Monday, March 29, 2021

Wrestling: Gill tops 600; DV at 799 (HWS rankings)

With several area programs shut down through at least this week due to COVID-19 exposure, including Hunterdon Central and top-ranked public school North Hunterdon, the dual meet season is on shaky ground.

The girls region tournament is set for Saturday and the boys will follow in a few weeks. This has many area coaches entertaining thoughts of sitting their best male individuals in advance of the postseason, most likely after this weekend.

John Gill enters the week 601-194-5.
Fortunately we got the season's most anticipated dual meet in last Tuesday as North Hunterdon rallied for a 32-23 win over Phillipsburg in a key Skyland Conference Raritan Division showdown. Kittatinny followed two days later with a 36-30 upset of archrival High Point to give longtime coach John Gill his 600th victory.

"I'm still smiling," said Gill, whose teams have won three of the last five meetings vs. the 'Cats. "It's happened through the years, sometimes in [team] state finals, where the kids wanted it more than I did. It was a great night."

Kittatinny (6-0) looks forward to another big one on Tuesday as the Cougars are set to host Newton in a Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division clash. The 50th meeting (Kittatinny owns a 32-17 overall edge dating to 1976) also pits Gill against one of his former wrestlers, Braves coach Eric Bollette, who is 6-16 in the series against his mentor and good friend. Gill picked up his 32nd win in his 44 meetings with Newton -- a 35-33 come-from-behind road victory -- on the strength of a controversial escape at the buzzer in the ultimate tiebreaker at 160 pounds.

Needless to say, this crosstown rivalry means a lot to the communities and head coaches.

"It's important to me," said Gill, whose program snapped a two-match skid in the series in 2020. "Eric always downplays it, but he loves beating me. Once you start losing three times in a row it affects the kids mentally. They don't remember winning. It's a big match for us."

Bollette also appreciates the significance this match holds for his wrestlers and the entire program.

"They want to beat us just as much as much as we want to beat them," said Bollette, who is 254-199-1 in his 20 seasons at the helm and recently passed legendary coach Henry Boresch on the school's all-time wins list. "It's a big rivalry. The last [three] matchups [decided by nine points or fewer] have been good ones."

There's mutual respect on both sides despite the fierce competition on the mat.

"He's very similar to me," Gill said. "One of my better traits is usually making an average kid above average. I think Eric does a great job of that and preparing [for a match]."

Now, onto this week's rankings:

1. North Hunterdon (5-0) -- Lions opened last week with a 32-23 win over Phillipsburg -- sparked by senior James Holder's pin of Nate Zastowny in a matchup between state qualifiers at 170 -- before closing it out with a 54-18 victory at Delaware Valley on Thursday to extend the program's win streak to 28 dating to last season. Holder, Logan Wadle (106), Alex Uryniak (182), Andrew Franklin (220) and Liam Akers (285) are all unbeaten.

Up next: TBD.

2. Phillipsburg (5-1) -- Stateliners rebounded from their loss to North Hunterdon with a 75-0 waxing of Montgomery on Thursday before capping the week with a 55-13 win over Cranford on Saturday. Junior James Day (6-0 at 120) picked up his 67th career victory, while senior Logan Maczko (4-1 at 145) got his 79th. Junior Joey Innamorato (6-0 at 126) also stayed unbeaten. The team's scheduled home match against Morris Hills on Thursday was canceled with the Knights in a COVID pause, and Kittatinny is back on the schedule.

Up next: Southern at home on Tuesday; Kittatinny at home on Thursday (Senior Night).

3. Hunterdon Central (3-0) -- Red Devils were shut down through this week due to COVID-19 exposure following a 64-10 win against St. Joseph-Metuchen on Saturday, March 20.

Up next: TBD.  

4. Warren Hills (0-0) -- Blue Streaks finally got some good news when it was announced that their season will get underway this week after a 14-day COVID-19 quarantine. Coach Dave Sbriscia's team travels to Delaware Valley on Thursday. The Streaks handed the Terriers a 49-16 setback last season on a night when several members of the unbeaten and No. 1 ranked 1989-90 team from Hills, including current assistant coach Marty White, were on hand after being honored prior to the match in Washington.

Up next: at Delaware Valley on Friday; at Mount Olive on Saturday.

5. Kittatinny (6-0) -- Cougars opened last week with a 40-27 win over Hackettstown before the historic 36-30 win over High Point made John Gill just the fifth coach in New Jersey history to amass 600 victories. Freshman Liliana Zaku-Ramos (3-2) had match-sealing win at 106 pounds, while senior Jackson Crawn (6-0) set her up with a crucial pin at 285. Crawn got his 94th win the following night in the team's 44-31 victory over Boonton.

Up next: Newton at home on Tuesday; at Phillipsburg on Thursday; Hanover Park at home on Friday.

6. High Point (1-1) -- Wildcats, who opened their season with a 36-30 loss to Kittatinny, bounced back with a 43-25 win over Paramus on Saturday. Junior state champion Brian Soldano decked returning state finalist Aaron Ayzerov in 38 seconds. Soldano, who is 81-5 overall, pinned Tyler Sweatt with a cement job in the season opener. Senior state medalist Josh Gervey got his 75th win on Saturday. Unfortunately, coach John Gardner's team was shut down a second time this season due to COVID-19 on Tuesday.

Up next: TBD.

7. Pope John (2-1) -- Lions got underway with a 39-23 win over Mendham before dropping a 56-13 decision to Delbarton on Thursday. The Sussex County school closed the week with a 51-29 victory against West Morris on Saturday. Senior Nick Lodato, a two-time state qualifier at Piscataway before his transfer, improved to 3-0 at 195, along with junior Jake Rubin at 285.

Up next: at Montville on Tuesday; at Mount Olive on Thursday.

8. Delaware Valley (5-1) -- Terriers opened the season with four straight wins, including a 57-18 victory over Voorhees on Tuesday before a 54-18 loss to North Hunterdon at Hutchins Gym on Thursday ended that run. Coach Andy Fitz's team put the storied program at 799 victories with Saturday's 69-12 blowout of Franklin. Junior Matt Schneider (6-0 at 195), who decked North's Brendan Raley, is having a breakout season, along with senior Ben Brown (4-1 at 160).

Up next: Warren Hills at home on Friday; Lenape Valley at home on Saturday.

9. Hackettstown (4-2) -- Tigers stormed out of the gates with three straights wins before a 40-27 loss to Kittatinny on Tuesday in what is the final meeting between longtime coaches Frank Rodgers, who is retiring at season's end, and John Gill. Senior Matthew Bremner (5-1 at 285) pinned Ty Eldred in a matchup between two of the area's top heavyweights. The Warren County School, got back on track with a 37-30 win over Morris Knolls before capping the week with a 36-33 loss to Livingston.

Up next: Hopatcong at home on Tuesday; at Lenape Valley on Thursday.

10. Newton (4-2) -- Braves have reeled off four straight, including a 52-18 win over Sparta on Friday. Coach Eric Bollette's team also beat Hopatcong (72-4 on Tuesday) and Roxbury (38-36 on Thursday). Senior Nathan Fitt (6-0 at 132) got his 90th career victory, while senior JoJo Lotruglio (6-0 at 138) earned his 83rd on Saturday. The Sibblies brothers, Thaylor (4-2 at 145) and Takeo (5-1 at 152) are off to good starts, along with senior Nick Costa (5-1 at 160) and junior Melkart Abou-Jaoude (6-0 at 182).

Up next: at Mount Olive on Monday; at Kittatinny on Tuesday; at Hanover Park on Thursday.

Posted by Mike Weilamann at 12:54 AM

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