Wrestling: P'burg rolls to 23rd; Streaks, 'Cats fall shy

Phillipsburg's wrestling team had some serious soul searching to do about a month ago following one of the worst losses in program history. 

But the Stateliners never lost sight of the ultimate goal and the drive to No. 23 was never sweeter as they steamrolled Howell, 51-8, in the Group 5 championship match on Sunday afternoon at Franklin High School.

Delaware Valley (Group 1) and Pope John (Non-Public B) also captured titles earlier in the day as the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area matched its all-time best with three state championships. It's happened twice since 2018 and only six times -- 1982, '83, '87, '89 were the others -- since the tournaments formed in 1982. There have been three public school winners on just two occasions (Phillipsburg, Delaware Valley and Voorhees in 1987; P'burg, Del Val and Hunterdon Central in '89). 

P'burg has won an HWS-best 23 state titles.

P'burg (16-1), which dropped a 35-15 decision to Group 3 runner-up Warren Hills on Jan. 14, never looked back -- winning 13 in a row, including a thrilling 27-26 victory over Southern in the Group 5 semifinals on Friday -- en route to capturing the program's first title since 2018 and first in Group 5. The 'Liners, who won 12 bouts against Howell (22-5), previously won 14 state championships in Group 4 and eight in Group 3.

This one got out of hand quickly as sophomore Dawson McWilliams started P'burg off with a pin at 106 pounds. After Howell took a brief 4-3 lead through two bouts, super Stateliner freshman Gavin Hawk started a 7-0 P'burg run with an impressive 5-2 decision over highly regarded sophomore Sebastian Ortega, who finished fifth in the state tournament at 113 in 2021.

Senior James Day followed with a 5-4 decision at 126 -- moving him to 104-29 overall and ahead of Brandon Paetzell (103 from 2012-16) for 19th place on the school's all-time list -- and freshman Luke Geleta (132) tacked on a pin at 132 for a commanding 18-4 lead through five. The 'Liners won eight of the next nine to close it out, as 2021 state champion Hunter Mays provided the only other win for the Rebels with a 16-4 major over former state qualifier Nate Zastowny at 165. 

Phillipsburg started the celebration a bit early when wrestlers dogpiled sophomore John Wargo before he could get his hand raised and return to the bench following a 12-4 major of Thomas Richards in the final bout at 285.

The Stateliners had good cause to be a bit overenthusiastic after coming up short against Kingsway in the 2019 Group 4 final (26-20) and against 2020 Group 4 champion North Hunterdon in the North 2, Group 4 sectional final (37-12) that season. Prior to those tough losses, P'burg had won five straight Group 4 titles (2014-18).

First-year head coach Brad Gentzle and rookie assistant coach Tim Longacre embraced for several minutes following the victory. No doubt savoring the moment after having taken over the always heavily-scrutinized program last spring under tough circumstances. Gentzle was part of six state championships as an assistant, while Longacre. a longtime and respected youth coach, was a starter on the 1992 Group 3 title team.

PHILLIPSBURG 51, HOWELL 8

106 -- So. Dawson McWilliams (12-9), P, p. Fr. Mason Hultman (6-9), 3:41.
113 -- Fr. Xavier Ortega (27-5), H, md. Sr. Miguel Lopez (17-13), 12-2. 
120 -- Fr. Gavin Hawk (28-6), P, d. So. Sebastian Ortega (17-4), 5-2.
126 -- Sr. James Day (29-2), P, d. So. Sawyer Ostroff (16-9), 5-4.
132 -- Fr. Luke Geleta (22-7), P, p. Jr. Kieran Bruen (19-10), 4:51.
138 -- Sr. Joey Innamorato (25-6), P, d. So. Giovanni Scafidi (17-8), 6-4.
144 -- So. Liam Packer (10-8), P, d. Sr. Rob Wiessel (17-9), 2-1.
150 -- Sr. Matt D'Onofrio (18-10), P, tf. Jr. Gavin Merkel (14-10), 18-2, 5:43.
157 -- Jr. Hunter Cleaver (23-8), P, md. Sr. Nick Acque (21-6), 15-7. 
165 -- Sr. Hunter Mays (29-1), H, md. Sr. Nate Zastowny (14-6), 16-4.
175 -- Jr. Connor Hille (18-8), P, md. Sr. Ian Soutar (17-10), 12-1.
190 -- So. Caleb Rivera (21-9), P, p. Jr. Robert Owen (0-6), 3:17.
215 -- Sr. David Pierson (26-4), P, p. So. Dane Colfer (13-13), 2:23.
285 -- So. John Wargo (22-8), P, md. Jr. Thomas Richards (17-11), 12-4.
Note: Phillipsburg penalized two team points for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Records -- Howell 22-5; Phillipsburg 16-1.

Streaks slip vs. Delsea

Warren Hills had waited for a quarter century to get another shot at winning a Group 3 title. The Blue Streaks will have to wait a bit longer after a disappointing 28-27 loss to South Jersey power Delsea in one of the most entertaining finals on Sunday.

Warren Hills won its only Group 3 titles in 1990 and '97.

Coach Dave Sbriscia's Streaks (17-4), which cruised to the program's first sectional title since 2007 in North 2 and were making their first state finals appearance since 1997, won the first four bouts to open the match, including junior Shawn Redfield's 6-4 thriller in sudden-victory overtime against Alex Zimmerman. Redfield (28-3) converted the tying takedown 40 seconds into the third period and the winner off a slick slide by with just 31 seconds left in OT.

Hills, which gave up a pin and a major in the next two, was still in good shape halfway through with a 17-10 lead after Jared Lee's 7-1 victory at 144, but the match-turner came at the turn when Cody Miller was decked by Austin Boos in what was considered a tossup bout. Despite being the dominant wrestler on his feet (three takedowns to none), Miller was curiously put on bottom to start the third despite a 6-3 lead and Boos looked strong on top, using an arm lever to a half for the stunning fall in 5:15.

Delsea (20-5), which captured its third state title and first since 2015 after falling short in 2016, '17, '18, '19 and '20, also got a key decision at 157 before its powerful upper weights, who were a bit better than Hills' strong contingent, sealed the deal. The end run started with two-time state placewinner Jared Schoppe's 5-0 win at 175, and Luke Maxwell's 4-3 win over state medalist Jarett Pantuso, who gave up a decisive third-period reversal, sealed it. The Crusaders opted to give 2021 state placewinner Tyler McCatharn a forfeit win at 285. 

Warren Hills, which beat three Group champions (P'burg, Delaware Valley and Raritan) and a runner-up (Howell) this season, will look to regroup for next weekend's District 12 Tournament at Randolph High School. 

DELSEA 28, WARREN HILLS 27

106 -- Fr. Charlie Piccione (19-4), WH, d. Fr. Gage Summers (25-8), 5-4.
113 -- Sr. Kevin Riedinger (24-5), WH, d. Fr. Zavier Stokes (21-9), 4-2.
120 -- So. Josh Lee (22-6), WH, tf. Jr. Jacob Hassett (13-11), 17-0, 4:48.
126 -- Jr. Shawn Redfield (29-3), WH, d. Jr. Alex Zimmerman (22-9), 6-4 SV.
132 -- Fr. Jamar Dixon Jr. (26-8), D, p. Sr. Max Pagano (5-2), 2:54.
138 -- Jr. Giovanni Degeorge (21-11), D, md. Jr. Ryan Lundy (11-16), 14-5.
144 -- Sr. Jared Lee (29-2), WH, d. Sr. Marius Fennal (17-14), 7-1.
150 -- Jr. Austin Boos (18-13), D, p. Jr. Cody Miller (19-10), 5:15.
157 -- Jr. Tyson Derenberger (24-9), D, d. Jr. Michael Drazek (21-7), 3-2.
165 -- Sr. Stephen Malia (27-1), WH, md. Jr. Michael Hopkins (0-7), 12-1.
175 -- Jr. Jared Schoppe (30-1), D, d. Sr. Owen Frizzell (25-5), 5-0.
190 -- Jr. Danny Digiovacchino (29-3), D, md. Sr. Ryan Galka (26-6), 9-2.
215 -- Jr. Luke Maxwell (30-3), D, d. Jr. Jarett Pantuso (24-6), 4-3.
285 -- Sr. Tyler McCatharn (27-3), WH, forfeit.
Records -- Delsea 20-5; Warren Hills 17-4.

'Cats fall to Rockets

High Point seemingly had things going its way early, but three pins turned the tide and ultimately were the difference in a 37-27 loss to Raritan in the Group 2 final.

The Wildcats (13-5), who were coming off winning the program's 29th sectional title and a 44-21 win against Collingswood in the state semifinals on Friday, jumped out to a 9-4 lead through three behind a pin from two-time state champion Brian Soldano -- his 23rd fall this season and 89th career -- to open the match and freshman Nick Clayton's 6-2 decision at 106. 

High Point is 2-2 in state finals since 2018.

Soldano (27-0) extended his match win streak to 63 dating to 2020 and raised his career record to 116-5 overall.

But the first sign of trouble came at 113, when freshman Colton Jaust, who had been wrestling well of late, was decked with a second-period cradle in a scoreless bout with Matt Erven. Senior Clayton Utter, who fell shy of a state medal in two of his three state tournament appearances, steadied the ship with a 4-1 victory at 120 and junior Roman Citro's pin at 126 made it 18-10, before Raritan, which won its second title and first since 2012, turned things with Braden Kmak's pin with a first-period cradle at 132.

The Rockets, who won eight bouts, took a 19-18 lead that they would not relinquish on Logan Acevedo's 6-0 decision at 138 and added their third of four pins on the day at 144.

Junior Shane Woolf (157) and senior Troy Tiger (175) were the only winners in the final eight bouts for High Point, which won the Group 2 title in 2020 and beat Raritan, 30-25, in the 2018 title match.

RARITAN 37, HIGH POINT 27

215 -- Sr. Brian Soldano (27-0), HP, p. Sr. Sean Lane (18-8), :30.
285 -- Sr. Nick Burns (28-2), R, md. Sr. Noah Ripley (9-10), 17-8.
106 -- Fr. Nick Clayton (22-5), HP, d. So. Aidan Davis (22-9), 6-2.
113 -- Jr. Matt Erven (14-6), R, p. Fr. Colton Jaust (6-4), 3:22.
120 -- Sr. Clayton Utter (15-2), HP, d. Jr. Ryan Mansueto (22-7), 4-1.
126 -- Jr. Roman Citro (13-4), HP, p. Jr. Jake McCully (2-12), :41.
132 -- Jr. Braden Kmak (25-5), R, p. So. Ty Woods (14-10), 1:39.
138 -- So. Logan Acevedo (11-5), R, d. Jr. Nate Clayton (1-5), 6-0.
144 -- So. Zach Reilley (26-1), R, p. Sr. Andrew Brevot (16-9), 3:52.
150 -- Sr. Alex Auletta (22-8), R, d. Jr. Will Gomez (2-10), 7-1.
157 -- Jr. Shane Woolf, HP, d. Sr. Quinn Peters (22-9),, 4-0.
165 -- Jr. Bobby Mulligan (15-14), R, p. So. Dalton Yetter (7-9), 3:19.
175 -- Sr. Troy Tiger (14-5), HP, p. So. Stephen Moser (1-3), 3:02.
190 -- Jr. Kieran Falzon (18-10), R, d. Sr. Alfred Castellani (3-1), 5-4.
Records -- Raritan 22-6; High Point 13-5.