Wrestling: North maintains its 'upper' hand on P'burg

CLINTON TWP. -- Freshman Alex Uryniak likes to call North Hunterdon's upper weights, "Murderers Row."

That group from 170 pounds through heavyweight sure lived up to the billing while leading the Lions to an impressive 37-12 victory over Phillipsburg in the North 2, Group 4 title match on Friday night before a packed house at the Lions Den.

North celebrates its 15th title and first since 2015.

North (21-0), which captured its first sectional championship since 2015 and the program's 15th overall, won all five up top and the first six bouts in racing out to a 22-0 lead. The Lions, who won 10 bouts in all, became the first team at the Hunterdon County school to beat P'burg, which was seeking a seventh straight title, twice in a season -- scoring a 30-24 regular-season victory on the road on Jan. 15. The Stateliners (15-3) also suffered just their third sectional finals loss -- two under coach Dave Post, who was unavailable for comment after the match, since 2013 -- in 41 appearances since the tournament began in 1980.

"Once we got the upper weights and lower weights, we were set," said Uryniak, who avenged an earlier loss with a 3-2 win over P'burg senior Jacob Wicks at 195 pounds. "We were rolling right through them. Our team is one-of-a-kind."

In all, four teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area will be making the trip to Toms River on Sunday for the Group championships, as High Point (North 1, Group 2), Delaware Valley (North 2, Group 1) and Pope John (Non-Public North B) all repeated as sectional winners. North, which is bidding for its first state title since 2002, is the top seed in Group 4 and takes on North 1 champion Mount Olive in the opening round at 9 a.m.

"Today was a big step because in this environment in the past, sometimes we faltered," said third-year coach Chris Hrunka, who also won a sectional title as a wrestler for Warren Hills in 2007. "Our guys stepped up. We knew there were some close bouts that we could change. The kids did it. We've been working the last month drilling, trying to fix those mistakes. That was a huge win [by Holder]. It set the tone for us."

Phillipsburg, which had lost the flip in the first meeting, won the toss in the rematch and was able to control key matchups at 182 and 195 after losing both by regular decisions the first time around. But senior Nate Fossett decked David Pierson with a cradle at 182 before Uryniak's win -- giving North a plus three in team points.

"It's crazy. The whole year I've been working for this," said Uryniak, who got a first-period takedown and had to fend off a deep single-leg attempt by Wicks in the final 10 seconds. "We lost the flip, but that didn't mean anything. I wanted revenge from Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex. I just wanted to beat him. I just wanted to go out and do my thing. Wrestle my match. I wrestled a lot smarter, more physical."

Liam Akers (285), who also reversed a previous loss, and Logan Wadle (106) capped the run. That was all after junior James Holder got the crowd going out of the gate with an 8-6 win in the opening bout at 170 -- avenging a 10-8 loss to Nate Zastowny in the first matchup.

"We feed off of each other. It was great to see," Fossett said. "It started out with a six-point [swing]. It was amazing. It set me up. It set Uryniak up. Akers comes out [and wins]. It was just momentum."

The Stateliners, who won four decisions, finally got on the board with James Day's 11-4 win at 113 that started a three-bout run, including Logan Maczko's 2-1 victory -- his first in four career meetings against fellow state qualifier Frank DiEsso -- thanks to a third-period reversal.

North got back on track with four straight wins, including senior Drew Doscher's match-clinching 4-2 win at 138 pounds with three bouts to go. Now, North will look to finish out the program's first unbeaten season after being ousted by P'burg in the 2018 sectional semifinals and the '19 final.

"We're sick of losing," Fossett said. "They ended our season [the previous two years]. We worked so hard for this. From April until now, we didn't stop working. I like the score. Honestly, we should have had more points.

"We had the biggest crowd I've ever seen out here. The noise and the support -- it was amazing. I loved it. It's something we've been striving for. We want a Group [4] title. We want another banner."

NORTH HUNTERDON 37, PHILLIPSBURG 12
170 -- Jr. James Holder (20-9), NH, d. So. Nate Zastowny (27-6), 8-6.
182 -- Sr. Nate Fossett (25-2), NH, p. So. David Pierson (21-11), 1:14.
195 -- Fr. Alex Uryniak (23-3), NH, d. Sr. Jacob Wicks (24-9), 3-2.
220 -- Sr. Ian Gaburo (21-1), NH, d. Jr. Gage Horvath (21-11), 5-2.
285 -- So. Liam Akers (26-2), NH, d. Sr. Cody Cruts (22-9), 3-2 TB2.
106 -- Fr. Logan Wadle (25-4), NH, md. So. Sean Stasiulaitis (11-16), 9-1.
113 -- So. James Day (25-7), P, d. So. Nick DeLorenzo (16-12), 11-4.
120 -- Jr. Logan Maczko (19-7), P, d. Jr. Frank DiEsso (24-4), 2-1.
126 -- So. Joey Innamorato (24-6), P, d. Fr. Daniel Delusant (14-13), 5-1.
132 -- Jr. Connor Quinn (21-6), NH, d. Jr. Jason Tino (20-13), 5-2.
138 -- Sr. Drew Doscher (16-8), NH, d. Fr. Hunter Cleaver (6-8), 4-2.
145 -- Sr. Evan Klimas (22-5), NH, p. Sr. Jared Kukor (18-11), 2:25.
152 -- Sr. Kyle Anderson (18-7), NH, d. So. Matt D'Onofrio (19-12), 5-2.
160 -- So. James Palitto (7-4), P, d. So. William Cole (16-9), 4-0.
Records -- Phillipsburg 15-3; North Hunterdon 21-0.
Officials -- Frank Leitner and Mike Internoscia.