr. Austin Roth (16-9), 3-1.
220 -- Sr. Kevin McCarthney (11-11), MN, forfeit.
Records -- Phillipsburg 15-2, Middletown North 14-7.