Wrestling: NH, P'burg lead area 4 in NJWWA polls

Wrestling has enjoyed its own March Madness over the first two weeks of the scholastic season.

However, things atop the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association's statewide rankings for non-public and public schools managed to stay the same. In all, four teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area grace this week's polls.

North Hunterdon (5-0) still owns the No. 1 ranking among publics, but its grip might be loosening a bit. Following the Lions' 32-23 win over Phillipsburg, coach Chris Hrunka's team knocked off Delaware Valley, 54-18, on Thursday. Following that match, North, which has won 28 straight duals since last season, went a COVID-19 pause, putting the remainder of the program's dual meet season in doubt.

Phillipsburg (5-1), which rebounded from the loss to North with blowout wins against Montgomery (75-0) and Cranford (55-13), enters the week sitting on 995 victories as a program. Coach Dave Post's team will host Southern on Tuesday before renewing its long-time series with Kittatinny at home on Thursday as part of Senior Night. 

The Stateliners own a 19-6 edge all-time and have won 10 straight meetings with the Cougars and coach John Gill, who went over 600 wins last week, since the Sussex County school's 41-34 victory in 2010. The series was interrupted only once (1997-98 season) and wasn't originally on the P'burg schedule until Morris Hills (the previous opponent on Thursday) was shut down due to COVID-19 exposure.

Speaking of Kittatinny, both the Cougars and Paulsboro checked into the rankings for the first time this season at Nos. 9 and 10, respectively. Both are 6-0. Pope John (2-1) is the only other area team in the rankings, checking in at No. 9 among the non-publics.

Delbarton maintained residency atop the Non-Public School rankings with a 56-13 win over Pope John last week. The Green Wave's schedule will ramp up in intensity this week with two huge tests on the road as they travel to Kingsway, which moved to No. 2 in the Public School rankings, on Thursday before facing St. Joseph-Montvale on Saturday.

Christian Brothers Academy moves up one spot to No. 6, thanks to a 33-23 win over Howell and a 50-16 rout of St. Peter's Prep.

Kingsway prepped for its tough schedule ahead with lopsided wins against Clearview, 65-8; Rumson-Fair Haven, 58,9 and St. Augustine, 62-9. Along with hosting Delbarton on Thursday, the Dragons will also welcome St. Joseph-Montvale to Woolwich Township on April 6.

South Plainfield was the big mover of the week, vaulting four spots to No. 4 following its 40-19 win over Southern.

Top 10 Public Schools
Ranking	School	Record
1	North Hunterdon	(5-0)
2	Kingsway	(7-0)
3	Phillipsburg	(5-1)
4	South Plainfield	(7-0)
5	Southern	(7-1)
6	Brick Memorial	(5-1)
7	Mount Olive	(5-1)
8	Howell	(5-1)
9	Paulsboro	(6-0)
10	Kittatinny	(6-0)
Others receiving votes: High Point, Ocean Township, Delsea
Top 10 Non-Public Schools
Ranking	School	Record
1	Delbarton	(5-0)
2	Bergen Catholic	(1-0)
3	St. Joseph-Montvale	(5-0)
4	Camden Catholic	(5-0)
5	St. Augustine	(1-2)
6	Christian Brothers	(5-2)
7	Paramus Catholic	(0-0)
8	St. Peter's Prep	(3-1)
9	Pope John	(2-1)
10	Don Bosco Prep	(1-1)
Others receiving votes: St. Joseph-Metuchen, St. John Vianney, Seton Hall Prep

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 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 and courierpostonline.com); Andy Mendlowitz (Courier News and MyCentralJersey.com); Andrew Tredinnick (New Jersey Herald and njherald.com); Greg Tufaro (Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com); Michael Weilamann (Open Mike and mikeopen.blogspot.com), Brad Wilson (The Express Times and lehighvalleylive.com).