With holiday tournaments firmly in the rearview, the dual meet portion of the season is set to get rolling in earnest this week as we sit just 10 days from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.
P'burg is coming off a fine top-five showing in the Bethlehem Holiday Classic at Liberty High School and will also compete in the Cranford Duals on Saturday. The Stateliners have been a little dinged up as senior starters Dawson McWilliams (3-0 at 126 pounds) and Patrick "Patch" Day (4-2 at 157) are dealing with knee and shoulder injuries, respectively.
Neither competed in last week's tournament, while sophomore Massimo Gonzalez (6-3 at 113) missed the quad with Delsea, Mount Olive and North Hunterdon on Dec. 23 due to illness. P'burg forfeited that weight with no backup presently on the roster. Even the 'Liners are dealing with depth issues in those lower spots.
Coach Tim Longacre's team rates as a huge favorite (Open Mike has a predicted score of 48-15 or thereabouts) against Warren Hills (4-2), which dropped a 37-33 decision to Caldwell in an independent match on Saturday. The Blue Streaks could potentially sweep from 106-132, but the 'Liners, who own a 60-15 edge in a series that began in 1948 -- including a 31-22 win at home last season -- will be eyeing big bonus points at several weights from 150-285.
A good matchup at 144 is likely to take place between P'burg junior Luke Geleta (11-1), a sixth-place finisher in last season's state tournament, and Warren Hills senior state qualifier Josh Lee (9-0). The Streaks' last win in the series was a 35-15 stunner two seasons ago at home, which snapped the program's 33-match skid vs. the 'Liners with their first victory since 1990.
Hunterdon Central (5-0), which swept a quad at home on Dec. 23, including a 45-33 win over reigning Group 2 runner-up Governor Livingston, is also trying to get its lineup in order. Senior Anthony Rossi (11-0 at 120) enters the week seven wins shy of the century mark for his fine career. Coach Jon Cantagallo-Rohm's Red Devils travel to South Jersey on Saturday for the Williamstown Duals.
Delaware Valley (3-0), which cruised to its first John Goles Invitational team championship since 2016 and went 7-for-7 in the finals on Thursday, resumes action in a quad at Morris Knolls on Saturday.
Unfortunately for both teams, the 9 a.m. opener pits Del Val against Kittatinny in a potential Group 1 final preview. The schedule makers didn't think that one through very well as Morris Knolls faces West Morris on the adjacent mat. Junior Jaden Perez (9-0 at 126) and seniors Matt Roche (8-0 at 132) and Anderson Olcott (9-0 at 190) are off to strong starts for the Terriers.
Around the Garden State
The Catholic School Duals on Saturday at Christian Brothers Academy will ring in the New Year with a blast wrestling wise.
The top three schools in the NJWWA Top 20 -- No. 1 St. Joseph-Montvale, No. 2 Delbarton and No. 3 St. Peter's Prep will be in the Catholic School Duals, as will No. 8 Don Bosco Prep, No. 9. CBA, No. 15 Seton Hall Prep and No. 16 St. Joseph-Metuchen. An always solid St. Augustine team is the eighth team in the tournament.
CBA coach Billy Ashnault said St. Joseph-Montvale will be seeded No. 1, Delbarton No. 2, St. Peter's Prep No. 3, with CBA and Don Bosco seeded Nos. 4 and 5, respectively.
Action will take place on four mats with quarterfinal, semifinal, championship, third place and consolation matches.
If the seeds hold, St. Joseph-Montvale and Delbarton would meet in the final in a rematch of last season's Non-Public A championship match, won by St. Joseph-Montvale, 28-24. Delbarton and St. Peter's Prep would be lined up to meet in one of the semifinals, if the seeds hold.
Earlier in the week, Bergen Catholic, ranked No. 4, will wrestle at St. Peter's Prep on Wednesday night and St. Joseph-Montvale will be at Don Bosco Prep on Friday.
On Saturday, Southern, the highest ranked public school at No. 6, will make its annual trip to Morris County and take on No. 14 Mount Olive and reigning Group 2 champion High Point in a tri-meet.
Over at Newton, the 18th Henry Boresch Duals are set for Saturday. No. 14 Delsea, coming off back-to-back Group 3 championships, is the top seed, followed by Paulsboro. North Hunterdon also is among the eight-team field.
Here is this week's NJWWA Top 20 with first-place votes in parentheses and voting points.
Also receiving votes: Howell (3-0) 2; Kingsway (3-0) 1; Paulsboro (3-0) 1.
Voting members 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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