Wrestling: DV bests Kittatinny for G1 title; PJ rallies

Delaware Valley's wrestling team had almost a month to the day to stew over a one-point road loss to Kittatinny. The rematch was worth the wait.

DV won 8 G2 titles (1984, '85, '87, '88, '89, 90, '99 and 2017).

Junior Brayden Schneider (144) and senior Noah Sheeley (165) came through with clutch decisions as the Terriers pretty much ended any suspense early on in their 36-23 win over the Cougars in Sunday's Group 1 title match at Franklin High School.

Del Val (17-4), which wasn't tested in winning the Central Jersey sectional championship and was looking to avenge a 30-29 loss to Kittatinny on Jan. 15, won nine bouts in the rematch, including pins from senior Trevor Bowen (190) and Owen Kucharski (106), to salt away the program's ninth state championship. It's the Terriers' first in Group 1 after winning the last of their eight titles in Group 2 in 2017. It's also just the fourth for Hunterdon County since 2000 (North Hunterdon won Group 3 in 2002 and Group 4 in 2020).

Kittatinny (19-3), which was seeking its ninth state championship (seven in Group 2) and first since winning its only Group 1 title in 2008, beat Del Val in four previous Group 2 finals (2001, '02, '05, '06), but came out flat and was outwrestled for most of this match. In addition, Del Val, now 7-10 all-time vs. the Cougars dating to 1992, won the flip and was able to control key matchups at 157 and 215.

Sophomore Ben Levy opened the match with a 12-3 major decision over Avery Yeager at 138 pounds (Levy won 7-6 in the regular-season dual). Schneider (13-13) converted two second-period takedowns en route to a 6-3 win over Reece Smith (21-7). That avenged a 6-4 loss in their January encounter and gave the Terriers, who logged the first seven takedowns of the match, critical early momentum.

Sophomore Bryce Coesfeld stopped the run temporarily by scoring a third-period reversal for a 4-3 win over Chris Colasurdo in a good matchup at 150 and senior state medalist Steven Dalling's 12-4 major of Sam Thomas at 157 evened the team score at 7, but Kittatinny was surely looking for additional team points there. The flip gave coach Andy Fitz the opportunity to swap Thomas and Sheeley, who lost by technical fall against Dalling in the previous dual, at 157 and 165.

Sheeley put Del Val in the driver's seat by escaping with six seconds left for a 5-4 win over freshman Ethan Dalling, who beat Thomas, 8-7, last time, at 165. Ethan Dalling (20-9) had converted a double-leg takedown with 32 seconds to go in the third to tie it at 4. Sophomore Anderson Olcott followed with a 6-2 win at 175 and Bowen's pin of Tyler Holste (who lost 4-2 in this matchup in January) gave the Terriers a commanding 19-7 lead through seven bouts.

Kittatinny, which was hoping to sweep 215 and 285 coming in, had no control and was forced to send out senior Ty Eldred, who worked Tim Torrey for a 10-2 major. Senior Matt Schneider scored a 6-0 victory over Jay Martin at 285, and Del Val secured the title with Kucharski's pin and Jake Taylor's technical fall at 113, which gave the Terries an insurmountable 33-11 lead with three to go.    

DELAWARE VALLEY 36, KITTATINNY 23

138 -- So. Ben Levy (20-11), DV, md. Sr. Avery Yeager (8-10), 12-3.
144 -- Jr. Brayden Schneider (13-13), DV, d. So. Reece Smith (21-7), 6-3.
150 -- So. Bryce Coesfeld (25-7), K, d. Jr. Chris Colasurdo (22-6), 4-3.
157 -- Sr. Steven Dalling (26-3), K, md. Sr. Sam Thomas (8-7), 12-4.
165 -- Sr. Noah Sheeley (23-8), DV, d. Fr. Ethan Dalling (20-9), 5-4.
175 -- So. Anderson Olcott (16-11), DV, d. So. Tucker Lockburner (13-10), 6-2.
190 -- Sr. Trevor Bowen (21-9), DV, p. Sr. Tyler Holste (16-12), 3:54.
215 -- Sr. Ty Eldred (26-4), K, md. Sr. Tim Torrey (9-14), 10-2.
285 -- Sr. Matt Schneider (22-10), DV, d. Sr. Jay Martin (17-11), 6-0.
106 -- Jr. Owen Kucharski (22-7), DV, p. So. Gavin Collier (1-6), :16.
113 -- So. Jake Taylor (17-9), DV, tf. So. Dylan Zupkay (3-19), 16-1, 4:19.
120 -- Sr. Shane Nelson (24-3), K, forfeit.
126 -- Sr. Robert Groogan (10-2), DV, d. So. Jacob Savage (4-5), 6-1.
132 -- Jr. Chris Casale (21-7), K, forfeit.
Records -- Delaware Valley 17-4; Kittatinny 19-3.

Lions get 'A' for B title win

Seniors Jack Stoll and Zachary Hentschel delivered key pins and junior Jack Nauta sealed the deal with his fall in the final bout as Pope John scored a 42-31 win over Red Bank Catholic in the Non-Public B state final.

The Lions (10-4), who picked up their 11th sectional title on Friday, also claimed the program's second state championship since 2018., which ended a 24-year drought. Pope John's seven state titles -- 1982, '83, '86, '92 and '94 in addition to 2018 and '22 -- rank second to Kittatinny's eight among Sussex County schools. High Point, which came up short in the Group 2 final, is next on the list with six. Sparta is the only other program in the county to win a state title -- Group 2 in 1983.

Pope John had to rally, as Red Bank Catholic (12-6) grabbed a 25-6 lead midway through after a pin at 190. Stoll (13-2), who placed fifth in the state tournament last season, sparked the comeback by decking Davin Brewton (18-3) in a key matchup at 215 pounds. After the Caseys forfeited 106 because their starter missed weight, talented freshman Carson Walsh added a pin at 113 to make it 31-24 with three bouts to go.

Junior Jason Athey (120) kept the string of four straight pins to close before Hentschel (14-6) and Nauta (6-1), a transfer from Sparta who had to sit the first 30 days of the season per NJSIAA rules, sealed the deal. 

The match featured a total of nine pins, seven in the first period.

POPE JOHN 42, RED BANK CATHOLIC 31

138 -- So. Marco Conroy (11-5), RBC, md. So. Spencer Moser (4-3), 14-0.
144 -- Sr. Dan Conroy (10-7), RBC, d. Fr. Joseph Rozynski (9-13), 9-8 UTB.
150 -- Sr. Colin Neal (14-5), PJ, p. Jr. Christian Ungemah (8-11), 3:19.
157 -- So. VJ Muscillo (13-8), RBC, d. Sr. Angelo DeAngelis (10-11), 8-3.
165 -- Jr. Robert Muscio (10-8), RBC, p. Fr. Kevin Wilson (5-12), :40.
175 -- Jr. Sabino Portella (18-0), RBC, p. Jr. Justin Fontana (10-8), 1:37.
190 -- Jr. Michael Palmieri (13-5), RBC, d. Fr. Luke Brown (0-4), 7-1.
215 -- Sr. Jack Stoll (13-2), PJ, p. So. Davin Brewton (18-3), :45.
285 -- So. Lorenzo Portella (19-2), RBC, p. Sr. Jake Rubin (15-8), :45.
106 -- Fr. Jake Holly (9-10), PJ, forfeit.
113 -- Fr. Carson Walsh (15-3), PJ, p. So. Anthony DeGaetano (9-7), 1:01.
120 -- Jr. Jason Athey (14-8), PJ, p. Fr. Michael Milke (8-8), 1:12.
126 -- Sr. Zachary Hentschel (14-6), PJ, p. Sr. Trevor Learn (9-7), 1:08.
132 -- Jr. Jack Nauta (6-1), PJ, p. So. Isaiah Nash (4-14), 2:49. 
Records -- Pope John 10-4; Red Bank Catholic 12-6.

Last Sunday our PJ Wrestling won the NJSIAA Non-Public B Wrestling Team Championship in a 42-31 victory against Red Bank Catholic.

PJ trailed 31-12 after nine bouts but came back after four pins and a win.

Congratulations to PJ Wrestling on the great win!!!#WeArePopeJohn pic.twitter.com/mgPXKTVZ51

— Pope John Lions Athletics (@PJLionsSports) February 14, 2022