Wrestling: What's on tap for HWS in 2019-20?

It was a banner 2018-19 season for the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area, which featured six sectional championship teams, as well as five individual state champions for the first time since 1990.

But it's never too early to look ahead to 2019-20. With that in mind, here are a few things to keep an eye on and some important dates for next season.

Lions team to beat?

With 10 starters returning next season, North Hunterdon, which lost twice to Phillipsburg, including a 28-19 decision in the North 2, Group 4 final, looks to be the early favorite for the Skyland Conference Raritan Division and sectional titles in 2019-20.

North Hunterdon should again be among Jersey's top teams.

Among the returnees for coach Chris Hrunka's team will be state qualifiers Frank Diesso (34-8 at 113), Nathaniel Fossett (27-5 at 170) and Ian Gaburo (25-12 at 195), along with Connor Quinn (20-13 at 120-126), Drew Doscher (21-12 at 132), Evan Klimas (27-11 at 138) and James Holder (22-10 at 170-182).

Some newcomers with familiar last names will join the mix next season as Logan Wadle (106) and Alexander Uryniak (170-182), both New Jersey Grade School champions, and Jack Van Doren (106-113), who finished third, should make an impact as rookies. Wadle's father, Rudy, was a three-time district and a region champ, who finished fifth-sixth in the state in 1992 and '93, while Jack's father, Mike, was among the best to ever don a North singlet -- going 108-12-1 from 1984-88, while winning two district and three region titles, as well as a state championship as a senior in '88.

P'burg, which has won 17 straight meetings since last losing to North in 2007, will be young with a lineup of mostly freshmen and sophomores. One of those newcomers will be blue-chipper Holden Garcia, a New Jersey Grade School League champion at 130 pounds and whose father, Jason, was a three-time state medal winner for the 'Liners.

Logan Maczko (33-11 at 106-113) will be the only returning state qualifier for coach Dave Post's team, while the Region 4 champ, who is 51-26 overall, will be the lone varsity starter with more than 30 career wins. Most of the upper weights return, including District 13 champions Jacob Wicks (24-16 at 182) and Gage Horvath (19-19 at 220).

Whether it's North or P'burg in North 2, Group 4, the sectional champion will face a tall order in Toms River as defending Group 4 champion Kingsway is primed for another title run.

'Cats will be back

High Point loses several starters, including Devin Flannery, third in the state at 120, and former placewinner Brandon LaRue, but don't sleep on the Wildcats. This team that will be better than people think and rates as the very early favorite in Group 2 next season.

Coach John Gardner will have plenty of returning talent, including Billy Talmadge (42-6 at 138), who placed fifth in the state, and qualifiers Clayton Utter (34-12 at 106), Devon Liebl (32-11 at 113), Josh Gervey (28-11 at 132), Brian Soldano (41-4 at 160), a Region 1 champion.

Keep an eye on incoming freshmen Roman Citro and Shane Woolf, who were New Jersey Grade School champions at 112 and 124 pounds. Citro's father, Marc, was a two-time region qualifier for West Milford in 1990 and '91, while his uncle, Brian, was third in Region 1 at 114 pounds in '95 for the Highlanders.

Other incoming freshmen with notable last names are Newton's Thaylor Sibblies (fourth in the New Jersey Grade School League at 124 pounds) and Delaware Valley's Garrett Tettemer (second at 150). Sibblies' father, Teddy, is an assistant coach for the Braves and their last state finalist in 1989, while Tettemer's father, Scott, was a two-time district and a region champ for the Terriers in '85.

Dates to remember

Opening Day -- Dec. 20.

Boresch Duals at Newton on Jan. 4 -- Paulsboro, the Group 1 champ and No. 2 in the New Jersey Writers Top 20, will look to win a third straight title in what is now one of the state's premiere dual events. Last year's field also included Kingsway and South Plainfield, the Group 4 and 2 champs, as well as North 2, Group 2 sectional winner Hanover Park and No. 20 Toms River North.

Pope John at Delbarton on Jan. 7 -- This one should decide the NJAC American Division title. Pope John, which is coming off the program's best state tournament performance, returns champion Eddie Ventresca (40-1 at 120), along with placewinners Shane Percelay (26-7 at 106) and Kaya Sement (35-9 at 132). Delbarton should be one of  New Jersey's best teams with six returning state medal winners -- Nicholas Nardone (33-10, sixth at 113), two-time champion and 2019 runner-up Anthony Clark (36-4 at 120), Dante Stefanelli (25-6, fourth at 152), Kieran Calvetti (32-10, sixth at 182), Luke Chakonis (31-6, fourth at 195) and P.J. Casale (33-10, fifth at 220) -- and two other qualifiers.

High Point at Kittatinny on Jan. 9 -- Another early-season affair that should decide a title as High Point eyes another NJAC Freedom championship. Kittatinny, which won the North 1, Group 1 title, loses seven starters, including two-time state placewinner Zach Mafaro, but coach John Gill's team will be solid up top with Jackson Crawn (35-9 at 195-220), a state qualifier, and Jacob Mafaro (25-5 at 285), as well as Robert Bruce (20-10 at 182-195) and Brycen Mafaro (11-6).

HWS Tournament on Jan. 11 -- Phillipsburg is a fine host for this annual event and the 11th edition should be outstanding, provided we get a full complement from each team. I know, wishful thinking, but for those opposed to this tournament, consider the area had five state champions (two will return in Ventresca and Hunterdon Central's Brett Ungar) and 16 medal winners in Atlantic City. There's a wealth of talent around here, let's hope we get to see it all in one gym next year.

High Point at Phillipsburg on Jan. 18 -- Good to see this rivalry back on the schedule for another season after the Stateliners pulled off a 30-27 win in the last meeting in Wantage for an 18-1 lead in the all-time series. The only win for the 'Cats was 30-22 at The Pit on Jan. 31, 2009.

NJAC schedules (tentative) -- Freedom: Jan. 9 -- High Point at Kittatinny; Newton at Hackettstown; Jan. 15 -- High Point at Hackettstown; Newton at Jefferson; Jan. 23 -- Kittatinny at Newton; Hackettstown at Jefferson; Jan. 28 -- Jefferson at High Point; Hackettstown at Kittatinny; Feb. 5 -- High Point at Newton; Jefferson at Kittatinny. Colonial: Jan. 9 -- North Warren at Lenape Valley; Wallkill Valley at Vernon; Jan. 15 -- Lenape Valley at Vernon; Wallkill Valley at Hopatcong; Jan. 23 -- North Warren at Wallkill Valley; Vernon at Hopatcong; Jan. 28 -- Hopatcong at Lenape Valley; Vernon at North Warren; Feb. 5 -- Lenape Valley at Wallkill Valley; Hopatcong at North Warren. American: Jan. 7 -- Pope John at Delbarton; West Morris at Montville; Mendham at Sparta; Jan. 9 -- West Morris at Delbarton; Sparta at Pope John; Mendham at Roxbury; Jan. 15 -- Sparta at Delbarton; Roxbury at Pope John; Montville at Mendham; Jan. 23 -- Delbarton at Roxbury; West Morris at Pope John; Montville at Sparta; Jan. 28 -- Pope John at Montville; Roxbury at Sparta; Mendham at West Morris; Feb. 5 -- Delbarton at Mendham; Montville at Roxbury; Sparta at West Morris.

Sectional tournaments -- Feb. 10, 12 and 14.

Group championships -- Sunday, Feb. 16 at Toms River North.

District Tournaments -- Saturday, Feb. 22.

Region Tournaments -- Feb. 26, 28 and 29.

87th State Championships -- March 5, 6 and 7 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.