Wrestling: Shades of '90! Streaks roll over P'burg

Warren Hills' wrestling team can finally party like it's 1990. It took 32 years, but the Blue Streaks finally snapped their skid against Phillipsburg with a resounding 35-15 victory in a Skyland Conference cross-divisional matchup before a nice crowd on Friday night in Washington Township.

The Streaks ended a 33-match skid in the series.

Coach Dave Sbriscia's team won the first 10 bouts, including match-turning decisions by juniors Cody Miller (150) and Michael Drazek (157), en route to a 32-0 lead, as senior Kevin Riedinger iced the match with a 7-0 win at 113 pounds. P'burg (3-1), which had won 33 straight in the series since a 34-30 loss in the 1990 North 2, Group 3 sectional final, managed to win three of the last four, but Warren Hills junior Shawn Redfield (132) pulled off a 7-6 thriller with a buzzer-beating takedown in the next-to-last bout.

Warren Hills (4-2), which is now 15-59 overall in the series dating to 1948, took to it P'burg right from the opening whistle and never let up on the gas as the Streaks posted their most lopsided win over the Stateliners since the former Washington High School cruised to a 32-8 victory in 1954.

Here are five thoughts from a history-making evening:

1. Fast start  

The match started in a great spot for Warren Hills as senior Jared Lee delivered a 12-3 major over Liam Packer at 144 to get things rolling for the hosts. Miller and Drazek both dominated on their feet (combining for nine takedowns) in matches that P'burg most certainly had figured to put in its win column -- setting the stage for an upset. Miller converted three takedowns in the third period to earn a 15-7 major over Matt D'Onofrio, while Drazek hit a hazard tilt for two backs in the second period to help upend Hunter Cleaver, a dangerous mat wrestler and former Washington youth wrestler, 11-7. Drazek got in trouble twice when he tried to wrestle Cleaver on the mat, giving up two reversals and two backs off a peterson, but that tilt was huge and it gave the Streak an 8-7 lead heading into the final period. Senior Owen Frizzell (175) and junior Jarett Pantuso (215) also avenged earlier losses this season. Pantuso, who finished eighth in the state in 2021, is now 2-2 overall vs. David Pierson, who won a 7-1 decision last Saturday in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament finals.   

2. Beat on the feet

Takedowns win matches and it showed in this one. Warren Hills finished with a 24-14 edge and held P'burg to just one takedown (D'Onofrio) -- a 22-1 advantage -- through the first 10 bouts. The 'Liners, who racked up 13 in the last four bouts (eight from James Day at 126) also uncharacteristically struggled on bottom for most of the night. Sophomore Caleb Rivera, who beat Frizzell, 8-6, last Saturday, took down in the third and could not get out in a 1-0 loss. Pierson also was ridden out in the final period, though referee Mike Internoscia looked like he was ready to hit Pantuso with a second stall warning in the closing seconds that would have forced overtime.

3. Senior moment

Hills seniors went 6-for-6 against P'burg.

In addition to Lee and Frizzell, Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex champions Stepehen Malia (165) and Tyler McCatharn (285), along with Riedinger, did what they needed to do as big favorites. Malia (14-0), a former state qualifier, continued to impress with a 6-3 decision for his second win over Nate Zastowny, a 2020 HWS champion, in seven days. Malia converted the only takedown and got a turn for two with a bar in the third period. McCatharn (12-2), a sixth-place finisher in the 2021 state tournament, dominated John Wargo for the second straight week with a 5-1 win in their HWS finals rematch, while Riedinger (12-2) scored a 7-0 decision over Miguel Lopez. In what was considered a tossup coming in, senior Ryan Galka escaped with 37 seconds left to beat Connor Hille, 5-4, at 190.

4. Turning point

It's been a tough go early in the dual meet season for first-year head coach Brad Gentzle and assistant Tim Longacre, who showed tremendous class in congratulating the Hills wrestlers and coaches during the postmatch handshakes. Besides two lopsided wins over Watchung Hills (70-10 for the program's 1,000th victory) and Ridge (67-6), the 'Liners have struggled in their two toughest tests to date, including a 34-30 win over Hunterdon Central on Jan. 4. Freshmen Gavin Hawk (120) and Luke Geleta (132) have been as good as advertised, but P'burg is going to have a hard time overcoming losses by Cleaver, Zastowny and Pierson in key duals. Hille, who came into the season with no varsity experience, has done extremely well considering he's a 165-pounder wrestling 190 most matches. But the team will need others to pick up the slack if it's going to challenge for the Group 5 championship next month. Senior James Day (16-2 at 126), who has 91 career wins and is looking like a state medal contender, has been a rock down low.

5. Streak-ing along?

Speaking of state championships, Warren Hills, which hasn't won a sectional title since 2007, has been pointing toward this season as the year it finally breaks through in Group 3 for the first time since 1997. Losses to Group 4 contenders Mount Olive (33-27) and North Hunterdon (33-22) may have been huge wakeup calls, the latter especially. It's the type of performance that could set a tone the rest of the way. Had it not been for Redfield's win at 132 to put the team total at 35, Hills could have finished with 32 points in its first win over P'burg in 32 years. If you're a numbers person, the 1989-90 team won its first matchup against the 'Liners that season, 32-31, at The Pit. Sbriscia got his first victory after three losses to P'burg as a wrestler for the Streaks, while assistant coach Zach Fisher, a former Stateliner whose parents, Alan and Dawn, were 1987 Hills graduates, experienced the thrill of victory on the other side. In addition, assistant coach Marty White was a member of the 1989-90 team and a state champion in '91 and this one surely brought back some fond memories.

WARREN HILLS 35, PHILLIPSBURG 15

144 -- Sr. Jared Lee (15-0), WH, md. So. Liam Packer (3-6), 12-3.
150 -- Jr. Cody Miller (8-5), WH, md. Sr. Matt D'Onofrio (9-7), 15-7.
157 -- Jr. Michael Drazek (9-4), WH, d. Jr. Hunter Cleaver (12-6), 11-7. 
165 -- Sr. Stephen Malia (13-0), WH, d. Sr. Nate Zastowny (6-5), 6-3.
175 -- Sr. Owen Frizzell (12-2), WH, d. So. Caleb Rivera (11-7), 1-0.
190 -- Sr. Ryan Galka (11-5), WH, d. Jr. Connor Hille (7-6), 5-4.
215 -- Jr. Jarett Pantuso (10-5), WH, d. Sr. David Pierson (14-4), 1-0. 
285 -- Sr. Tyler McCatharn (12-2), WH, d. So. John Wargo (11-6), 5-1.
106 -- Fr. Charlie Piccione (5-2), WH, d. So. Dawson McWilliams (3-5), 7-0.
113 -- Sr. Kevin Riedinger (11-2), WH, d. Sr. Miguel Lopez (9-8), 7-0.
120 -- Fr. Gavin Hawk (17-5), P, md. So. Josh Lee (7-5), 13-1.
126 -- Sr. James Day (16-2), P, tf. Fr. Tyler Redfield (4-8), 23-5, 6:00.
132 -- Jr. Shawn Redfield (13-2), WH, d. Fr. Luke Geleta (13-5), 7-6.
138 -- Sr. Joey Innamorato (13-5), P, p. Jr. Ryan Lundy (3-9), :59.
Records -- Phillipsburg 3-1; Warren Hills 4-2.
Official -- Mike Internoscia.