Sunday, February 20, 2022

Wrestling: District recap for HWS by the numbers

Let's review what happened in the nine districts that house teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area. In all, there are 122 locals wrestlers still competing -- up nine from 2020. No district tournaments were held in 2021 due to the pandemic. 

Overall, here are the area qualifiers by season since realignment (which changes every three years) was introduced in 2017 -- 118 in 2017 and '18; 125 in '19 and 113 in '20. The five-year average is 119.

The top three at each weight class advanced to the region tournaments that are now a two-day event on Friday and Saturday. Region 1 is at West Milford, Region 2 at Mount Olive, Region 3 at West Orange, Region 4 at North Hunterdon (a host for the first time) and Region 5 at Hunterdon Central.

Here's the team-by team breakdown of qualifiers:

Warren Hills (14); Phillipsburg (13); North Hunterdon (12); Pope John (11); Kittatinny, Hunterdon Central and Delaware Valley (10); High Point (9); Newton (6); Lenape Valley and Voorhees (5); Hackettstown and North Warren (4); Sparta and Belvidere (3); Hopatcong (2); Vernon-Wallkill Valley (1).

We had seven schools win team championships: High Point (D1), Pope John (D3), Kittatinny (D4), Phillipsburg (D10), Warren Hills (D12), North Hunterdon (D13), Delaware Valley (D15).

Here's a closer look by the numbers:

200 -- Warren Hills steamrolled its way to the District 12 team title at Randolph, amassing 319 1/2 points and crowning an area-best and program-record 11 champions -- the most for the Streaks since having nine winners as Washington High School in 1939 and '47. The previous high was six in 1959, '60, '66, '90 and 2017. Seniors Jared Lee (144), Stephen Malia (165), Owen Frizzell (175) and Tyler McCatharn (285), who became the program's 200th overall champion, won their second titles, while Charlie Piccione (106), Kevin Riedinger (113), Josh Lee (120), Tyler Redfield (126), Shawn Redfield (132), Michael Drazek (157) and Jarett Pantuso (215) were first-time winners. Also advancing to next weekend's Region 3 Tournament at West Orange were Cody Miller (150) and Ryan Galka (190), both runners-up, and third-place finisher Ryan Lundy (138). The Lees and Redfields are the first sets of brothers to win titles in the same tournament and the 16th combination to win championships in any year -- done previously by the Ostir brothers, Ryan (2014) and Jarod (2016-18). Current assistant coach and former state champion Marty White (1991) and younger brother, Jason White (1998), are also in that group. Dave Sbriscia, a two-time champ for the Streaks in 2005 and '06 who guided Hills to its first sectional title since 2007 and the program's first Group 3 final appearance since '97, was named the District 12 Coach of the Year, his second such honor in his four seasons as head coach.

P'burg has crowned a total of 367 district champs.
48 -- With eight champions, including three-time winner Joey Innamorato (138), Phillipsburg cruised to its 48th team championship and Brad Gentzle was named District 10 Coach of the Year. Innamorato, who decked Hanover Park's Massimo Mancini in 3:51, is the 29th to win three titles having wrestled their entire four-year careers in the storied program (three others won the first of three titles elsewhere before transferring to P'burg). Seniors James Day (126), Nate Zastowny (165) and David Pierson (215) became two-time champions, while freshman Gavin Hawk (120), senior Matt D'Onofrio (150), junior Hunter Cleaver (157) and sophomore John Wargo (285) won their first titles. Cleaver, who pinned Hanover Park's Edward Dyjeczynski with a spladle in 1:47, joined his grandfather, Rob Rhinehart, who won a title for Warren Hills in 1976, as a district champ. Day, who is 107-29 in his career, tied four-time champion John Horak (2007-10) and two-timer Travis Jones (2017-18) for 12th place on the school's all-time wins list. The 'Liners, who are sending 13 to Region 3, would have had a strong chance to send all 14, but sophomore Caleb Rivera (21-9 at 175-190) sustained an injury during practice last week and could not compete. Freshman Luke Geleta (132), who held a 4-1 lead at the time he was pancaked and pinned in the second period, and junior Connor Hille (175) were runners-up.

227 -- North Hunterdon won its fifth consecutive team championship, as juniors Logan Wadle (106) and Daniel Delusant (138) won their second individual titles to help the Lions roll in the District 13 Tournament at Millburn. North produced eight champs overall, the most since a program-record 10 in 1969, and after previously crowning seven for the only third time in 2020 (1975 and '93 the others). Wadle is now one shy of his father, Rudy, who won his third title for North in '93, while Ben Makaritis (113), Braxton Hanna (126), Nick DeLorenzo (132), Alex Uryniak (190), Brendan Raley (215) and Liam Akers (285) all won their first titles for the Lions, who have produced 227 champions overall -- missing having at least one winner just once in 2008. It's safe to say no one had Hanna winning a title on their bingo cards. The freshman, who entered the tournament a modest 0-1, proceeded to knock off the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 seeds in earning the Outstanding Wrestler Award.

11 -- Pope John cruised to its seventh district team championship overall and the Sussex County school's fourth since 1981, as the Lions produced six champions -- one shy of matching the program record -- for the fourth consecutive tournament in topping the District 3 field. Freshman Carson Walsh (113), juniors Jason Athey (120) and Jack Nauta (138), and seniors Jack Stoll (215), a 2021 state medal winner, and Jake Rubin (285) all won their first titles, while senior Colin Neal (150) picked up his second for the Lions, who advanced 11 to the Region 1 Tournament at West Milford, which hosted District 3 since Sparta was unable to host for unknown reasons. 

39 -- Hunterdon Central, which previously won five straight district team championships, and 10 in 12 years, was denied the program's 40th overall with a second-place finish behind St. John Vianney in District 17 at Franklin High School. Senior Tanner Peake (157), who was looking to become the Red Devils' first three-time winner since Peter Nace (2014-16), dropped a 3-2 UTB decision to Vianney's Jasiah Queen. In addition to Peake, Central, which is believed to have no champions for the first time since 1957, had six other runners-up in Anthony Rossi (106), Peter Plesh (113), Evan Thompson (132), Henry Wilkinson (138), Aidan Portnoy (144) and Nick Canonica (150). In all, Central is sending 10 to Region 5, which will be held at the Field House.

Gardner, Soldano and Billy Smith are all 3-time winners for HP. 
128 -- High Point ace Brian Soldano became the 15th wrestler at the Sussex County school to win at least three titles as the Wildcats, who have 128 champs overall, won the District 1 team championship at River Dell. Soldano (30-0), a two-time state champion, logged three pins (26 this season and 92 career) in a combined time of 4:08, including a 33-second job in the finals at 190 pounds to improve to 119-5 overall. Senior Clayton Utter (120), whose father, Paul, was a three-time champion (1985-87) while uncle Alan won twice (1981 and '82) for the 'Cats, claimed his second title to go with a runner-up finish in 2019. Clayton, a three-time state qualifier, scored a 6-4 win over River Dell's Taisei Kurachi, seventh in the state last season, and earned the Outstanding Wrestler Award. Former state champ John Gardner, a three-time winner for the 'Cats who led the program to a Group 2 runner-up finish last weekend, is the District 1 Coach of the Year. High Point moved nine onto Region 1.

28 -- District 4 team champion Kittatinny, which did not host for the first time since the early 1980s, extended the program's streak with at least one winner to 28 seasons as senior Steven Dalling (150) won his second title, while younger brother, freshman Ethan Dalling (165) picked up his first. Their father, Steve, a two-time state champion and three-time finalist, was the first in program history to win four district titles (1988-91). Sophomore Reece Smith (138) made it three champs for the Cougars, who advanced 10 wrestlers to Region 1. Shane Nelson (120), Chris Casale (132), Bryce Coesfeld (144), Tucker Lockburner (175), Tyler Holste (190) and Ty Eldred (285) were runners-up, while Avery Yeager (144) was third. John Gill, who guided the Sussex County school to its 23rd sectional title, was named District 4 Coach of the Year.

121 -- Delaware Valley went to the head of the class in District 15 at The Hutch behind five first-time winners -- Owen Kucharski (106), Jake Taylor (113), Chris Colasurdo (150), Matt Schneider (190), Trevor Bowen (215). Colasurdo shared the Outstanding Wrestler Award with Watchung Hills' Christian Calvo, who won at 144. The Terriers, who now have 121 winners in their illustrious history, have also had at least one champ in 24 straight tournaments since missing in 1997. Kucharski (25-7) is the first to win at the lowest weight class since Cody Barbiche, a former state placewinner, logged his second title at 103 in 2011. 

7 -- Belvidere and Hackettstown combined for seven placewinners in District 10 at Phillipsburg. Senior Patrick Horvath (113) became the 58th champion for the County Seaters, needing a reversal with six seconds left in the third period for a thrilling 3-2 decision over Hanover Park's Santino Danise and avenging a 6-0 loss when they met in a regular-season dual meet on Jan. 19. Sophomore Aidan Scheeringa won at 106 to give the Tigers 66 champions overall. 

6 -- Over in District 8, Lenape Valley senior Daniel Haws (126) became the sixth wrestler in program history to win three titles -- joining Gary Mikolay (1996-98), Derrick Goduto (1999-01), Chris Ressa (1999-01), Matt Benvenuto (2011-13) and Jacob Falleni (2015-17). All but Falleni are in the Patriots' 100-win club as Haws (29-3), who previously won titles at 106 and 113, became the 16th to hit the century mark last weekend and is 103-23 overall. Lenape advanced five to Region 2 at Mount Olive. Crosstown rival Hopatcong, which has 75 champs overall, trailing Lenape Valley now by two, missed for the third straight time and only the fifth since 1989. Michael Mastroeni (second at 165), who was looking to join Frank and Anthony Mastroeni, the school's last winners in 2018, as champions, and Tommy Feinberg (150) are the only Chiefs moving on to Region 2.

125 -- After missing in 2020, Voorhees had a pair of champions in District 13 as Hunter Cryan (120) and Mike Mosier (144) won their first titles to raise the Hunterdon County school's overall total to 125. The Vikes sent five to Region 4 at North Hunterdon as Josh Evers (113), Logan Wiecoreck (138) and Jack Mosier (215) all finished third. Former Delaware Valley state placewinner and Region champion Ricky Kurtz, who guided Voorhees to a third-place finish and its first winning season since 2019, was deservedly nominated for the District 13 Coach of the Year Award, which went to Irvington's Kyle Steele.

8 -- Newton's run of at least one champion extended to eight straight as junior Thaylor Sibblies (144) and senior Melkart Abou-Jaoude (190) won their first titles in District 3 as the Braves advanced six to Region 1. Sibblies, who was ecstatic after his 12-3 finals victory over Lakeland's Sean Walker , became the first of his siblings to win a district championship as older brother, Josh, a runner-up in 2013, won a Region 1 title and was named the OW before placing sixth in the state that season. Senior Takeo Sibblies was second at 150. Their father, Teddy, the school's last state finalist, also won district and region titles as a senior in 1989. Sparta's string of seven tournaments with a champion ended, but freshman Logan Hrenenko (132) and juniors Sebastian Gomez (165) and Bradley Maines (285) moved on to Region 1 with third-place finishes.

16 -- North Warren and Vernon-Wallkill Valley had cause to celebrate at District 4. Sophomore Zach Haase (113), who decked Max Alonso of host school Jefferson, became the first champ for North since 2014 (Matt Ritchie at 126) and the Warren County school's 16th overall. Ritchie, who also won in 2011 and Kevin Brown (2009-10) are the only two-time winners for the Patriots. Junior Daniel Lovett, a runner-up at 165, made history as the first region qualifier for Vernon-Wallkill Valley, which became a co-op starting in 2021. The last district medal winner for Vernon was John Alvarez (third at 160 in 2019). Both Vernon and Wallkill Valley had no qualifiers in 2020.     
Posted by Mike Weilamann at 12:44 AM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)