Wrestling: Boresch Duals a real Jersey mat special

It's one of the most anticipated events of the season as some of New Jersey's top high school wrestling programs will participate in the 19th Henry Boresch Duals on Saturday at Newton High School.

This year's event features perhaps the state's top public team as Delsea looks to three-peat in its third appearance. The Crusaders, ranked No. 9 in the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20 has won 13 straight sectional titles dating to 2011 (no team tournaments in 2021 due to the pandemic) and three consecutive Group 3 state championships. 

Newton has crowned the most individual state champs (82)

Paulsboro, last season's Group 1 champion, is no stranger to the Boresch Duals, as coach Paul Morina's teams won back-to-back titles in 2018 and '19, while dropping a 45-18 decision to Delsea in last year's title match.

Four-time champion South Plainfield also returns, along with North Hunterdon, a two-time Boresch Duals finalist and 2020 champion. Hillsborough, Governor Livingston, Hanover Park and Newton round out the eight-team field.

Delsea (1-0), which rolled to a 65-12 win over Williamstown in its only dual action on Dec. 19, is the No. 1 seed and will take on host Newton (1-0) in a rematch of last year's opening-round match at 9 a.m. The Crusaders, who handed the Braves a 78-6 loss in 2024, feature senior Jamar Dixon Jr. (5-2), a three-time state placewinner and a Sam Cali Tournament runner-up at 150 pounds, along with state qualifiers Greyson Pettit (5-1 at 113), Amari Vann (11-2 at 120), Gage Summers (10-3 at 126), Zavier Stokes (6-4 at 144), Riley Boos (7-4 at 165), Salvatore Marchese (8-2 at 215) and Alex Grippo (8-2 at 285).

Newton's concession stand would do well to bring its A-game as Delsea food enthusiasts "Snick and Snack" will be on hand. Check them out on the program's exceptionally informative Instagram page.

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Paulsboro (4-0), which is making its seventh Boresch Duals appearance, drew the No. 6 seed and will open against No. 3 Hillsborough. The Red Raiders are led by state qualifiers Hayden Holmes (6-1 at 113), a Region 7 fifth-place finisher in 2024 who made his AC appearance in '23, and Aundre Hill (7-3 at 126), third in Region 7 last season.

North Hunterdon (0-1), which dropped a 55-18 decision to Southern (No. 7 in the NJWWA Top 20) on Dec. 18, is the No. 2 seed and will square off with No. 7 South Plainfield in the second quarterfinal round. The Lions rely on a group of talented lower weights, including sophomore Cayden Wadle (7-1 at 106), senior Joseph Celentano (4-3 at 120), junior Reid Buzby (9-2 at 126) and sophomore Aiden Yarussi (8-2 at 132), while Joshua Joubert (5-4 at 157) and returning state qualifier Evan Kinney (6-1 at 175) -- both seniors -- are also off to strong starts.

North finished 1st in the Ron Mazzola Memorial Tournament

Newton (1-0), which won its fourth and last Boresch Duals title in 2010, is battling through injuries and inexperience early this season, but the Braves will look to use this event to get better down the road. Senior Aaron Stone (5-2 at 175), a two-time John Goles Invitational finalist, is one to watch.

Hanover Park (2-1), which features senior Vincenzo LaValle (7-2 at 190), a state runner-up last season and two-time third-place medalist who finished fourth at this season's Beast of the East, is guided by former Kittatinny standout Tyler Branham and ace assistant James LaValle, a three-time state champion for the Hornets, who won their lone Boresch Duals title in 2014.

Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Here is the schedule (All times approximate as a new round will begin following the completion of the previous session):

Quarterfinals, 9 a.m.

1-Delsea (1-0) vs. 8-Newton (1-0)
4-Hanover Park (2-1) vs. 5-Governor Livingston (1-2)

Quarterfinals, 10:30 a.m.

3-Hillsborough (1-1) vs. 6-Paulsboro (4-0)
2-North Hunterdon (0-1) vs. 7-South Plainfield (1-0)

Wrestleback semifinals, noon

Delsea-Newton loser vs. Hanover Park-Governor Livingston loser

Hillsborough-Paulsboro loser vs. North Hunterdon-South Plainfield loser

Semifinals, 1:30 p.m.

Delsea-Newton winner vs. Hanover Park-Governor Livingston winner

Hillsborough-Paulsboro winner vs. North Hunterdon-South Plainfield winner

Consolation round, 3 p.m.

Fifth- and seventh-place matches.

Championship round, 4:30 p.m.

First- and third-place matches.

Memory lane of champions

2006 -- Don Bosco 50, Haddonfield 24

2007 -- Newton 54, Pequannock 9

2008 -- Newton 36, Haddonfield 31

2009 -- Newton 43, Haddonfield 18

2010 -- Newton 34, Don Bosco 32

2011 -- Raritan 41, Newton 24

2012 -- South Plainfield 47, Raritan 18

2013 -- South Plainfield 62, Raritan 8

2014 -- Hanover Park 35, Raritan 29

2015 -- Howell 40, South Plainfield 15

2016 -- South Plainfield 45, Howell 20

2017 -- South Plainfield 43, Hanover Park 23

2018 -- Paulsboro 48, Hanover Park 20

2019 -- Paulsboro 37, South Plainfield 17

2020 -- North Hunterdon 40, Kingsway 21

2021 -- No event due to COVID-19

2022 -- Howell 39, North Hunterdon 28

2023 -- Delsea 53, South Plainfield 9

2024 -- Delsea 45, Paulsboro 18

Wrestling: HWS schedule for Dec. 30-Jan. 4

Monday, Dec. 30

(All events 9 a.m., unless noted)

Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference

High Point at Morris Hills, 11 a.m.

Independent

Vernon, Rutherford, Whippany Park at Hackettstown
Pope John in Gary Vittorio Classic at Parsippany Hills

Voorhees, Monroe at Hunterdon Central
 

Thursday, Jan. 2

Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference

Jefferson at Sparta, 7 p.m.
 

Friday, Jan. 3

(All matches 7 p.m., unless noted)

Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference

Kittatinny at Morris Hills, 6:30 p.m.

Skyland Conference

Delaware Valley at Immaculata, 6 p.m.

Warren Hills at North Hunterdon
Voorhees at Franklin
Belvidere at South Hunterdon, 6:30 p.m. 

Independent

Hopatcong-Lenape Valley at South Plainfield

Saturday, Jan. 4

(All events 9 a.m., unless noted)

Hackettstown, Sparta at Ramsey Duals, 10 a.m.
High Point, Southern, West Essex at Mount Olive
Kittatinny, Mendham, Morris Knolls at Delaware Valley, 9:30 a.m.
Hopatcong-Lenape Valley, North Warren at Elizabeth Tournament
North Hunterdon in Boresch Duals at Newton
Pope John, Camden Catholic at Paramus Catholic
Fort Lee, Tenafly at Vernon, 10 a.m.
North Plainfield, Passaic, Weehawken at Wallkill Valley, 10 a.m.
Hunterdon Central at Williamstown Duals
Phillipsburg at Cranford Duals
South Hunterdon, East Side, J.P. Stevens at Scotch Plains-Fanwood 

Warren Hills in Dan Trainer Duals at Collingswood

Wrestling: Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex standings

(Through Monday's matches)

Skyland Conference
Delaware Division
		Overall	Division
Bridgewater-Raritan		(3-1)	(0-0)
Hillsborough		(1-1)	(0-0)
Hunterdon Central		(0-1)	(0-0)
Phillipsburg		(2-0)	(0-0)
Watchung Hills		(1-0)	(0-0)
Raritan Division
		Overall	Division
Delaware Valley		(4-0)	(0-0)
Immaculata		(3-2)	(0-0)
North Hunterdon		(0-1)	(0-0)
Ridge		(2-0)	(0-0)
Warren Hills		(1-1)	(0-0)
Valley Division
		Overall	Division
Bernards		(2-2)	(1-0)
Somerville		(1-1)	(1-0)
Montgomery		(3-1)	(0-0)
Franklin		(1-3)	(0-1)
Voorhees		(0-2)	(0-1)
Mountain Division
		Overall	Division
Belvidere		(2-0)	(1-0)
Bound Brook		(2-3)	(1-0)
Manville		(2-0)	(1-0)
Pingry		(0-0)	(0-0)
South Hunterdon		(0-1)	(0-1)
Rutgers Prep		(0-3)	(0-2)
Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference
Freedom Division
		Overall	Division
Hackettstown		(1-0)	(0-0)
High Point		(3-0)	(0-0)
Hopatcong-Lenape V		(2-2)	(0-0)
Jefferson		(1-2)	(0-0)
Kittatinny		(3-1)	(0-0)
American Division
		Overall	Division
Mount Olive		(3-1)	(1-0)
West Morris		(2-1)	(1-0)
Delbarton		(3-1)	(0-0)
Sparta		(0-2)	(0-0)
Morris Hills		(1-3)	(0-1)
Pope John		(3-2)	(0-1)
Colonial Division
		Overall	Division
Dover		(3-1)	(0-0)
Newton		(1-0)	(0-0)
North Warren		(0-1)	(0-0)
Vernon		(0-2)	(0-0)
Wallkill Valley		(0-3)	(0-0)

Wrestling: HWS schedule for Dec. 23-29

Monday, Dec. 23

Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference

High Point at Sparta, 3 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 27

(Both events, 9 a.m.)

Belvidere, North Warren in Linn Crawn Memorial Classic at Kittatinny
Pope John at Sam Cali Invitational

Saturday, Dec. 28

(All events 9 a.m., unless noted)

Hackettstown, Vernon, Wallkill Valley at Lenape Valley Tournament, 10:30 a.m.
High Point in Mustang Classic at Brick Memorial, 10 a.m.
Delaware Valley, Newton in John Goles Invitational at Warren Hills, 10 a.m.
Pope John at Sam Cali Invitational
South Hunterdon at Hunterdon Central Invitational
Phillipsburg in Bethlehem Holiday Classic at Liberty (Pa.)
Voorhees at Bloomfield Tournament

Sunday, Dec. 29

Phillipsburg in Bethlehem Holiday Classic at Liberty (Pa.), 9 a.m.

Wrestling: Who's 1?; Dalling hits 100 (HWS ranks)

Where do you stand on the earlier start date to the New Jersey wrestling season? The Garden State officially began on Dec. 9 -- about one week earlier than in previous years. 

So far the consensus among some Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area coaches is that it's great for those experienced teams, but for most in these parts, it's more about getting some wrestlers who are fairly new to the sport or fresh on the varsity scene up to speed. This is life in the public school ranks.

Hunterdon Central, which graduated 19 seniors from last season's Central Jersey, Group 5 sectional championship team, is in the midst of a major rebuilding campaign. In addition, senior heavyweight Tyler Suk (26-13 and a Region 4 sixth-place finisher as a junior) also was lost before the season with a knee injury. The Red Devils currently have no 113-pounder, along with some newcomers who have wrestled for only a few weeks.

"We realistically had two weeks of practice," Central coach Jon Cantagallo-Rohm said after his team's 53-27 loss at Warren Hills on Wednesday. "You had the three tryout days [prior to Thanksgiving] and then you had two weeks, so it was like hurry up and get ready. Last year's team would have been in great shape with talented guys who are wrestling all year. 

"The season is long enough. I think starting the weekend before Christmas, [Dec.] 20th or 18th was [the start date] last year, to start earlier than that is asking a lot." 

Warren Hills, which returns a much more experienced lineup, was in the same boat as Central as far as newcomers to its lineup. The Blue Streaks are a handful from 120-144, but the upper weights are very inexperienced and without one starter from last season who opted not to wrestle and would have helped immensely.

"Most of our guys are multisport athletes. We're big on that," coach KC Wanamaker said. "We saw the opportunity to take the three weeks, train and get in wrestling shape after soccer and football and cross country."

There were a total of five dual meets involving area teams that opening week and a Saturday that featured a handful of tournaments and one quad meet.

It will be interesting to see how area programs will handle this moving forward.

Now, onto the season's first area rankings:

P'burg is the lone HWS area team in the NJWWA Top 20

1. Phillipsburg (0-0) -- Stateliners opened their season with a first-place showing at the John and Betty Vogeding Tournament last weekend behind seven champions -- sophomore Anthony Pettinelli (113), junior Massimo Gonzalez (126), sophomore Owen Garriques (132), senior Luke Geleta (144), junior Gavin Geleta (150), senior Gavin Hawk (157) and senior Derek Stone (175). P'burg, ranked No. 10 in the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Top 20, will square off with No. 14 Mount Olive on Saturday in a potential North 1, Group 4 sectional final preview.

Up next: Governor Livingston and Mount Olive at home on Saturday; Bethlehem Holiday Classic at Liberty (Pa.) Dec. 28-29.

2. Delaware Valley (2-0) -- Terriers finished second in the their Wendy Pandy-Leh Tournament behind Ocean Township last weekend, while the Group 1 runners-up last season opened the dual-meet season with wins over Robbinsville (53-16) and Bridgewater-Raritan (40-26). Senior star and returning state medalist Jaden Perez (5-0 at 132) picked up his 90th career win on Wednesday.

Up next: Lawrence and Morris Hills at home on Saturday; John Goles Invitational at Warren Hills on Dec. 28.

3. North Hunterdon (0-1) -- Lions got a good look at Group 5 kingpin Southern, ranked No. 7 in the NJWWA Top 20, in last weekend's Robin Leff Tournament before a 55-18 loss to the Rams in dual action on Wednesday. Senior Evan Kinney (4-1 at 175) finished third in the tournament, while super sophomore and returning state qualifier Aidan Yarussi (3-2 at 132) placed fourth.

Up next: Ron Mazzola Memorial Tournament at Old Bridge on Saturday. 

Poalillo with coaches John Gardner and Billy Talmadge

4. High Point (0-0) -- Wildcats also opened their season at the rugged Robin Leff Tournament with former state champion and Rutgers alum Billy Smith at the helm. Junior Jack Kithcart (2-2 at 190) was the team's highest placewinner with a fourth-place medal, while senior Donald Weiss (3-1) was sixth at 215. The 'Cats are still getting their lineup together as they head into dual action. On the girls' side, state champ Ella Poalillo won a Beast of the East title on Friday.

Up next: Long Branch and Red Bank Catholic at Middletown South on Saturday; at Sparta on Monday.

5. Pope John (3-2) -- Lions already have five duals under their belt -- opening the season with a 39-33 win over Hanover Park before going 2-1 in a quad with victories over Immaculata (39-36) and host Parsippany (54-24) and a 48-33 loss to Kellenberg Memorial (N.Y.). Coach Mark Piotrowsky's team, which will be stronger down the line with the addition of transfer Donny Almeyda, a two-time state fourth-place finisher at St. Joseph-Montvale, dropped a 42-26 decision to West Morris on Wednesday. Senior star and Pitt commit Carson Walsh (3-0 at 138), a state runner-up last season, sat that one out.

Up next: Beast of the East Tournament on Saturday and Sunday; Sam Cali Invitational on Dec. 28-29.

Hills makes its 1st MK Tournament appearance

6. Warren Hills (1-1) -- Blue Streaks opened their season with a 53-27 win over Hunterdon Central on Wednesday behind seven pins before dropping a 53-13 decision to Mount Olive the following evening. The combined 80 points were the most in a series against Central, which owns a 47-15-1 edge dating to 1960, while Hills' team total also was a program best in 63 meetings. Juniors Augie Szamreta (2-0 at 120) and Davey Rhinehart (2-0 at 132) and senior Tyler Redfield (2-0 at 144) are off to fast starts.

Up next: Morris Knolls Tournament on Saturday; 66th John Goles Invitational on Dec. 28. 

Dalling (2nd at Caldwell Tourney)

7. Kittatinny (3-1) -- Cougars bounced back from a 57-15 season-opening loss to No. 19 Caldwell (2-5 vs. Kittatinny all time) by going 3-0 at the Kochajki Holiday Duals on Friday with wins over Bound Brook (65-8), River Dell (37-36) and host West Milford (55-15). Legendary coach John Gill's program now sits at 691 wins overall, while senior ace Ethan Dalling (6-1 at 175) became the 20th member of the Sussex County school's 100 wins club with three victories on Friday. He now stands at 101-22 overall. His father, Steve, a three-time state finalist and two-time champ for Gill, went 113-12 from 1987-91.

Up next: Linn Crawn Classic on Dec. 27.

8. Sparta (0-1) -- Spartans came up short in their only action to date -- a 39-34 loss to Pompton Lakes on Dec. 12. Senior Logan Hrenenko (1-0 at 150) is four wins shy of 90 for his career, while junior Ryan Hrenenko (1-0 at 138) is two wins away from 60. Coach Dan Trappe's team is like many in the area as it tries to get its best lineup on the mat. A solid set of upper weights is a huge plus.

Up next: Morris Knolls Tournament on Saturday; High Point at home on Monday.

9. Hunterdon Central (0-1) -- Red Devils opened their season with a seventh-place finish at the Caldwell Tournament last weekend before a tough 53-27 loss at Warren Hills on Wednesday -- the first action for junior star Rhett Washleski (1-0 at 150), who logged his 71st career win with a tech fall vs. Hills. Washleski, junior Grant Thompson (1-0 at 157) and senior Nehemiah Bugasch (1-0 at 175) will compete in the rugged Beast of the East Tournament on Saturday and Sunday.

Up next: Hunterdon Central Invitational on Dec. 28.

10. Hackettstown (1-0) -- Tigers rolled to a 66-12 win over North Warren in the season-opening dual for both Warren County schools on Wednesday. Zachary Calhoun (1-0 at 190), who received a forfeit, was the lone senior to step on the mat for coach Jim Berringer's team, which started 10 sophomores and racked up seven pins. Two of those sophs -- Joseph Rowinski (1-0 at 113) and Giovanni Gutierrez (1-0 at 132) will competed in the Beast of the East on Saturday and Sunday.

Up next: Morris Knolls Tournament on Saturday; Lenape Valley Tournament on Dec. 28.