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| Phillipsburg celebrates its fifth straight Group 4 title in February. |
In addition to its mandated four dual meets against Skyland Conference Raritan Division opponents, Phillipsburg, which is 129-20 overall in Post's eight seasons, will again face Newton, Raritan, Kittatinny, Hanover Park, Southern and Ocean Township in independent matchups. Three of those teams appeared in the final New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 25 poll for 2017-18, as well as Hunterdon Central, which travels to P'burg on Jan. 24, 2019. In addition, Monroe Township and P'burg will meet for the first time on Jan. 5.
Hunterdon Central, Delaware Valley and Warren Hills are now non-divisional matchups under the new conference alignment for the next two seasons. Voorhees, which had wrestled P'burg almost continuously since the 'Liners -- 26-0 all time against the Vikes -- joined the Skyland Conference for the 1995-96 school year, is no longer on the dual meet schedule. However, the schools are now both in Region 4.
Sadly, a renewal of the series with High Point, the defending Group 2 champion, did not come to fruition despite attempts on both sides to find an agreeable date. P'burg owns a 17-1 edge all time against the 'Cats, including a 62-6 rout in their last matchup at The Pit in 2015. High Point's lone victory was 30-22 on Jan. 31, 2009, at The Pit.
"I feel pretty good about how the schedule worked out," said Post, who only has Thursday, Dec. 20 open for a potential match. "Only wish would be to restart the High Point match, but it really has to be on a weekend because of the [travel] distance, and that's tricky."
Hunterdon Central, Delaware Valley and Warren Hills are now non-divisional matchups under the new conference alignment for the next two seasons. Voorhees, which had wrestled P'burg almost continuously since the 'Liners -- 26-0 all time against the Vikes -- joined the Skyland Conference for the 1995-96 school year, is no longer on the dual meet schedule. However, the schools are now both in Region 4.
Sadly, a renewal of the series with High Point, the defending Group 2 champion, did not come to fruition despite attempts on both sides to find an agreeable date. P'burg owns a 17-1 edge all time against the 'Cats, including a 62-6 rout in their last matchup at The Pit in 2015. High Point's lone victory was 30-22 on Jan. 31, 2009, at The Pit.
"I feel pretty good about how the schedule worked out," said Post, who only has Thursday, Dec. 20 open for a potential match. "Only wish would be to restart the High Point match, but it really has to be on a weekend because of the [travel] distance, and that's tricky."
Newton, which owns a 9-7-1 edge overall against P'burg dating to 1947, will host the 'Liners for the first time since 2008 on Dec. 22. The Braves, who dropped a 38-29 decision after leading with two bouts left in last season's meeting, are the only program in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area that leads in a series vs. P'burg, which is 264-53-3 against HWS teams in its 72-year history.
P'burg, which returns seven full-time starters, including senior state medalists Travis Jones (seventh at 120) and Cody Harrison (fourth at 138), will square off against Ocean Township in its final dual meet of the regular season on Feb. 2, 2019. The 'Liners, who are 44-15 all time vs. Shore Conference schools, posted a 50-21 win at home last season in the first meeting between the schools.
P'burg, which returns seven full-time starters, including senior state medalists Travis Jones (seventh at 120) and Cody Harrison (fourth at 138), will square off against Ocean Township in its final dual meet of the regular season on Feb. 2, 2019. The 'Liners, who are 44-15 all time vs. Shore Conference schools, posted a 50-21 win at home last season in the first meeting between the schools.
Notably the only match against Pennsylvania's District 11 is against Easton (Jan. 19). The 'Liners had won three of the previous four matchups before a 28-26 loss to the Red Rovers last season. Easton owns a 64-17 advantage in the series since 1947.
"One less match with Pennsylvania will help us from having to scramble with regard to the NJ minimum [of 10 in-state matches before the cutoff for sectionals]," Post said.
"One less match with Pennsylvania will help us from having to scramble with regard to the NJ minimum [of 10 in-state matches before the cutoff for sectionals]," Post said.
Here's the schedule for 2018-19:
Dec. 14-15 -- at King of the Mountain Tournament (Mill Hall, Pa.)
Dec. 19 -- at Hillsborough
Dec. 20 -- TBA
Dec. 22 -- at Newton
Dec. 28-29 -- at Bethlehem (Pa.) Holiday Classic (Liberty High School)
Jan. 2 -- Warren Hills
Jan. 3 -- Raritan
Jan. 5 -- Monroe Township
Jan. 9 -- Montgomery
Jan. 10 -- Kittatinny
Jan. 12 -- Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament (site TBD)
Jan. 16 -- at North Hunterdon
Jan. 17 -- Hanover Park
Jan. 19 -- Easton (Pa.)
Jan. 23 -- at Ridge
Jan. 24 -- Hunterdon Central
Jan. 26 -- at Southern
Feb. 1 -- at Delaware Valley
Feb. 2 -- at Ocean Township
Feb. 4 -- Sectional first round
Feb. 6 -- Sectional semifinals
Feb. 8 -- Sectional finals
Feb. 10 -- Group championships at Toms River North
Feb. 16 -- District 13 Tournament (site TBD)
Feb. 20, 22-23 -- Region 4 Tournament at Union
*March 1-3 -- State Tournament at Atlantic City
Notes: Bold indicates Skyland Conference Raritan Division matches. State tournament dates in AC are subject to change should the state approve a proposed Thursday-Saturday format.
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