Pope John senior Eddie Ventresca, who should be the No. 1 seed at 126 pounds, is looking to join former teammate and state champion JoJo Aragona (2016-19) as the only four-time winners. The Lions also feature senior Kaya Sement (145), a two-time HWS finalist and one of four returning champions.
Sparta senior Garrett Stewart (138) and North Hunterdon senior Nate Fossett (182) are the other returning champs.
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| P'burg won a record sixth HWS team title in 2019. |
Phillipsburg, which has won a tournament-record six team titles, returns runner-up and senior Jacob Wicks (195), but North Hunterdon, ranked No. 5 in the state by the New Jersey Wrestling Writers, is the favorite this season to claim the program's first team championship.
No. 6 High Point, which produced just one finalist the previous three years in this rugged event, should also do well with senior Billy Talmadage, a fifth-place finisher in last season's state tournament, eyeing his first tri-county title.
(Wrestlers are ranked and listed at the lowest weight they've competed this season (unless it involves teammates at the same weight) with records through Saturday's matches)
106 pounds
1. Fr. Logan Wadle (11-2), North Hunterdon
2. So. Shane Nelson (7-0), Kittatinny
3. Sr. Derek Schepens (11-3), Delaware Valley
4. So. Patrick Horvath (8-1), Belvidere
5. So. Sean Stasiulaitis (3-5), Phillipsburg
Notes: Nelson logged 22 wins as a freshman, but he didn't compete in the postseason due to an injury. Wadle has looked really good early and is a threat to win here, while Schepens, who owns a 6-4 win over Wilkinson, was a fourth-place finisher in the district last season.
113 pounds
1. Sr. Cooper Stewart (10-0), Sparta
2. So. Clayton Utter (6-3), High Point
3. So. James Day (11-4), Phillipsburg
4. So. Robert Groogan (9-4), Delaware Valley
5. So. Nick DeLorenzo (8-5), North Hunterdon
Notes: Stewart, a runner-up at this weight last season, is the favorite to win his first title. He's also closing in on 100 wins (94 entering the week) and could hit the century mark on Saturday. Utter, a returning state qualifier, was not entered in this tournament last season, while Day was pulled early due to match limits. Groogan scored a 3-0 win over DeLorenzo in the John Goles Invitational semis, while Lensi, who was pinned in 44 seconds by Stewart in the Hopatcong Invitational, placed fifth at 106 in 2019.
120 pounds
1. Jr. Shane Percelay (5-3), Pope John
2. Jr. Nathan Fitt (9-1), Newton
3. Jr. Frank DiEsso (11-2), North Hunterdon
4. So. Daniel Haws (8-0), Lenape Valley
5. So. Nick Canonica (5-2), Hunterdon Central
Others to watch -- Sr. Greg Slivka (8-3), Warren Hills; Jr. Cooper Gill (10-5), Delaware Valley; Sr. Josh Rich (2-2), Voorhees; So. Charles Antcliff (6-4), High Point; Fr. Chris Casale (1-2), Kittatinny; So. Hakeem Ransdell (4-4), Phillipsburg
Notes: Pretty strong weight here with Percelay, a returning runner-up who placed seventh in the state at 106 last season, and Fitt, an HWS third-place finisher at 106 last season, who handed DiEsso, a returning state qualifier, a 5-2 loss in the John Goles Invitational semifinals. Haws, another state qualifier, was fourth at 106 as a freshman.
126 pounds
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| Ventresca atop the podium in AC last season. |
2. Jr. Logan Maczko (6-2), Phillipsburg
3. Sr. Devon Liebl (9-1), High Point
4. Sr. Gage Crater (10-2), Delaware Valley
5. So. Jared Lee (10-1), Warren Hills
Others to watch -- Jr. Danny Cleary (5-6), Newton; Fr. Daniel Delusant (5-5), North Hunterdon; So. Aidan Portnoy (4-3), Hunterdon Central; Jr. Frank Mastroeni (6-3), Hopatcong
Notes: Ventresca, a Virginia Tech recruit, is the heavy favorite here, while a Maczko-Liebl semifinal projected to be very entertaining. The two state qualifiers squared off last season, with Liebl, a fourth-place finisher at HWS, dropping a 3-2 decision. Crater was a finalist as a freshman, while Lee was sixth at 106 in 2019.
Notes: Ventresca, a Virginia Tech recruit, is the heavy favorite here, while a Maczko-Liebl semifinal projected to be very entertaining. The two state qualifiers squared off last season, with Liebl, a fourth-place finisher at HWS, dropping a 3-2 decision. Crater was a finalist as a freshman, while Lee was sixth at 106 in 2019.
132 pounds
1. Jr. Spencer Stewart (10-0), Sparta
2. Jr. Josh Gervey (12-3), High Point
3. Jr. Connor Quinn (9-3), North Hunterdon
4. So. Joey Innamorato (8-4), Phillipsburg
5. Sr. Logan Nauta (9-2), Warren Hills
Others to watch -- Sr. Chase Christie (8-6), Delaware Valley; Jr. Curtis Wheatley (6-4), Hunterdon Central; Jr. Patrick Franco (2-1), Kittatinny
Notes: Stewart, a runner-up last season, was an eighth-place finisher in the state tournament. Gervey, a returning state qualifier, seeks his first HWS medal, along with Quinn and Innamorato.
Notes: Stewart, a runner-up last season, was an eighth-place finisher in the state tournament. Gervey, a returning state qualifier, seeks his first HWS medal, along with Quinn and Innamorato.
138 pounds
1. Sr. Billy Talmadge (12-0), High Point
2. Sr. Garrett Stewart (10-0), Sparta
3. So. Tanner Peake (8-3), Hunterdon Central
3. So. Tanner Peake (8-3), Hunterdon Central
4. Sr. Eric Falleni (9-0), Lenape Valley
Others to watch -- Jr. JoJo Lotruglio (8-2), Newton; Sr. Geir Nemeth (8-2), Warren Hills; Jr. Jason Tino (9-8), Phillipsburg; Jr. Corey Crater (7-6), Delaware Valley; Jr. Sam Castner (6-1), Hackettstown
Notes: This is a stacked weight, and it's a testament to how tough this tournament is that Talmadge, a two-time third-place finisher and state medalist last season, has never reached the finals. Stewart looks to make school history by becoming the Spartans' first two-time winner -- Gavin Lally (2015) and Robert Gennat (2018) are their only other champions. Falleni finished in the top six in his three previous appearances, including third last season, and also is nearing the 100-win mark at 95-28 overall. Peake was a fifth-place finisher last season.
Notes: This is a stacked weight, and it's a testament to how tough this tournament is that Talmadge, a two-time third-place finisher and state medalist last season, has never reached the finals. Stewart looks to make school history by becoming the Spartans' first two-time winner -- Gavin Lally (2015) and Robert Gennat (2018) are their only other champions. Falleni finished in the top six in his three previous appearances, including third last season, and also is nearing the 100-win mark at 95-28 overall. Peake was a fifth-place finisher last season.
145 pounds
1. Sr. Kaya Sement (2-1), Pope John
2. Jr. Colton Washleski (8-2), Hunterdon Central
3. Sr. Evan Klimas (11-1), North Hunterdon
4. Sr. Ben Lilly (9-1), North Warren
4. Sr. Ben Lilly (9-1), North Warren
5. Fr. Shane Woolf (6-5), High Point
Others to watch -- Sr. Jared Kukor (5-5), Phillipsburg; Sr. Shane Reynolds (9-3), Delaware Valley; So. Steven Dalling (5-4), Kittatinny; So. Nick Hwang (6-4), Sparta
Notes: Sement, who placed fifth in the state tournament last season, eyes back-to-back titles, while Washleski, a two-time state qualifier, finished fifth and third the previous two tournaments. Klimas, who was fourth as a junior, is off to a strong start this season. Woolf is listed here, but he is dealing with a potential season-ending knee injury.
Notes: Sement, who placed fifth in the state tournament last season, eyes back-to-back titles, while Washleski, a two-time state qualifier, finished fifth and third the previous two tournaments. Klimas, who was fourth as a junior, is off to a strong start this season. Woolf is listed here, but he is dealing with a potential season-ending knee injury.
152 pounds
1. Sr. Matthew Garcia (3-2), Pope John
3. Sr. Kyle Anderson (9-4), North Hunterdon
4. Sr. Anthony Romaniello (9-2), Hunterdon Central
Others to watch -- Sr. Brandon Casey (8-2), North Warren; Jr. Troy Schmitzer (7-4), Sparta; Sr. Sean Cranmer (8-4), Hopatcong; So. Matt D'Onofrio (4-8), Phillipsburg
Notes: Garcia is a returning runner-up and fourth-place finisher in Region 1, while Malia is enjoying a breakout season. Romaniello also is a returning finalist, while Tettemer, a talented rookie, was pinned by Malia and Anderson in the John Goles Invitational. He also dropped a 3-0 decision to Romaniello last Friday.
Notes: Garcia is a returning runner-up and fourth-place finisher in Region 1, while Malia is enjoying a breakout season. Romaniello also is a returning finalist, while Tettemer, a talented rookie, was pinned by Malia and Anderson in the John Goles Invitational. He also dropped a 3-0 decision to Romaniello last Friday.
160 pounds
1. So. Brian Soldano (11-1), High Point
2. Sr. Rob Fletcher (7-2), North Warren
2. Sr. Rob Fletcher (7-2), North Warren
3. Sr. Connor Fritsch (2-2), Pope John
5. So. Owen Frizzell (8-2), Warren Hills
Others to watch -- Sr. Trevor Aughenbaugh (2-1), Newton; Sr. Alejandro Castro (7-3), Hackettstown; So. William Cole (7-3), North Hunterdon; So. Mike Mosier (6-4), Voorhees; Sr. Gian Knippenberg (3-5), Kittatinny
Notes: Soldano (illness) did not wrestle in Tuesday night's 37-36 criteria loss to Howell so his status for this weekend may be in doubt. It's a shame we didn't get to see Soldano, a state qualifier as a freshman, compete here last season as he was held out because of match limits. He certainly could have made a run at being a four-time champ. Fletcher scored a 3-0 win over Fritsch, a returning state qualifier, in a third-place bout in 2019, while Frizzell has also impressed after going 2-5 in a limited role last season. Zastowny, who missed all of last season with an injury, is capable of making a run to the finals.
Notes: Soldano (illness) did not wrestle in Tuesday night's 37-36 criteria loss to Howell so his status for this weekend may be in doubt. It's a shame we didn't get to see Soldano, a state qualifier as a freshman, compete here last season as he was held out because of match limits. He certainly could have made a run at being a four-time champ. Fletcher scored a 3-0 win over Fritsch, a returning state qualifier, in a third-place bout in 2019, while Frizzell has also impressed after going 2-5 in a limited role last season. Zastowny, who missed all of last season with an injury, is capable of making a run to the finals.
170 pounds
1. Jr. James Holder (10-2), North Hunterdon
2. Jr. Norman Cella (8-2), Hunterdon Central
5. Jr. Shane Exley (7-3), Belvidere
Others to watch -- Sr. Denny Perez (3-6), Phillipsburg; Sr. Nick Hildebrant (3-4, injured), Warren Hills
Notes: Holder, who was a third-place finisher last season, has helped solidify that talented group of upper weights for North, while Cella was fifth at 160 in 2019. Burke was fifth in the region as a junior.
Notes: Holder, who was a third-place finisher last season, has helped solidify that talented group of upper weights for North, while Cella was fifth at 160 in 2019. Burke was fifth in the region as a junior.
182 pounds
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| North looks to add another trophy this weekend. |
2. So. David Pierson (7-6), Phillipsburg
3. Sr. Julian Sibblies (7-3), Newton
4. So. Brycen Mafaro (6-2), Kittatinny
5. Sr. PJ Soldano (8-5), High Point
Others to watch -- So. Jack Stoll (2-2), Pope John; Sr. John Alvarez (7-1), Vernon
Notes: Fossett looks to become just the fourth wrestler to win at least two titles for North -- joining Ryan Pomrinca (2013-15), Jack Delia (2010-11) and Beau Vrancken (2011-12). Pierson placed fourth in the district last season, but keep an eye on Sibblies, a dangerous wrestler who keeps working for the pin. Mafaro scored a 3-1 win over Soldano last Thursday.
Notes: Fossett looks to become just the fourth wrestler to win at least two titles for North -- joining Ryan Pomrinca (2013-15), Jack Delia (2010-11) and Beau Vrancken (2011-12). Pierson placed fourth in the district last season, but keep an eye on Sibblies, a dangerous wrestler who keeps working for the pin. Mafaro scored a 3-1 win over Soldano last Thursday.
195 pounds
1. Sr. Jacob Wicks (10-5), Phillipsburg
2. Fr. Alex Uryniak (10-1), North Hunterdon
3. Sr. Robert Bruce (5-3), Kittatinny
4. Jr. Sean Van Wingerden (5-6), High Point
5. Sr. Zach Tong (7-2), Voorhees
Others to watch -- So. Michael Galka (4-3), Warren Hills; Sr. Zach Zukowski (8-4), Delaware Valley; So. Peter Delaportas (1-0), Pope John; Jr. Matthew Bremner (7-2), Hackettstown
Notes: Wicks seeks his first HWS title, while Uryniak, who certainly doesn't look or wrestle like a freshman, could be primed to win the first of several championships. Bruce decked Van Wingerden last Thursday.
Notes: Wicks seeks his first HWS title, while Uryniak, who certainly doesn't look or wrestle like a freshman, could be primed to win the first of several championships. Bruce decked Van Wingerden last Thursday.
220 pounds
1. Jr. Jackson Crawn (6-1), Kittatinny
2. Sr. Ian Gaburo (8-0), North Hunterdon
3. Jr. Gage Horvath (9-4), Phillipsburg
4. Sr. Cole Zydel (3-2), Pope John
5. Sr. Brandon Donoghue (6-3), Hunterdon Central
Others to watch -- Jr. Logan Polcari (5-4, injured), Warren Hills; Sr. Nick Moose (7-7), Delaware Valley; Jr. Justin Klass (5-6), High Point; Jr. Carson Grogan (5-4), Belvidere
Notes: Crawn, a returning state qualifier, was a fourth-place finisher here last season, while Gaburo was a runner-up. Horvath finished fifth in last season's HWS Tournament.
Notes: Crawn, a returning state qualifier, was a fourth-place finisher here last season, while Gaburo was a runner-up. Horvath finished fifth in last season's HWS Tournament.
285 pounds
1. Sr. Ryan Hall (9-0), Lenape Valley
2. So. Liam Akers (11-1), North Hunterdon
3. Sr. Cody Cruts (8-4), Phillipsburg
4. So. Tyler McCatharn (9-1), Warren Hills
5. Sr. Ryan Sutter (8-2), Delaware Valley
Others to watch -- Jr. Troy Van Orden (1-0), High Point; So. Ty Eldred (5-3), Kittatinny
Notes: Hall, who missed all of last season with an injury, was a fourth-place finisher in 2018. Akers, who beat McCatharn, 2-1, and Sutter, 4-2, en route to winning a John Goles Invitational title, looks capable of making noise here, while Cruts finished fifth in Region 4 last season.
Notes: Hall, who missed all of last season with an injury, was a fourth-place finisher in 2018. Akers, who beat McCatharn, 2-1, and Sutter, 4-2, en route to winning a John Goles Invitational title, looks capable of making noise here, while Cruts finished fifth in Region 4 last season.
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