Wrestling: Rivalries, milestones aplenty (HWS ranks)

The high school wrestling season seems to be speeding along as usual. We recently wrapped up the 15th Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament and now diehard fans can set their sights on what should prove to be some interesting duals in the coming weeks.

First up is Phillipsburg, which starts another of its tough stretches with Friday night's trip to Delaware Valley. The Stateliners (8-0), who own a 39-7 edge all-time against the Terriers (8-1) dating to 1975, rate about 15-20-point favorites -- depending on matchups -- going 5-1 in head-to-head county tournament matchups on Saturday. (Open Mike has P'burg winning, 41-18.)

P'burg won its 9th HWS team title on Saturday

Phillipsburg, ranked No. 10 in the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Top 20, has a rare Saturday off before hosting No. 12 Rumson-Fair Haven on Monday in Lopatcong Township. Next weekend, the 'Liners square off against archrival Easton (Pa.) in the process of building toward a Group 4 title run next month.

"As long as we're seeing progress, week in and week out, we don't necessarily need to peak today," coach Tim Longacre said prior to Wednesday's 58-7 thrashing of Hillsborough in a key Skyland Conference Delaware Division matchup. 

"We can peak in another month from now. We're OK with that. Our goals are big, so as long we keep building, we'll peak at the right time."

Conversely, Del Val is also starting the toughest portion of its schedule as coach Andy Fitz's team heads to No. 16 Caldwell on Saturday to face the Chiefs for the first time since a 26-24 win on Feb. 13, 2010, which gave the Terriers a 4-0 lead in the series since 1983. Watchung Hills, Ridge and Cranford are next week's opponents for the Group 1 title favorites.

'Cats closing in on 800

High Point, fresh off its 56-14 rout of Kittatinny on Wednesday, is sitting on 798 wins as a program heading into Saturday morning's quad at DePaul. Round 1 vs. Ocean Township starts at 9 a.m., with matches against DePaul and North Hunterdon to follow.

Interestingly, three of the four head coaches for the Wildcats (8-3) who preceded Billy Smith were in attendance at Kittatinny -- Jeff Hull (288-104-4 in 27 seasons over two stints, 1970-93 and 1996-98), Jan Michaels (47-12 in three seasons from 1993-96) and John Gardner (406-122-2 in 25 seasons from 1998-2024).

Sweet win for South 

South Hunterdon picked up its first dual victory in 20-plus years as the Eagles scored a pulled off a 40-36 decision over Rutgers Prep in a Skyland Conference Mountain Division clash on Wednesday in West Amwell Township.

South won 7 bouts (5 pins) vs. Rutgers Prep

Senior Noah Cormier (4-5) sealed the deal with a pin in the final bout at 285 pounds for South (1-7), which is in its first varsity season since the early 2000s after spending the previous three on the junior varsity level. Eagles coach Leigh Hall is no stranger to the HWS area as the former Del Val standout heavyweight has made coaching stops at his alma mater, Voorhees and Hunterdon Central.

"I'm just happy for the program," Hall said via text message. "We had a big crowd, too."

Now, onto this week's team rankings:

1. Phillipsburg (8-0) -- Stateliners rolled to their ninth HWS team championship behind a tournament-best 11 placewinners, including senior Gavin Hawk (157) became the program's first four-time champ and just the fourth in the event's history. Fellow senior Luke Geleta (144) joined Hawk as the only 'Liners to win at least three. Hawk, who is 127-20 overall, is one win from tying Max Elling (128-37 from 2011-15) for second place on the school's all-time wins list.

Up next: at Delaware Valley on Friday; Rumson-Fair Haven at home on Monday. 

North picked up its 824th win on Wednesday

2. North Hunterdon (5-2) -- Lions, who finished third in the HWS team race behind six runners-up, entered the NJWWA Top 20 for the first time this season as coach Dave Bell's team checked in at No. 18. Sophomore Aidan Yarussi (15-3 at 132) scored a big 5-3 win over fellow returning state qualifier Mason Tettambel in North's 50-15 rout of Immaculata on Wednesday.

Up next: Rumson-Fair Haven at home on Friday; High Point, Ocean Township at DePaul quad on Saturday.  

3. Delaware Valley (8-1) -- Terriers finished fourth in the HWS team race as senior ace Jaden Perez (18-0) dusted the field at 126 pounds to claim his first county title, while senior Jackson Bush (16-2), who picked up his 90th career win in the semifinals, finished second at 150. Del Val's scheduled match at Hunterdon Central on Wednesday was postponed due to a boiling water advisory as coach Andy Fitz's team gears up to face a pair of state-ranked teams this weekend.

Up next: Phillipsburg at home on Friday; at Caldwell on Saturday.

4. High Point (8-3) -- Wildcats rolled to their fourth straight win with a 56-14 thumping of Kittatinny on Wednesday in the 49th meeting between Sussex County and NJAC Freedom Division rivals. Former state champion Billy Smith (4-0 against the Cougars as a wrestler) picked up his first win as head coach for the 'Cats, who have won three of the last four meetings and own a 33-15-1 series edge since 1976. Returning state qualifier Nick Clayton (11-3 at 150) is five wins shy of reaching the career century mark. 

Up next: North Hunterdon and Ocean Township at DePaul quad on Saturday.

5. Pope John (6-4) -- Lions were second in the HWS team standings as senior ace Carson Walsh (19-1 at 138) joined former state champions JoJo Aragona (2016-19) and Eddie Ventresca (2017-20) as the only PJ wrestlers to win four county titles. Walsh, a Pitt recruit, also earned the Outstanding Wrestler Award -- the school's second and first since Aragona (2019). Walsh and two-time HWS champ Dalton Weber (9-2 at 132) did not wrestle in the team's 55-6 loss to Delbarton on Wednesday.

Up next: Parsippany Hills and St. Augustine Prep at home on Saturday.

Piccione celebrates his milestone win

6. Warren Hills (2-4) -- Blue Streaks, who finished fifth in the HWS team race, came up short in a 41-34 loss to reigning Group 4 champion Ridge on Wednesday in a Skyland Conference Raritan Division clash. Three-time finalist Augie Szamreta (16-2 at 113) won his first county title, along with senior Charlie Piccione (16-2), who picked up his 100th career win in the finals.

Up next: Jack Welch Duals at Moorestown on Friday and Saturday.

7. Kittatinny (5-6) -- Cougars won just three bouts (including a forfeit to senior Ethan Dalling at 175) in a 56-14 loss to High Point on Wednesday as coach John Gill's team was seeking back-to-back wins in the series for the first time since 2016-17. With that forfeit, Dalling (114-23) moved past his father, Steve, and fellow two-time state champ Roman Fleszar for 12th on the program's career wins list. Former state runner-up Mike Weber (119-19 from 1998-2002) sits in the 11th spot.

Up next: Hackettstown at home on Friday.

8. Sparta (2-7) -- Spartans just haven't had their full lineup together at any point this season, but coach Dan Trappe's team did manage to tie High Point for sixth place in the HWS team race. Junior Ryan Hrenenko (18-3 at 132) placed third, while senior Logan Hrenenko (15-5 at 138) was a runner-up before becoming the 10th member of the program's 100-wins club in Wednesday's 51-20 loss to Morris Hills. Juniors Sean Brown (10-4 at 144) and Liam Hassloch (10-7 at 215) made their first county finals appearances.

Up next: Mendham, Verona at Hackettstown quad on Saturday.

9. Hunterdon Central (2-7) -- Red Devils, who entered just seven wrestlers, finished eighth in the HWS team standings as junior Rhett Washleski (19-2 at 150) won his second title after a runner-up finish in 2024. He'll look to become only the sixth four-time finalist next season. Junior Grant Thompson (16-5 at 157) made his first finals appearance.

Up next: Bridgewater-Raritan, Jefferson at Brick Memorial quad on Saturday.  

10. Hackettstown (6-4) -- Tigers produced their first HWS champ since 2018, as sophomore Joseph Rowinski (13-3) won at 106 pounds after last season's third-place finish. Sophomore Bryan Dougherty (12-4) was third at 120. Coach Jim Berringer's team is a handful down low and features only one senior and 10 sophomores in the starting lineup.

Up next: Sparta, Mendham and Verona at home on Saturday.