What a wild and turbulent dual-meet season in New Jersey, especially in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area. As a result, it was quite the task to rank the Garden State's best week in and week out.
Del Val (18-3), which steamrolled the competition in capturing the program's 10th state championship overall and second straight in Group 1, went back-to-back for the first time since winning four in a row in Group 2 (1987-90) as the HWS area produced three champs (High Point in Group 2) for the second straight year (seventh overall since 1982) and third since 2018. The Terriers, who jumped up three spots in our season-ending poll, also closed strong in the final days of the regular season with wins over No. 12 Phillipsburg (33-27) and No. 13 Warren Hills (39-23) in a span of 48 hours in late January.
North Hunterdon (No. 15) and Hunterdon Central (No. 17) round out the local contingent in the final Top 20.
In the postseason, coach Andy Fitz's Del Val team outscored its five opponents, 310-67, including a 34-31 win over Paulsboro in the Group 1 final at Rutgers University. The Terriers rank ninth in Jersey wrestling history with 21 sectional titles and sixth with their 10 state championships.
Speaking of Rutgers, the venue was a major disappointment from a fan perspective with obstructed views (unable to see all four mats and clocks), no PA announcers giving wrestler names on each mat until later in the day, $17 parking fees $15 with a $2 surcharge) and a $15 entrance fee (a whopping total of $32). Let's hope the NJSIAA corrects these issues for next season. Why can't they do 3-mat sessions and Non-Public A by itself to utilize all of the seating on the floor? These should be simple and obvious fixes and hard to believe they weren't anticpated prior to Sunday.
Phillipsburg (15-3) moved up one spot as the Stateliners captured the Warren County school's 40th sectional title (trailing only Paulsboro's state-leading 42) and a state runner-up finish as their five-match win streak was snapped with a 41-14 loss to No. 5 Southern in the Group 5 final. The Rams, who were unquestionably the top public school this season and own a 10-7 series lead (5-3 postseason) against the 'Liners dating to 1997, also scored a 42-12 win over P'burg on Jan. 19. Sophomores Gavin Hawk (27-5 at 132 pounds) and Luke Geleta (28-5 at 138), along with junior John Wargo (28-2 at 285), are ones to watch on the road to Atlantic City, which begins with 32 district tournaments across the state on Saturday.
Hawk and Wargo are eyeing a championship repeat as P'burg again hosts District 10, which includes Belvidere, Hackettstown and Hanover Park. The Hornets, who dropped a 45-24 decision to Del Val in the Group 1 semifinals, feature sophomore Vincenzo LaValle, a district champion and third-place finisher in last year's state tournament.
Warren Hills (18-4), which went up against seven teams in the final poll, was the Group 3 runner-up for a second straight season -- falling twice to Delsea (35-24 in the Group 3 title match and 39-15 in the Jack Welch Duals semifinals on Jan. 21). The Blue Streaks, who won a second straight sectional title for the first time since 1997-98, knocked off North Hunterdon (35-34 via criteria of bouts won on Jan. 25), Hunterdon Central (30-26 on Jan. 12) and Kingsway (34-27 at the Jack Welch Duals). Senior Jarett Pantuso (28-2) picked up his 80th career win on Sunday -- a buzzer-beating pin in sudden victory against Delsea's Luke Maxwell, a 2022 state qualifier.
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| Logan Wadle needs two to join Alex Uryniak in the 100-win club. |
North Hunterdon (15-5) captured its second Group 4 title in three years and gave the county two winners for the first time since 1989 with a thrilling 33-27 win over No. 18 Jackson Memorial, which had been on quite a postseason run. The Lions, who also matched sister school Voorhees with 17 sectional championships, will compete in the District 13 Tournament at Scotch-Plains Fanwood on Saturday. Senior Logan Wadle (24-2), who is sitting on 98 career wins, starts his bid for a third state medal at 106 pounds after finishing second in 2021 and third in '22. Fellow senior and 2021 state medalist Alex Uryniak (29-1 at 190) became the 13th at North to hit the century mark for wins in the Lions' North 2, Group 4 sectional title victory.
Hunterdon Central (17-4) had an unceremonious ending to its season with a 34-33 loss to Howell in the Central Jersey, Group 5 title match. The Red Devils, who own wins over Delaware Valley (43-18 on Dec. 30) and North Hunterdon (38-27 on Jan. 10), had to twice postpone matches down the stretch for undisclosed reasons -- including a home date with Phillipsburg that was set to decide the Skyland Conference Delaware Division title. Junior Anthony Rossi (28-3 at 113) should be in the state medal hunt and his first District 17 title (one of six runners-up for Central in 2022) at the Field House on Saturday.
Also receiving votes: Howell (22-7) 9; Washington Township (25-2) 6; West Essex (18-3) 5; Cranford (21-4) 4; Mount Olive (11-5) 4; Old Bridge (19-5) 3; High Point (12-9) 1; St. Augustine Prep (12-10) 1
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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