Wrestling: Phillipsburg at Warren Hills preview, stats

What: Phillipsburg Stateliners at Warren Hills Blue Streaks.

Where: Warren Hills Regional High School, Washington Township.

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Conference: Skyland cross-divisional.

Livestream: Warren Hills You Tube channel.

Records: Phillipsburg 3-0 (W-Hunterdon Central, 34-30; W-Watchung Hills, 70-10; W-Ridge, 67-6); Warren Hills 3-2 (W-Raritan, 39-21; L-Mount Olive, 33-27; W-Ramapo, 67-12; L-North Hunterdon, 33-22; W-Bernards, 66-9.

Area rankings (Open Mike): Phillipsburg No. 1; Warren Hills No. 3.

Coaches: Brad Gentzle (3-0, first season); Dave Sbriscia (44-16, fourth season, 0-1 vs. P'burg). 

Series history: Phillipsburg leads 59-14 dating to 1948, including a 49-12 victory in the last meeting on Jan. 2, 2019, in Lopatcong Township. The Stateliners have won 33 straight since falling twice to Warren Hills during the 1989-90 season. The Blue Streaks haven't won in this series since their 34-30 victory at home in the 1990 North 2, Group 3 sectional final -- one of only three losses for P'burg in sectional history (the others were against Hunterdon Central in 2013 and North Hunterdon in 2020).

Probable lineups (Phillipsburg wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses):

106 -- So. Dawson McWilliams (3-4) or Jr. Antonio Garcia (4-2) vs. Fr. Charlie Piccione (4-2).

113 -- Sr. Miguel Lopez (9-7) vs. Sr. Kevin Riedinger (10-2).

120 -- Fr. Gavin Hawk (16-5) vs. So. Josh Lee (7-4).

126 -- Sr. James Day (15-2) vs. Fr. Tyler Redfield (4-7).

132 -- Fr. Luke Geleta (13-4) vs. Jr. Shawn Redfield (12-2).

138 -- Sr. Joey Innamorato (12-5) vs. Jr. Ryan Lundy (3-8).

144 -- So. Liam Packer (3-5) or So. Johnathon Roth (1-1) or Sr. Jared Frazer (0-1) vs. Sr. Jared Lee (14-0).

150 -- Sr. Matt D'Onofrio (9-6) vs. Jr. Cody Miller (7-5).

157 -- Jr. Hunter Cleaver (12-5) vs. Jr. Michael Drazek (8-4).

165 -- Sr. James Palitto (1-0) or Sr. Nate Zastowny (6-4) vs. Sr. Stephen Malia (12-0).

175 -- So. Caleb Rivera (11-6) or Jr. Connor Hille (7-5) or Zastowny vs. Sr. Owen Frizzell (11-2).

190 -- Hille or Rivera vs. Sr. Ryan Galka (10-5).

215 -- Sr. David Pierson (14-3) vs. Jr. Jarett Pantuso (9-5).

285 -- So. John Wargo (11-5) vs. Sr. Tyler McCatharn (11-2).

Breakdown: The 74th meeting of this series does not factor into the divisional standings with P'burg in the Raritan Division and Warren Hills in the Valley Division, but it's good to see this one back on the schedule after a two-year hiatus. There's been plenty of hype as well with Warren Hills, which looks to challenge for the program's first Group 3 title since 1997, selling advanced tickets and "Beat the Burg" T-shirts. P'burg has been the more battle-tested having competed in two quality December tournaments and holding off upset-minded Hunterdon Central, 34-30, on Jan. 4. The 'Liners outpointed Hills -- 264-209 -- to win the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament team title. The schools went head-to-head five times at HWS, with Hills winning three (Riedinger md. Lopez, 9-0; Malia d. Zastowny, 7-3; McCatharn d. Wargo, 9-2). Straight up, P'burg rates the favorite at 120, 126, 138, 150, 157, 175 (Rivera d. Frizzell, 8-6, at HWS) and 215 (Pierson d. Pantuso, 7-1, at HWS). Hills has the

Warren Hills eyes its first win vs. P'burg since 1990.

edge at 106, 113, 144, 165 and 285. Let's call 132 and 190 (Hille vs. Galka) tossups. Cleaver vs. Drazek will be another to watch as the Stateliner, a former Washington youth wrestler whose grandfather is 1976 Hills district and region champion Rob Rhinehart, faces the Streaks in a dual for the first time. Hills, which has four solid favorites (Riedinger, Jared Lee, Malia and McCatharn) will likely need both tossups and move the lineup since bonus points figure hard to come by for the hosts. Hills also is at full strength now that Piccione, who had been idle since Dec. 28, returned to the lineup on Wednesday and received a forfeit. The obvious move for P'burg is to bump Zastowny, a former state qualifier and 2020 HWS champion, away from Malia to gain more favorable matchups at 175 and 190. But that move may depend on the starting weight. Would Hills chase with Malia? That Rivera-Frizzell bout featured two penalty points for locked hands that were awarded to Frizzell last weekend and Hille-Galka would be a tough one to call, slight lean toward Hills. Pierson and Pantuso split last season, but the recent matchup was pretty convincing and Gentzle has to feel good about that one and his team's ability to limit bonus points in spots. Warren Hills likely needs eight wins (120 and 132 are also huge bouts but Hawk and Geleta aren't run-of-the-mill freshmen) and some bonus (106, 113 and 165 are the best opportunities) to pull out its first victory over the 'Liners in over 30 years. Look for P'burg to win one or perhaps two where it's the underdog, at least on paper. If the teams play it straight, it's likely much closer (9-10 point margin).

Prediction: Phillipsburg, 35-20.