Wrestling: Hills pins (7) down historic win vs. Central

WASHINGTON TWP. -- Longstanding rivalries and storied wrestling programs are synonymous with the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area. 

The 63rd meeting between Hunterdon Central and Warren Hills was somewhat different than years past as a high-scoring affair featured teams a little thin in spots and trying to get some wrestlers up to speed for what lies ahead this season.

Warren Hills ran off five straight pins to open the Skyland Conference cross-divisional match and never looked back in a 53-27 victory on Wednesday night in the dual-meet opener for both teams. It's the most points scored by the Blue Streaks (previous was a 42-27 win in 2006) and the largest combined total in a series dating to 1960. Hills, now 15-47-1 overall vs. Central, has won 10 of those meetings since 1990.

Warren Hills has won two of the last three vs. HC

"Proud of the guys tonight," said Streaks coach KC Wanamaker, now in his second season at the helm. "The big five [Augie Szamreta, Charlie Piccione, Davey Rhinehart, Aidan Webb and Tyler Redfield], they came through big and did what they needed to do."

Central (0-1), which came in a bit shorthanded and currently without a 113-pounder on its roster, is in the midst of a major rebuilding campaign after going 21-3 and capturing the Central Jersey, Group 5 sectional title last season. Starting at 120 pounds and the beginning of Warren Hills' run of talented lower weights was not ideal and put the Red Devils in a 30-0 hole through five bouts. 

"We knew they were going to be loaded down low," said Central coach Jon Cantagallo-Rohm, now 7-3 all-time against Warren Hills. "We went head-to-head with all those guys. They're super talented down low. It hurt not having [freshman] Aidan Thompson [illness]. That would have given us the ability to slide up from 144, 150 and 157, and at least make it a little bit closer."

Warren Hills (1-0), stepping on the mat for the first time this season, took it right to Central out of the gate. The first turning point came in the second bout at 126, as Piccione, a senior and two-time state qualifier, overcame 1-0 second-period deficit to flatten Red Devils junior Jace Brownlie with a cradle at the buzzer -- his 86th career win.

Central won its 23rd sectional title last season

Central ace Rhett Washleski, a two-time state qualifier, finally got his team on the board with a technical fall of Justin Hage at 150, as the Red Devils won four of five bouts -- sandwiched around Tyler O'Neill's pin for the Streaks at 165 -- through the middle to make it a 15-point deficit (36-21).

"Justin Hage has been on JV his whole career and went out and battled against a state wrestleback three, and stayed off his back to save us a team point," said Wanamaker, whose team next faces Mount Olive (1-0), ranked No. 14 in the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Top 20 poll, in an independent clash tonight at 7. 

"Same with Dom D'Aconti (175) and Ethan Drazek [157], and then of course the big pin from David Kocsor. They all just went out and battled from every position."

Kocsor's unexpected pin at 215 sealed it for Warren Hills. The senior, coming off a 10-20 campaign as a junior, overcame a 3-1 first-period deficit and gave the Streaks an insurmountable 42-21 lead with three bouts to go. Only two of 12 contested matchups reached the third period. 

"We're going to take our lumps," said Cantagallo-Rohm, who lost 19 seniors from a team that also won the HWS Tournament team title last season and returning heavyweight Tyler Suk (season-ending knee injury) who logged 26 wins and finished sixth in Region 4 as a junior. "A lot of underclassmen, a lot of kids with first-time varsity experience, a lot of kids who are brand new to wrestling. 

"We're going to have to scratch and claw to not give up bonus points, and try and pull out some matches in the third period. It's going to be a lot of learning this year, but I think it bodes well for the future."

WARREN HILLS 53, HUNTERDON CENTRAL 27

120 -- Jr. Augie Szamreta (1-0), WH, p. Fr. Joey Cassidy (0-1), 1:40.
126 -- Sr. Charlie Piccione (1-0), WH, p. Jr. Jace Brownlie (0-1), 3:59. 
132 -- Jr. Davey Rhinehart (1-0), WH, p. So. Brandon Voll (0-3), 1:19.
138 -- So. Aidan Webb (1-0), WH, p. Jr. Liam Walker (0-1), :18.
144 -- Sr. Tyler Redfield (1-0), WH, p. So. Andrew Zinko (1-3), 1:08.
150 -- Jr. Rhett Washleski (1-0), HC, tf. Sr. Justin Hage (0-1), 17-1, 2:53.
157 -- Jr. Grant Thompson (4-1), HC, tf. Sr. Ethan Drazek (0-1), 17-2, 4:23.
165 -- Sr. Tyler O'Neill (1-0), WH, p. Fr. Messiah Phelps (0-1), 1:06.
175 -- Sr. Nehemiah Bugasch (1-0), HC, tf. So. Dominick D'Aconti (0-1), 16-1, 4:19.
190 -- Sr. Joseph Rawlins (2-2), HC, forfeit.
215 -- Sr. David Kocsor (1-0), WH, p. Jr. Vance LiBrizzi (1-3), 2:41.
285 -- Jr. Declan Joyce (3-1), HC, p. So. Max Cruz (0-1), :21.
106 -- Fr. Nicholas Ricevuto (1-0), WH, tf. Fr. Jackson Sabo (0-1), 18-2, 3:59.
113 -- So. Braiden O'Hern (1-0), WH, forfeit.
Records -- Hunterdon Central 0-1; Warren Hills 1-0.