Wrestling: 'Cats roll Braves to earn division title

High Point's wrestling team checked off one of its championship goals with a workmanlike 39-27 win over Newton to secure the NJAC Freedom Division title on Tuesday night in Wantage.

The Wildcats (8-1 overall, 4-0 division), ranked No. 8 in the New Jersey Writers Association Top 20 Poll, won eight bouts, including four pins, as senior Jonathan Morris scored a somewhat surprising fall in the opening bout at 195 pounds. Morris (11-9), who rated as a slight favorite, countered a headlock attempt and threw senior Ryan Kaiser to his back for the pin in 3:17.

High Point is now 39-7 all-time against Newton.

Newton (8-5, 3-1) evened things with an 18-second pin by senior Luke Fischer (22-0) before senior Andrew Lewis gave High Point the lead for good with a pin at 285.

The Braves won the marquee matchup at 106, as sophomore Nathan Fitt recorded a pair of reversals, including one with 23 seconds left in the third period, to earn a 6-4 decision over freshman Clayton Utter.

Fitt (18-2), who placed third in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament, led, 2-1, with a first period takedown, but Utter took the lead on a reversal with just over a minute left in the second period. With 15 seconds left, Fitt scored a reversal to take a 4-3 lead into the third.

High Point, which has now won 16 in a row in the series and holds a 39-7 edge overall, broke it open with a five-match run that began when junior Devon Liebl decked Danny Cleary at 113. Liebl trailed, 4-2, in the second period before hitting a dump for the fall in 2:25.

Senior Devin Flannery (120) followed with technical-fall win and sophomore Josh Gervey scored a 7-4 victory over Region 1 qualifier JoJo Lotruglio at 126 to give the 'Cats a 26-9 lead through seven bouts. Senior Brandon LaRue recorded his 90th career win with a 10-4 decision over Matthew Rosa at 132 and junior Billy Talmadge capped the run with a 12-1 major of Michael Freda at 138.

Newton won four of the final five bouts, including a first-period pin by senior state placewinner Wyatt McCarthy at 152.

HIGH POINT 39, NEWTON 27

195 -- Sr. Jonathan Morris (11-9), HP, p. Sr. Ryan Kaiser (10-13), 3:17.
220 -- Sr. Luke Fischer (22-0), N, p. So. Robert Juliano (1-1), :18.
285 -- Sr. Andrew Lewis (9-10), HP, p. Jr. Isaiah Wilkins (2-1), :59.
106 -- So. Nathan Fitt (18-2), N, d. Fr. Clayton Utter (18-5), 6-4.
113 -- Jr. Devon Liebl (16-7), HP, p. So. Danny Cleary (10-12), 2:25.
120 -- Sr. Devin Flannery (18-5), HP, tf. So. Nick Costa (4-9), 19-4, 4:22.
126 -- So. Josh Gervey (15-4), HP, d. So. JoJo Lotruglio (16-7), 7-4.
132 -- Sr. Brandon LaRue (13-1), HP, d. Sr. Matthew Rosa (13-6), 10-4.
138 -- Jr. Billy Talmadge (21-3), HP, md. Sr. Michael Freda (13-9), 12-1.
145 -- Jr. Julian Sibblies (6-9), N, p. Sr. Nick Auer (2-13), 3:25.
152 -- Sr. Wyatt McCarthy (20-2), N, p. Sr. Jacob Carter (0-4), 1:29.
160 -- Jr. Trevor Aughenbaugh (8-13), N, d. So. Alex Buchwald (10-11), 2-0.
170 -- Fr. Brian Soldano (22-2), HP, p. Sr. Alejandro Villegas-Rodriguez (0-2), :45.
182 -- Sr. Nick Brigante (17-5), N, d. Sr. P.J. Soldano (10-11), 3-2 OT2 tiebreaker.
Records -- Newton 8-5, 3-1; High Point 8-1, 4-0.

Official -- Dave Marotta.
JV score -- High Point, 34-18.