Warren Hills continued its climb up the rankings as the Blue Streaks jumped three spots to No. 11 in the latest New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20 poll released on Monday night.
For the second straight week, four teams represent the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area as Phillipsburg checked in at No. 13, followed by North Hunterdon at No. 16 and Hunterdon Central at No. 20.
Phillipsburg (7-1), which scored an impressive 44-14 win over North Hunterdon last Wednesday, has a big week on tap starting with Tuesday's clash at home against archrival Easton (Pa.). The Stateliners, who have won five of the last seven meetings, including a 42-22 road victory in 2020, are just 19-62 overall against the Red Rovers. The series, which officially began in 1948 (Easton won two meetings during the 1947-48 season which was a JV campaign for P'burg), was interrupted for the first time a year ago due to the pandemic. P'burg closes the week with a trip to No. 6 Southern on Saturday. The Rams, who own an 8-6 edge in a series dating to 1997, have lost three of the last five matchups, including a 37-13 road decision in 2021.
North Hunterdon (11-4) travels to Hunterdon Central (9-3) for key county clash on Friday night at the Field House to highlight local action this week in the HWS area. Coach Chris Hrunka's Lions finished third at the North Warren Patriot Duals on Saturday, dropping a 37-32 decision to St. John Vianney and knocking off Group 2 contender High Point, 39-28, win No. 792 for the program.
High Point (5-4), which has yet to enter the rankings this season, gave No. 9 Kingsway all it could handle in a 34-31 loss at the Patriot Duals. Coach John Gardner's 'Cats, who have struggled to maintain their 'A' lineup and dropped a 54-12 decision to Southern at home on Jan. 12, travel to No. 10 Delsea on Saturday for a quad that includes Hunterdon Central and Watchung Hills.
The Lancers (9-2), a team consisting mostly of several talented freshmen, including nationally-ranked Anthony Knox, and transfers, defeated three teams that were ranked in last year's New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20.
St. John Vianney defeated then No. 20 Livingston, 47-21, then No. 13 and current No. 16 North Hunterdon, 37-32, and then No. 5 and current No. 9 Kingsway, 37-34. Those three wins enabled the Lancers to enter the rankings for the first time at No. 8.
Other major results from last week saw Delsea defeat Howell, 37-21, at the Jack Welch Duals and Mount Olive defeat No. 20 Hunterdon Central, 43-24.
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, Home News Tribune 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).
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