Wrestling: Phillipsburg at High Point preview, lineups

What: Phillipsburg Stateliners vs. High Point Wildcats.

Where: High Point Regional High School, Wantage Township.

When: Friday, 6 p.m.

Conference: Independent.

State rankings (New Jersey Writers): Phillipsburg No. 8; High Point No. 9.

Records: Phillipsburg 9-0; High Point 5-0.

Coaches: Dave Post (137-20, ninth season, 2-0 vs. HP); John Gardner (351-100-2, 21st season, 1-4 vs. P'burg).

Series history: Phillipsburg owns a 17-1 edge dating to 1989, including six postseason meetings and a 62-6 rout at The Pit in the last matchup on Jan. 30, 2015. High Point's lone win came in a regular-season dual meet -- 30-22 at The Pit on Jan. 31, 2009. Stateliners are 5-0 on the road, including a 52-13 win in their last trip here on Jan. 18, 2014.

Note: Phillipsburg wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses.

106 -- Fr. James Day (18-6) vs. Fr. Clayton Utter (15-4).

113 -- So. Logan Maczko (16-7) vs. Jr. Devon Liebl (14-6).

120 -- Fr. Joey Innamorato (6-11) vs. Sr. Devin Flannery (14-5).

126 -- Sr. Bryce Parenti (17-8) or Sr. Travis Jones (18-3) vs. Sr. Brandon LaRue (9-1) or So. Josh Gervey (12-3).

132 -- Jones or Parenti vs. So. Clay Sytsema (0-2) or Gervey or LaRue.

138 -- Sr. Luke Hardin (7-10) vs. Jr. Billy Talmadge (17-3).

145 -- Sr. Kyle Tino (17-7) vs. Sr. Nick Auer (2-11) or Sr. Evan Poust (0-2).

152 -- Sr. Cody Harrison (18-1) or Sr. TJ Abode (14-8) vs. So. Alex Buchwald (10-8).

160 -- Abode or Harrison vs. Fr. Brian Soldano (18-2).

170 -- Fr. David Pierson (9-10) vs. Jr. PJ Soldano (9-8).

182 -- Jr. Jacob Wicks (13-8) or Sr. Austin Roth (15-5) vs. Sr. Jonathan Morris (9-7) or So. Sean Van Wingerden (1-8).

195 -- Roth or Wicks vs. Van Wingerden or Morris.

220 -- So. Gage Horvath (10-12) vs. Sr. Andrew Lewis (6-10) or So. Justin Klass (3-3).

285 -- Jr. Cody Cruts (7-11) vs. Klass or Lewis.

Breakdown: Phillipsburg is coming off a 30-24 win at North Hunterdon on Wednesday night that came down to the final bout and a win by Parenti to seal it. This one has all the makings of another thriller. High Point is a big favorite down low, while P'burg figures to rack up the points through the middle. That leaves the upper weights as the deciding factor. 'Cats are favored at 120, 126 (LaRue vs. Parenti), 138 and 160, while the 'Liners have an edge at 132 (Jones vs. Gervey), 145, 152, 195 and

High Point seeks its first win over P'burg since 2009.

285. I see five tossups -- 106, 113, 170, 182 and 220 -- that will decide the winner. Both teams have plenty of opportunity for bonus points and there should be some juggling of the lineups. Depending on where we start and the flip, both coaches would probably like to avoid a LaRue vs. Jones matchup and split the difference. Another option for the 'Cats would be to run LaRue to 138 and Talmadge to 145, while sacrificing a weight class and possibly some bonus to do so in order to try and get three of four from 126-145, but that could be a match-winning move and a path to winning eight bouts. A Harrison vs. Brian Soldano matchup is not out of the question either as Abode checked in at 152 on Wednesday and P'burg looking to win both there. I still think this one is won or lost up top, where both teams have had some growing pains, but the 'Liners have a little more experience and have shown they can minimize bonus points, and that should be the difference. Any way you slice it, this one's tight.

Prediction: Phillipsburg, 31-28.