Wrestling: Phillipsburg at Delaware Valley preview

What: Phillipsburg Stateliners at Delaware Valley Terriers.

Where: Hutchins Memorial Gymnasium, Alexandria Twp.

When: Monday, 7 p.m.

Live feed: Delaware Valley Athletics.

Conference: Skyland cross-divisional.

Records: Phillipsburg 10-1; Delaware Valley 11-3.

State rankings (New Jersey Wrestling Writers): Phillipsburg No. 9; Delaware Valley No. 19.

Coaches: Brad Gentzle (26-2, second season, 0-0 vs. DV); Andy Fitz (259-94, 16th season, 0-12 vs. P'burg).

Series history: Phillipsburg, which is 38-6 dating to 1975, has won 13 straight, including a 45-3 victory at home in the last meeting on Feb. 6, 2020. The teams did not meet during the 1978-79, 2008-09 and 2021 (COVID) seasons. Del Val's last win in the series was 42-9 at The Pit on Feb. 1, 2006. The other victories came in 1975, '82, '84, '93 and '05.

Notes: Phillipsburg wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses. Weight classes reflect two-pound growth allowance and plus-one for Monday match.

109 -- Fr. Massimo Gonzalez (12-13) vs. Sr. Owen Kucharski (21-2).

116 -- Jr. Dawson McWilliams (18-9) vs. Jr. Jake Taylor (17-5) or So. Lucas Beyers (7-11) or Fr. Tye Falkenstein (3-6).

123 -- Fr. Gavin Geleta (11-12) vs. So. Jaden Perez (18-2).

129 -- Jr. Kyle Beenders (7-13) vs. Jr. Matt Roche (20-7).

135 -- So. Gavin Hawk (21-4) vs. Jr. Jared Leeds (4-6).

141 -- So. Luke Geleta (21-5) vs. Jr. Jackson Bush (18-6) or So. Luke Sienkewicz (5-5).

147 -- Jr. Patrick Day (10-11) or Jr. Johnathon Roth (13-8) vs. Jr. Ben Levy (17-3).

153 -- Roth or Day vs. Sr. Chris Colasurdo (15-4) or Sr. Brayden Schneider (14-4).

160 -- Jr. Liam Packer (16-7) vs. Jr. Mitchell Sutter (10-6) or Schneider or Colasurdo.

168 -- Sr. Hunter Cleaver (12-5) vs. Sr. Garrett Tettemer (8-0) or Jr. Kevin Roman (16-10).

178 -- Sr. Connor Hille (16-5) vs. Jr. August Savacool (9-7) or Tettemer or Roman.

193 -- Jr. Caleb Rivera (19-7) vs. Jr. Anderson Olcott (18-5).

218 -- Sr. Logan Kries (13-11) vs. Sr. Jake Lagun (1-2) or Jr. Evan Newman (5-5).

288 -- Jr. John Wargo (21-2) vs. Jr. Kyle Cooke (10-10).

Breakdown: This one has the potential to be barnburner, something that seemed highly unlikely a few weeks back. The difference now is that Delaware Valley has the ability to put its best lineup on the mat with the extra pounds in place and the return of Tettemer, a PIAA Class AA state medalist who had to sit 30 days due to transfer rules, on Jan. 14. The Terriers are riding high after Saturday's impressive 39-23 win over No. 12 Warren Hills -- the program's first victory against an NJWWA Top 20 team in three-plus years (35-32 over Hunterdon Central on Jan. 3, 2020). Phillipsburg, a 31-22 winner over Hills on Jan. 9, is coming off a 42-21 road win on Friday against North Hunterdon, which beat Del Val, 35-33, on Jan. 18. The 'Liners have gone straight up with their lineup most of the season and that doesn't figure to change in this one, though Day could make the drop from 150. P'burg is favored at 132, 138, 157, 175, 190, 215 and 285. That's seven and 113 rates as a tossup. To win, Del Val, which has the edge at 106, 120, 126, 144, 150 and 165, likely needs to make a few moves and get the flip so it can control the 190 and 215 matchups. Rivera beat Olcott, 4-2, in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament

P'burg can win a division title at Central on Thursday

semifinals at 190. But giving 20-plus pounds away to Kries, who has shown noticeable improvement in recent weeks, would certainly not be a given. If the Terriers could pull that one off, they could save as many as six points as the 'Liners would be huge favorites at 215 and 285. Fitz, a 1990 state medalist for Del Val under his father and legendary coach, Vince Fitz (3-12 vs. P'burg), also has the option of bumping away at 138 and likely giving six there, with the potential to get 144, 150 and 157 (Colasurdo vs. Packer). That's the best move, in my opinion, with the expectation to come out ahead three points, otherwise 138-157 could be a wash. P'burg figures to have greater chances for bonus points, especially up top where it could sweep 175-285, while figuring on Tettemer going out at 165 and with Hawk at 132. Del Val will need to maximize points in the lower weights (106, 120 and 126) figuring decision-wins everywhere else, though 144 (with Day potentially down for the first time) and 150 could be tightly contested. That 113-pound bout looms big to me and Del Val will almost surely need that one to have a chance at pulling off the upset and end a 13-match skid in the series. But it's hard to see the 'Liners, who could very well win by double digits, dropping more than seven bouts. They should be able hang tough down low and get enough bonus to come out on top.

Prediction: Phillipsburg, 33-24. (DV getting the flip potentially makes it a little tighter).