And we've got another big slate on tap with a 1 vs. 2 showdown on Thursday as Hunterdon Central travels to Phillipsburg for one of the season's most anticipated dual meets, and one that figures to be tighter now than it appeared at the start of the season. Check back here for a full preview of that one on Wednesday.
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| Newton celebrates its 800th victory at the Jack Welch Duals. |
Another sectional rematch could occur in North 2, Group 4 with Phillipsburg and North Hunterdon, which dropped a 30-24 decision to the Stateliners on Wednesday. Lions coach Chris Hrunka said he liked what he saw from his team in the loss, and he's hopeful for a second meeting.
"We took a lot away [from this one]," said Hrunka, who will face his alma mater for the second time as a head coach when the Lions travel to Warren Hills on Friday.
Phillipsburg made some moves on the scale with senior Travis Jones (126), TJ Abode (152) and Austin Roth (182) all down one weight class, with the latter two making scratch weight for the first time this season. It would seem all three will be down again vs. Hunterdon Central.
With the cutoff to qualify for the upcoming sectional tournaments looming on Saturday, let's take a look at this week's area rankings:
1. Hunterdon Central (13-0) -- Red Devils cruised to a 53-12 win over Newton on Tuesday and a 37-21 victory over Watchung Hills on Wednesday before capping the week with a 41-31 win over Emerson-Park Ridge on Saturday. The big news for coach Jon Cantagallo-Rohm's team was the return of senior Pasquale Vizzoni to the lineup at 145 pounds.
Up next: Hanover Park at home on Wednesday; at Phillipsburg on Thursday; Bound Brook, Kingsway and Rancocas Valley at home on Saturday.
2. Phillipsburg (10-0) -- Stateliners knocked off three teams in the New Jersey Writers Top 20 Poll, beating Hanover Park (37-31 on Tuesday), North Hunterdon (30-24 on Wednesday) and High Point (30-27 on Friday). Senior Bryce Parenti sealed the win over North with a decision in the final bout at 126 pounds, while sophomore Logan Maczko added a huge victory at 113 against High Point.
Up next: at Ridge on Wednesday; Hunterdon Central at home on Thursday; at Southern on Saturday.
— PBurg HS Wrestling (@PBurgHSWrestlin) January 17, 20193. High Point (7-1) -- 'Cats rolled to a 50-19 victory over Jefferson in an NJAC Freedom Division clash on Wednesday before a tough 30-27 loss to Phillipsburg on Friday. Coach John Gardner's team bounced back with independent wins over Delsea (57-15) and Toms River North (39-33) on Saturday -- highlighted by super freshman Brian Soldano (21-2), who decked returning state runner-up Nick Bennett of Delsea in their matchup at 160.
Up next: Newton at home on Tuesday; Pope John at home on Thursday; Lenape Valley and Cranford at Cedar Grove on Saturday.
4. North Hunterdon (10-2) -- Lions came up short in the final bout of a 30-24 loss to Phillipsburg in a key Skyland Conference Raritan Division match on Wednesday. Nathaniel Fossett (182), Ian Gaburo (220) and Lorenzo Becerril (285) came through with points up top, while sophomore Frank Diesso added a big win down low as North bumped the lineup from 132 to start the match.
Up next: at Montgomery on Wednesday; at Warren Hills on Friday; Newton and Westfield at North Warren on Saturday.
5. Pope John (8-2) -- Lions bounced back from a 45-20 loss to West Morris on Wednesday with a 52-12 win over state-ranked Don Bosco Prep on Saturday. Coach Mark Piotrowsky's team benefited from the return of senior Robbie Garcia (152), who had not competed since the Beast of the East Tournament. Junior Eddie Ventresca (120) recorded his 99th career win on Saturday.
Up next: Montville at home on Tuesday; St. Peter's Prep at home on Wednesday; at High Point on Thursday.
6. Newton (8-4) -- Braves rebounded from a 53-12 setback to Hunterdon Central in an independent clash on Tuesday by going 3-0 at the Jack Welch Duals on Saturday -- beating Egg Harbor Township (65-9), Moorestown (68-3) and Bound Brook (46-24). Senior Luke Fischer (21-0 at 220) remained unbeaten, while the victory over Moorestown was the program's 800th overall -- joining Phillipsburg (967) and Hunterdon Central (911) as the only HWS schools to achieve that feat.
Up next: at High Point on Tuesday; at Lenape Valley on Wednesday; North Hunterdon and Westfield at North Warren on Saturday.
7. Warren Hills (13-1) -- Blue Streaks opened last week with a 43-30 victory over Bernards in a Skyland Conference Valley Division matchup on Wednesday, before going 2-0 at the Jack Welch Duals on Saturday with wins over Moorestown (42-22) and Egg Harbor Township (45-21). Seniors Nick Galka (20-3 at 220) and Duro Ajayi (22-2 at 285) kept rolling as coach Dave Sbriscia's team gears for a big showdown against North Hunterdon, which will be favored in at least eight bouts.
Up next: at Mount Olive on Tuesday; North Hunterdon at home on Friday.
8. Kittatinny (10-7) -- Cougars cruised to lopsided wins against Morris Hills (56-15 on Tuesday), Hackettstown (60-9 on Thursday) and Glen Rock (67-6 on Friday) before dropping a 38-30 decision to West Morris in an independent clash on Saturday. That one was scheduled as a quad, but Delaware Valley and Westfield did not attend due to weather. Senior Zach Mafaro (118-26 overall) can next pass Mike Weber (119-19 from 1998-2002) for 10th place on the school's wins list.
Up next: at Jefferson on Tuesday; Sparta at home on Friday.
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| Lewis Fernandes on top of the podium at 285 in AC. |
Up next: at Somerville on Wednesday; at Bound Brook on Friday; Fort Lee and Livingston at Belvidere on Saturday.
10. Delaware Valley (4-5) -- Terriers had a weather-shortened week as they suffered a 31-28 loss to Voorhees in their only action on Wednesday. It was a 7-7 split in bouts won, as senior A.J. DeRosa recorded his 115th career win in the loss. Del Val still holds a 34-17-1 edge in the all-time series dating to 1975.
Up next: at Bernards on Wednesday; at Hillsborough on Friday; Bridgewater-Raritan at Montgomery on Saturday.
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