When it comes to rivalry matches and milestones, look no further than this week's wrestling slate in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area.
The five local teams residing in this week's New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20, released on Tuesday, are set to battle for bragging rights and potential Skyland Conference division titles.
No. 12 Warren Hills will make the trek down Route 31 to take on North Hunterdon on Thursday.
"It's five matches in nine days [including the regular-season finale at Watchung Hills on Feb. 1], but that's January and that's the end of the month," Gentzle told Mike Moore of Stateliner Sports following Monday's 51-14 waxing of Hanover Park in the first "Return to The Pit" match since 2019.
"That's what we train these kids for all December is so that when we get to this point in the year practices are about mental and physical recovery and prepare for competition."
Phillipsburg (9-1, 3-0 Delaware Division) bounced back in a big way following a tough 42-12 loss last Thursday at No. 5 Southern -- in a potential Group 5 final preview -- with a thrilling 33-23 victory over archrival Easton (Pa.) on Saturday at the 25th Street Gym. That win was fueled by sophomore Luke Geleta's match-turning pin at 138 pounds as he decked Red Rovers ace Oliver Fairchild with a tight cradle in 3:50 -- avenging an 11-4 loss when they met at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic in late December.
Geleta (20-5) earned the coveted Brad Weaver Memorial Award as the meet's most outstanding wrester, while junior heavyweight John Wargo (20-2) received the Easton Lions Club trophy for most aggressive wrestler in the 85th meeting. Easton still holds a 64-21 lead in a series dating to 1947, but the 'Liners, who have won four in a row and seven of the last nine matchups against the Rovers, are enjoying their best stretch in the rivalry since winning nine in a row from 1963-71.
Warren Hills (11-2, 4-0 Raritan Division) can secure a fifth straight division championship (fourth outright) with wins over North Hunterdon on Thursday and Delaware Valley on Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Streaks had a strong showing at the Jack Welch Duals -- going 4-1 with a 39-15 loss to No. 6 Delsea in a rematch of last year's Group 3 final -- and secured the program's 800th victory with a 34-27 win over Kingsway in the third-place match.
In addition, senior Jarett Pantuso (19-2 at 215) became the 48th wrestler at the Warren County school to notch at least 70 career victories. Fellow senior Shawn Redfield (19-3 at 138) is one shy of 80 wins to match current assistant coach and 1991 state champion Marty White, as well as Greg Slivka, for 28th on the all-time list.Streak defeat Kingsway 34-27 to reach #800. The team finished 4-1 on the weekend and 3rd overall at the Jack Welch Duals. #pushthepace @WHRSDAthletics @WHRHighSchool pic.twitter.com/OlbDVzmBgN
— Warren Hills Wrestling (@WHR_Wrestling) January 21, 2023
Hunterdon Central (12-2, 2-0 Delaware Division), which has won five straight since a 30-26 loss at Warren Hills on Jan. 12, scored an impressive 44-21 victory at No. 15 Mount Olive on Saturday. Coach Jon Cantagallo-Rohm's Red Devils are going to be a tough out come sectional time and could give P'burg fits on Wednesday -- provided Central can limit bonus potential for the 'Liners up top and in the middle weights. P'burg has won two in a row since Central's 29-27 win in 2019 -- no meeting in 2021 ---- and owns a 41-9-1 advantage in the series dating to 1962.
North Hunterdon (9-3, 4-0 Raritan Division) is looking to boost its chances at a division title after rallying for a 35-33 win over Delaware Valley last Wednesday. The Lions were up against it before junior Brian Wilson's match-sealing pin in the next-to-last bout at 157 pounds, as Terriers senior Garrett Tettemer loomed on deck for the 14th bout at 165.
Coach Chris Hrunka's team went 2-1 at the North Warren Patriot Duals, dropping a 46-27 decision to No. 11 St. John Vianney in the title match. Lions senior Logan Wadle (91 career wins), who recently dropped to 108, was not in the lineup.
March to a milestone
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| Former state champ and assistant Billy Smith (left) and Gardner |
Gardner, a 1990 state champ for the 'Cats and whose teams have won 17 of those league or conference championships (five in the old Sussex County Interscholastic League), improved to 399-118-2 overall with a 69-10 win over North Warren (coached by former High Point assistant Kellen Bradley) in the Patriot Duals on Saturday.
High Point, now 32-14-1 all-time against Kittatinny, secured No. 400 for Gardner and 774 for the program with a 42-18 win against Morris Knolls on Tuesday.
Only Kittatinny's John Gill (629), Hunterdon Central's Russ Riegel (533) and Phillipsburg Hall of Famer Rick Thompson (477 overall and 347 in New Jersey with P'burg, Hackettstown, Voorhees, Franklin and Mountain now West Orange) have recorded 400-plus wins among Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex coaches.
Listed in alphabetical order: Donald J. Brower (gardenstatehswrestling.com); Frank D’Esposito (shoreconferencewrestling.com); Steven Falk (Asbury Park Press and APP.com); Sean Farrell (The Record and NorthJersey.com); Tom McGurk (Courier Post and courierpostonline.com); Andy Mendlowitz (Courier News, Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com); Michael Weilamann (Open Mike and mikeopen.blogspot.com), Brad Wilson (lehighvalleylive.com/The Express-Times).
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