Wrestling: Final New Jersey Writers Top 20 Poll

Hunterdon Central started and finished as the highest ranked team among the five Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area representatives in the seventh and final New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20 poll released on Tuesday night.

The seventh-ranked Red Devils (23-2), who won the program's 22nd sectional title, saw their bid for the school's second state championship and first since 1989 end with a 34-27 loss to Southern in the Group 5 final on Sunday in Toms River. Coach Jon Cantagallo-Rohm's team, which earned its third sectional title in the last four seasons, dealt with numerous injuries all season to key wrestlers, including senior Pasquale Vizzoni (back), sophomore Norman Cella (knee) and senior Dan Furmato (shoulder).

Phillipsburg (18-3), which captured the program's 38th sectional title with a 28-19 win over North Hunterdon in North 2, Group 4 final, finishes at No. 10, following a 26-20 loss to No. 9 Kingsway in the Group 4 final -- denying the Stateliners a 23rd state championship and snapping their title run at five in a row.

Pope John (14-3), ranked No. 11, captured back-to-back Non-Public North B titles with a 36-30 win over DePaul, but coach Mark Piotrowsky's Lions were denied in their bid for consecutive state titles with a 33-29 loss to No. 8 Camden Catholic in the Non-Public B final on Sunday.

High Point (16-3), the NJAC Freedom Division champion, won its Sussex County-record 27th sectional championship with a 35-25 victory over Newton in the North 1, Group 2 final before dropping a 46-26 decision to South Plainfield in the Group 2 state final as the 'Cats were seeking back-to-back titles. Senior state placewinner Brandon LaRue (14-2), who made a dramatic return against Newton with a win at 145 pounds on Friday, will undergo season-ending surgery on his fractured right elbow. He finishes his career at 91-17.

North Hunterdon (20-3) saw its 10-match winning streak snapped with a 28-19 loss to P'burg in the North 2, Group 4 sectional final as coach Chris Hrunka's Lions were looking to avenge a 30-24 loss to the Stateliners at home on Jan. 16. North dropped two crucial bouts in overtime in the rematch as it was seeking the program's first title since 2015.

Bergen Catholic (14-2), the consensus No. 1 all season, rolled to its eighth consecutive title in Non-Public A.

Note: Records are through Monday's matches.

Rank	School	Record	Previous
1	Bergen Catholic (12)	(14-2)	1
2	Paulsboro	(23-1)	2
3	South Plainfield	(25-2)	5
4	Southern	(20-4)	8
5	Delbarton	(14-3)	6
6	Howell	(24-1)	3
7	Hunterdon Central	(23-2)	4
8	Camden Catholic	(21-2)	7
9	Kingsway	(17-8)	19
10	Phillipsburg	(18-3)	9
11	Pope John	(14-3)	10
12	High Point	(16-3)	11
13	St. Joseph-Montvale	(13-4)	13
14	North Hunterdon	(20-3)	12
15	St. Augustine Prep	(16-5)	14
16	St. Peter's Prep	(20-5)	15
17	West Essex	(19-4)	NR
18	Hanover Park	(13-7)	NR
19	Watchung Hills	(15-2)	18
20	Toms River North	(20-4)	NR

Also receiving votes: Jackson Memorial (16-5); DePaul (11-5); Seton Hall Prep (12-4); Don Bosco Prep (7-4).

NJWWA voting members listed in alphabetical order: Donald J. Brower (gardenstatehswrestling.com); Frank D’Esposito (theshoreconference.com; Steven Falk (Asbury Park Press and APP.com); Sean Farrell (The Record of Hackensack and NorthJersey.com); Jane Havsy (Daily Record and DailyRecord.com); “Screwy” Louie Lazzari (New Jersey wrestling historian); John Lewis (Burlington County Times and phillyburbs.com); Ron Mazzola (NJWWA president and Region V ranking chairman); Tom McGurk (Courier Post of Cherry Hill); Andy Mendlowitz (Courier News and MyCentralJersey.com); Greg Tufaro (Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com); Michael Weilamann (Open Mike).