Wrestling: Streaks dominate Terriers in title tune-up

With postseason championship week right around the corner, Warren Hills stayed the course with an impressive 57-3 win over Delaware Valley to secure the Skyland Conference Valley Division title on Tuesday night in Washington Township. 

The Blue Streaks (13-3, 4-0 division), who won 13 bouts, secured their fourth straight division crown (third outright) as they extended their win streak over the Terriers (12-5, 3-1) to three in a row. Warren Hills, which has now outscored Del Val, 153-35, during that stretch, produced its second-largest margin of victory and most team points in the series since a 56-0 shutout (then Washington High School) in the inaugural meeting in 1962. Delaware Valley, which owns the only other shutout (66-0 in 1981) in the series, previously hit 50 in a 57-9 victory in 2000.

Warren Hills is now 4-2 at home this season.

Del Val, which owns a 31-22 edge overall, dropped the first eight bouts before sophomore Ben Levy, who logged the only two takedowns for the Terriers, scored a 6-2 decision over Ryan Lundy at 138 pounds. Warren Hills, which finished with a 23-2 edge on its feet, closed it out with two decisions, including a 4-3 win by Cody Miller over Chris Colasurdo (behind a third-period reversal) at 150, two pins and one technical fall.

The match started in a great spot for Warren Hills as  its strong group of upper weights set the tone. Senior Ryan Galka opened with a 10-2 major over Matt Schneider at 190. Galka (21-5), who has really come on in the second half of the season, hit a five-point move in the first period and added two more backs in the second. Junior Jarett Pantuso (20-5), who finished eighth in the state last season at 215, added a 6-0 decision and fellow state medalist Tyler McCatharn, sixth at 285, decked Kyle Cooke in 49 seconds.

The Streaks' lineup got even stronger with the return of senior Max Pagano, who stretched the lead to 34-0 after Sam Kirkpatrick defaulted in their bout at 132. Pagano had missed most of the season due to right elbow injury, but he looked sharp in his debut with a pair of first-period takedowns. Early in the second period, Kirkpatrick (15-10) appeared to sustain a right foot or ankle injury and could not continue.

Del Val, which closes out the regular season at home against Phillipsburg on Friday, hopes to be at full strength for next week. The Terriers, who are the top seed in Central Jersey, Group 1, are looking to make a run at the program's 20th sectional title and its first state championship since winning it all in Group 2 in 2017.

Warren Hills, which will host Livingston, the top seed in North 1, Group 5, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night, is the No. 1 seed in North 2, Group 3. The Streaks are eyeing the program's first sectional title since 2007 and first state championship since winning Group 3 in 1997.  

Hills performance against Del Val, which was coming off a pretty good showing in its 29-28 loss to Hunterdon Central on Monday, was reminiscent of the 35-15 rout of Phillipsburg on Jan, 14. Coach Dave Sbriscia's team won the first 10 bouts with a 22-1 advantage in takedowns. The Strreaks were impressive in all phases against the Terriers, particularly on the mat (15 sets of back points and two other turns that ended with pins).

WARREN HILLS 57, DELAWARE VALLEY 3

190 -- Sr. Ryan Galka (21-5), WH, md. Sr. Matt Schneider (17-10), 10-2.
215 -- Jr. Jarett Pantuso (20-5), WH, d. Sr. Trevor Bowen (16-9), 6-0.
285 -- Sr. Tyler McCatharn (21-3), WH, p. So. Kyle Cooke (5-6), :49.
106 -- Fr. Charlie Piccione (14-3), WH, d. Jr. Owen Kucharski (17-7), 8-2.
113 -- Sr. Kevin Riedinger (19-4), WH, d. So. Jake Taylor (12-9), 7-2.
120 -- So. Josh Lee (16-6), WH, md. Sr. Robert Groogan (5-2), 10-0.
126 -- Jr. Shawn Redfield (22-3), WH, tf. Fr. Jackson Bush (12-11), 16-0, 4:33.
132 -- Sr. Max Pagano (1-0), WH, default Sr. Sam Kirkpatrick (15-10), 2:05.
138 -- So. Ben Levy (17-9), DV, d. Jr. Ryan Lundy (8-14), 6-2.
144 -- Sr. Jared Lee (24-1), WH, d. Jr. Brayden Schneider (10-11), 6-1.
150 -- Jr. Cody Miller (16-7), WH, d. Jr. Chris Colasurdo (18-5), 4-3.
157 -- Jr. Michael Drazek (17-6), WH, tf. Sr. Noah Sheeley (19-7), 15-0, 3:06.
165 -- Sr. Stephen Malia (21-1), WH, p. Sr. Sam Thomas (6-5), 2:39.
175 -- Sr. Owen Frizzell (21-3), WH, p. So. Anderson Olcott (11-11), 1:18.
Records -- Delaware Valley 12-5, 3-1; Warren Hills 13-3, 4-0.
Official -- Joe Benvenuto.