Wrestling: Phillipsburg at North Hunterdon preview

What: Phillipsburg Stateliners at North Hunterdon Lions.

Where: North Hunterdon Regional High School, Clinton Township.

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Conference: Skyland Raritan Division.

Records: Phillipsburg 8-0; North Hunterdon 10-1.

State rankings (New Jersey Writers): Phillipsburg No. 8; North Hunterdon No. 13.

Area rankings (Open Mike): Phillipsburg No. 3; North Hunterdon No. 5.

Coaches: Dave Post (137-20, ninth season, 11-0 vs. NH); Chris Hrunka (26-6, second season, 0-2 vs. P'burg).

Series history: Phillipsburg owns a 54-8-1 edge dating to 1961, including a 6-3 mark in postseason meetings. The Stateliners have won 15 in a row, including a 35-16 victory in the North 2, Group 4 semifinals in the last matchup on Feb. 7, 2018. North's last win in the series was 36-21 at home on Jan. 6, 2007 -- which ended a 15-match losing skid in the series. The Lions' other victories came in the Group 3 finals (1982, '84 and '93), and duals in 1961, '62, '65 and '75.

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

106 -- Fr. James Day (17-6) vs. Fr. Nick DeLorenzo (10-10).

113 -- So. Logan Maczko (16-6) vs. So. Frank Diesso (17-3).

120 -- Fr. Joey Innamorato (6-10) vs. Sr. Connor Robinson (15-6) or So. Connor Quinn (9-8).

126 -- Sr. Bryce Parenti (16-8) vs. Quinn or Robinson.

132 -- Sr. Travis Jones (17-3) vs. Jr. Drew Doscher (12-8).

138 -- Sr. Luke Hardin (7-9) vs. Jr. Evan Klimas (13-6).

145 -- Sr. Kyle Tino (16-7) vs. Sr. Luke Hanlon (12-8).

152 -- Sr. Cody Harrison (17-1) vs. Jr. Kyle Anderson (7-9).

160 -- Sr. TJ Abode (13-8) vs. Sr. Michael Wilson (19-2).

170 -- Fr. David Pierson (9-9) vs. Jr. Nathaniel Fossett (9-2).

182 -- Jr. Jacob Wicks (13-7) vs. So. James Holder (15-6).

195 -- Sr. Austin Roth (14-5) vs. So. Kyle Schultz (8-9).

220 -- So. Gage Horvath (10-11) vs. Jr. Ian Gaburo (12-5).

285 -- Jr. Cody Cruts (7-10) vs. Sr. Lorenzo Becerril (11-6) or Fr. Liam Akers (4-9).

Can North get its first win over P'burg since 2007?

Breakdown: This one has all the makings of barn burner and is a potential preview of this season's North 2, Group 4 sectional final. The teams went head-to-head eight times at the HWS Tournament (Diesso d. Maczko, 5-1; Robinson p. Innamorato in 3:36; Parenti d. Quinn, 5-1; Jones p. Doscher in 1:57; Wilson d. Abode, 5-0; Wicks d. Holder, 3-0; Roth d. Gaburo, 11-4; Horvath d. Schultz, 3-1 SV) -- with P'burg winning five of those matchups. Straight up, P'burg is favored at 106, 126, 132, 145, 152, 182 and 195, while North has the edge at 113, 120, 138, 160, 170, 220 and 285 (if Becerril is there, as he did not wrestle at HWS). That's a 7-7 split, with Schultz down at 195 and Gaburo at 220 to try to win one of those weights. North will have to keep bonus at a minimum, saving points at 132 would be key after getting pinned there on Saturday. This match will be won in the upper weights and the Lions need to win four of five from 170 to 285 and likely reverse one of those other HWS results to pull off a victory. But I think the 'Liners get enough bonus points to extend their streak to a series-best 16 in a row.

Prediction: Phillipsburg, 32-23.