Wrestling: HWS sends 7 to public sectional finals

Phillipsburg and Warren Hills were nearly perfect as both easily advanced in Monday night's quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the NJSIAA sectional wrestling tournaments. 

In all, eight teams (Pope John is in the Non-Public North B semis) from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area are vying for titles. The area record is seven championships (1988, 1994, 1995, 2002).

P'burg (13-1), which is seeking an HWS area-best 39th sectional title, won 27 of 28 bouts in wins against fellow Skyland Conference foes Bridgewater-Raritan (68-5) and Franklin (80-0) in North 2, Group 5. Senior James Day picked up his 100th and 101st victories -- becoming the 25th to do so wrestling all four years at the Warren County school (two others were transfers). Day, one of the top 126-pounders in New Jersey, is 26-2 on the season and 101-29 overall.

WH also won conference titles in 2020, '21 and '22.

The top-seeded Stateliners, who are 38-3 all-time in title matches (missing in 1990, 2013 and 2020), will meet No. 3 seed Watchung Hills for the second time this season on Wednesday night in Lopatcong Township. The 'Liners topped the Warriors, 70-10, to earn the program's 1,000th victory in a Skyland Conference crossover contest at home on Jan. 6.

Warren Hills (16-3), the No. 1 seed in North 2, Group 3, also lost just one bout in wins against Rahway (77-0) in the quarterfinals and Mendham (63-3) in the semis. The Blue Streaks, who seek the program's sixth sectional title and first since 2007, will host No. 2 seed West Essex in a rematch of their 2020 title match, won by the Knights, 34-31, in North Caldwell.

Hills, which is 5-9 all-time in finals and lost its five previous finals appearances since 2007, is now 3-0 vs. Rahway and 5-0 vs. Mendham in career postseason meetings. Seniors Jared Lee (27-1 at 144) and Tyler McCatharn (24-3 at 285) picked up their 82nd and 92nd victories, respectively, while Stephen Malia (24-1 at 165) sits at 78-28 overall.

CONGRATULATIONS TO JAMES DAY FOR HIS 100th WIN!! pic.twitter.com/0CBjKbWGRL

— Phillipsburg Wrestling (@PBurgHSWrestlin) February 8, 2022

Big 5

Hunterdon Central, the No. 3 seed in Central Jersey, also advanced in the ridiculously-loaded Group 5 field with wins over Freehold Township (66-9) and No. 2 Rancocas Valley (44-27). The Red Devils (14-3), who have won 22 sectional titles in their history since the tournaments began in 1980, advance to face No. 1 Howell in the championship match.

Senior Tanner Peake (26-3), a sixth-place finisher in last year's state tournament, picked up a pair of forfeit victories and is 109-25 overall -- passing 1984 state champion Todd Patton (108-7-1 from 1980-84), Tim Cunningham (108-14-4 from 1989-93) and Kyle Brewer (108-31 from 1999-2003) for 12th place on the school's all-time wins list.

Final 4

North has won 2 titles in N2, G4 (2009 and '20)

North Hunterdon, which is seeking the program's 16th sectional title, will make a second consecutive North 2, Group 4 championship appearance after wins over Irvington (58-12) and Middletown North (43-27).

The top-seeded Lions, who fashioned their first unbeaten season in winning the Group 4 title in 2020, will host No. 3 Ridge on Wednesday night. Coach Chris Hrunka's team handed the Red Devils a 63-3 loss in North's regular-season finale on Feb. 2.

Senior Liam Akers (27-1 at 285), one of two state medal winners, along with junior Alex Uryniak (26-3 at 190), up top for North, picked up a pair of wins and is 81-18 overall.

Two!

High Point continued its march toward a Sussex County-best 29th sectional title with wins over Ramsey (56-15) and Newton (54-18). The latter victory also secured the NJAC Freedom Division title for the 'Cats as Friday's scheduled match was nixed due to inclement weather.

High Point has won 28 sectional and 6 state titles.

Coach John Gardner's team, which seeks the program's fifth consecutive sectional championship since 2017, will host No. 3 seed Jefferson once again in the title match. High Point (11-4), which has not won five straight titles since 2010-14 (program record is seven from 1986-92), handed Jefferson a 52-18 loss on Feb. 1 and a 52-16 loss in the 2020 semifinals en route to winning the Group 2 state title. The Falcons, who won their seventh and last sectional championship in 2000, also lost to the 'Cats in the 2017 and '18 finals.

High Point ace Brian Soldano (24-0 at 190), a two-time state champion and Rutgers recruit, picked up two pins on Monday to give him 21 on the season and 87 career (he also has two forfeits and a technical fall victory this season). Soldano, now 113-5 overall and riding a 61-match win streak dating to 2020, moved into a tie with Alex Dalrymple (113-29 from 2004-08) for 12th place on the school's all-time wins list.

Senior Clayton Utter (12-2) improved to 85-24 overall with wins against Ramsey and Newton.

The 1s

Kittatinny and Delaware Valley took steps toward a potential rematch in Sunday's Group 1 final as both easily advanced to sectional title matchups.

John Gill picked up his 600th win in 2021.

The Cougars (17-2), the top seed in North 1, Group 1, rolled past Lenape Valley (60-15) and Pompton Lakes (66-12) as legendary coach John Gill bids for his 23rd sectional title against Emerson-Park Ridge on Wednesday in Hampton Township. Gill (623-197-5 in 42 seasons) and EPR coach Stan Woods (New Jersey's all-time leader with 802 wins) have combined for 1,425 victories in 97 seasons.

The Terriers (14-4), also a No. 1 seed, rolled past Asbury Park (73-6) and Manville (60-6) to reach the Central Jersey, Group 1 final. Coach Andy Fitz's team, seeking the program's 20th championship and sixth since 2015, will take on No. 2 Point Pleasant Beach.

Public finals and Non-Public semifinals

Note: All No. 1 seeds and six No. 3 seeds advanced on the public side

Group 5

North 1

2-Passaic Tech (15-5, 28.50) at 1-Livingston (12-3, 32.80)

North 2

3-Watchung Hills (14-8, 26.90) at 1-Phillipsburg (13-1, 32.00)

Central Jersey

3-Hunterdon Central (14-3, 29.70) at 1-Howell (20-4, 36.30)

South Jersey

2-Kingsway (11-1, 31.22) at 1-Southern (16-0, 34.40)

Group 4

North 1

2-Morris Knolls (15-5, 29.00) at 1-Mount Olive (15-2, 35.40)

North 2

3-Ridge (8-10, 26.60) at 1-North Hunterdon (15-4, 34.70)

Central Jersey

2-Brick Memorial (16-3, 33.10) at 1-Middletown South (15-4, 33.40)

South Jersey

3-Moorestown (15-8, 27.40) at 1-Shawnee (22-1, 30.30)

Group 3

North 1

2-Paramus (15-3, 28.80) at 1-Morris Hills (17-5, 29.10)

North 2

2-West Essex (12-6, 31.90)  at 1-Warren Hills (16-3, 35.00)

Central Jersey

2-Robbinsville (19-2, 28.20) at 1-South Plainfield (15-2, 32.10)

South Jersey

2-Lacey Township (23-4, 32.00) at 1-Delsea (18-4, 33.10)

Group 2

North 1

3-Jefferson (18-3, 28.60) at 1-High Point (11-4, 32.30)

North 2

2-Governor Livingston (17-2, 28.20) at 1-Hanover Park (14-5, 28.50)

Central Jersey

2-Rumson-Fair Haven (11-9, 28.50) at 1-Raritan (19-6, 33.10)

South Jersey

2-Haddonfield (17-7, 28.30) at 1-Collingswood (23-2, 29.10)

Group 1

North 1

3-Emerson-Park Ridge (12-5, 26.90) at 1-Kittatinny (17-2, 30.60)

North 2

2-Roselle Park (11-2, 26.10) at 1-Hasbrouck Heights (15-7, 26.40)

Central Jersey

2-Point Pleasant Beach (15-7, 26.60) at 1-Delaware Valley (14-4, 32.40)

South Jersey

2-Gloucester City (18-7, 27.70) at 1-Paulsboro (16-0, 29.90)

Non-Public

North A

4-Paramus Catholic (9-2, 32.00) at 1-Delbarton (11-1, 34.00)
3-St. Joseph-Montvale (7-2, 31.43) at 2-Bergen Catholic (9-1, 32.33)

North B

4-DePaul (7-14, 24.70) at 1-Pope John (7-4, 28.89)
3-Pingry (11-2, 25.22) at 2-St. Thomas Aquinas (14-6, 28.70)

South A

4-St. Joseph-Metuchen (17-3, 30.80) at 1-Christian Brothers Academy (16-2, 34.70)
3-St. Augustine (12-3, 27.29) at 2-St. John Vianney (15-3, 34.00)

South B

5-St. Rose (3-16, 15.50) at 1-Red Bank Catholic (10-5, 27.80)
3-Donovan Catholic (7-9, 24.10) at 2-Holy Spirit (9-6, 25.00)