Wrestling: District recap for HWS by the numbers

Let's review what happened in the eight districts that house teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area. There are 99 local wrestlers still competing, down eight from the previous two seasons.

Overall, here are the area qualifiers by season since realignment (which now changes every year) was introduced in 2017 -- 118 in '17 and '18; 125 in '19; 113 in '20 (no district tournaments in '21 due to the pandemic); 122 in '22, 107 in '23 and '24. The eight-year average is 114.

High Point advanced a Sussex County-best 11 to R1

The top three at each weight class advanced to the region tournaments on Friday and Saturday. Region 1 is at West Milford, Region 2 at Mount Olive, Region 3 at West Orange, Region 4 at Union and Region 5 at Franklin are those involving HWS wrestlers.

Here's the team-by team breakdown of qualifiers:

North Hunterdon and Phillipsburg (12); High Point (11); Delaware Valley (10); Pope John (9); Newton (7); Sparta and Warren Hills (6); Hackettstown and Hunterdon Central (5); Kittatinny and Voorhees (4); Hopatcong-Lenape Valley and North Warren (3); Belvidere and Vernon (1).

We had five schools win team championships: Phillipsburg (D1), High Point (D4), Pope John (D12), North Hunterdon (D14), Delaware Valley (D15).

Here's a closer look by the numbers:

Redfield celebrates his 100th career win

11 -- Washington High School became Warren Hills following the 1966-67 school year. Since then, only two wrestlers have won four district titles for the Blue Streaks. Senior Tyler Redfield (32-3) is now the second to do so wearing a Hills singlet as the District 7 champion at 132 pounds -- while also becoming the 11th member of the program's 100-wins club. Redfield and Dave Richmond (2003-06) are the only ones to four-peat since '68. Three others did so for Washington -- Vince Fucci (1938-41), Harry Pambianchi (1939-42) and Johnston Oberly (1954-57). Streaks junior Augie Szamreta (31-3 at 113), one of six Region 2 qualifiers for Hills, won his second district title and will aim to become only the 23rd to win at least three for the Warren County school in 2026. Junior Davey Rhinehart (29-5 at 126) ended his family's title drought with his first championship. In some alumni news, former Blue Streak Sean O'Neill's son, Sean, a senior at Somerville, won his first title at 190 pounds in District 15. His dad was a sophomore on the 1989-90 Warren Hills team that finished No. 1 in the state and capped his career with a fourth-place finish in District 1 at 152 pounds in 1992. 

391 -- Phillipsburg steamrolled the field in District 1, as the host crowned an area-best eight champions, including senior Gavin Hawk (33-1 at 157), who became only the ninth Stateliner to win four titles -- joining Bob Jiorle (1968-71), Rick Thompson (1970-73), John Margeson (1976-79), Justin Koeller (2000-03), Dave Post (2000-03), Luke Grassi (2005-08), John Horak (2007-10) and Brian Meyer (2015-18). Hawk also raised his program records for wins (143) and pins (92), while earning OW honors. Fellow senior ace Luke Geleta (33-1 at 144) joined 33 others who have won at least three titles, while his younger brother, Gavin (28-6 at 150), won his second. Sophomore Owen Garriques (26-9 at 132) also repeated, while freshman Zack Swingle (26-8 at 106), sophomore Anthony Pettinelli (31-6 at 113) and juniors Massimo Gonzalez (28-10 at 126) and Ben Ellis (23-12 at 285) got on the board with their first as P'burg, which has produced at least seven winners in seven straight tournaments since 2018, raised its overall total to 391. Ellis made it a family affair as his father, Stephen, won back-to-back titles at heavyweight in 1973 and '74, for the 'Liners. Garriques' father, John, won three district titles (one at Hackettstown in 1994 and two for P'burg in '96 and '97). Tim Longacre was named District 1 Coach of the Year.

NH had 6-plus champs for the 4th time since 2017

31 -- North Hunterdon, which has gone just one season without a district winner (2008), added six more to the list as junior Reid Buzby (29-8 at 126) won his second title, while sophomores Cayden Wadle (28-8 at 106) and Aidan Yarussi (33-4 at 132) and seniors Joseph Celentano (23-13 at 120), Joshua Joubert (25-13 at 157) and Evan Kinney (31-3 at 175) all won their first golds. The Group 4 champion Lions, now with 240 champs overall in their 68-season history, moved a co-HWS-best 12 wrestlers onto Region 4. Wadle earned the seventh championship for his family as older brother, Logan (2020, '22 and '23), and their father, Rudy (1991-93), all won three for the Lions. Dave Bell was named District 14 Coach of the Year for the host team, while assistant Andrew Gapas, a former state medalist, won a pair of titles for North in 2017 and '18. In all, 31 wrestlers from Hunterdon County schools will compete at the region level.

21 -- High Point extended its streak with at least one district winner to 21 straight tournaments as freshman Logan Takach (20-10 at 106) won his first, while senior star Nick Clayton (28-3 at 150) picked up his second in head coach Billy Smith's first season at the helm. Clayton is the school's first repeat winner since three-time state champ Brian Soldano won his third and Clayton Utter his second in 2022. Smith, a former state champion (2011) and four-time NCAA qualifier at Rutgers is also among 15 to win three or more district titles for the 'Cats, along with assistant coach Billy Talmadge (2017-19). High Point, which rolled to the team title in District 4 at West Essex High School, boast 134 champs overall and haven't been shut out at the district level since 2003, as the 'Cats advanced a tournament-best 11 to Region 1 at West Milford High School. 

Del Val edged Watchung Hills, 238-226, in D15

27 -- Delaware Valley won a tight team race with host Watchung Hills in District 15 with a tournament-best six champions, including senior Jackson Bush (30-4 at 150), who won his second career title and first since 2023 after a runner-up finish last season. Juniors Tristan Fawhtrop (106), Michael Hasson (138), Sebastian Dobak (144) and Olivier Paul (165), along with senior Luke Sinkewicz (157), all won their first titles. Senior ace Jaden Perez (32-2) suffered his second loss this season to Watchung Hills state medalist Anthony DiAndrea, who won OW honors with an 8-4 win in their title matchup at 126 pounds. The Group 1 champion Terriers have had at least one winner in 27 straight tournaments since missing in 1997, and they produced six champs for the fourth time in program history, joining the 2006, '23 and '24 squads, one shy of a record seven (1993). Del Val coach Andy Fitz, who has coached 57 of the school's 139 champs, won a district title for the Terriers at 160 pounds in 1990.

131 -- Voorhees junior Christian Bollette (29-6 at 132) won his second straight title -- the first in his family to do so -- while sophomore Johnny D'Andrea (27-6 at 113) picked up his first at District 15, as the pair of Vikes raised the program's total to 131 over 50 seasons. Runners-up Cole Dahl (21-13 at 106) and Dimos Maroulis (17-15 at 215), also advanced to Region 4 at Union. Bollette's father, J.P., was a 1997 district champion for Kittatinny at 130 pounds, while uncles, Eric and Brian, are also former standouts for the Cougars and head coaches at Newton and Morris Hills. J.P. and Eric ('94) were also seventh-eighth place medalists.

Ethan Dalling

6 -- Kittatinny senior Ethan Dalling (34-2 at 175) extended the program's run of at least one district champ to 31 straight tournaments, while becoming only the sixth to capture four titles with his finals victory in District 3 at Kittatinny Regional High School. Dalling, a three-time state qualifier and 129-23 overall, decked Bergen Catholic senior Genti Idrizi in 2:17 to earn OW honors and move past Kittatinny great Matt Valenti (127-7 from 1998-2002) for eighth place on the school's career wins list. Dalling's father, Steve, a two-time state champion, was the first four-time winner (1988-91) and the last sole champion in a district tournament for the Cougars in his senior season. John Gill, whose program has produced at least one champion each season since missing in 1993, was named District 3 Coach of the Year. Kittatinny advanced four wrestlers to Region 1, amazingly its fewest number of qualifiers since 1998 (four).

7 -- Pope John extended its streak with at least five champions to seven straight tournaments by matching a program-record seven in easily winning the District 12 team title at Morristown High School. Senior Carson Walsh (30-1 at 138), a three-time state medal winner and Pitt recruit who is 129-15 overall, became only the sixth at his school to win four titles -- joining Mike Frick (1969-72), Hugh Albora (1972-75), Brian Unkert (1987-90), Jake Rotunda (2015-18) and Eddie Ventresca (2017-20). Walsh also moved past former state champ Robbie Garcia (126-23 from 2015-19) for fourth place on the school's career wins list. Fellow senior Donny Almeyda (13-0 at 144) also claimed his fourth district gold (three at St. Joseph-Montvale) and first for the Sparta-based school. Junior Dalton Weber (20-3 at 132) matched 10 other Lions who have won at least three titles, including assistant coach JoJo Aragona (2016, '18 and '19), while senior Jake Holly (19-5 at 113) won his second. Sophomores Lukas Katsigiannis (22-9 at 150) and Braydan Lombreglia (17-6 at 157), along with junior Cole Dunham (27-3 at 165) each picked up their first championships. Lombreglia's father, Dan, won a district title at 171 pounds in 1998 for the Lions.

104 -- Hunterdon Central junior Rhett Washleski (34-2 at 150) won his third title, while junior Grant Thompson (27-5 at 157) and senior Nehemiah Bugasch (22-10 at 175) were first-time winners as the Red Devils advanced five out of District 20 in Matawan. Freshman Aidan Thompson (7-5 at 144) saw his first action since December and placed third to earn his first Region 5 appearance. The Thompson brothers' father, Matt, was a three-time state placewinner for Central. Washleski, now 104-12 overall, is one win shy of matching Matt Thompson (105-18 from 1989-93) for 20th place on the school's all-time list.

Kyle Blew is a two-time region qualifier

9 -- Belvidere, Newton and Vernon combined for nine region qualifiers. County Seaters senior Kyle Blew (31-7 at 190), champion last season, finished third in District 12 and became the eighth member of the school's 100-wins club at 101-39 overall. Blew's pin of North Star Academy's Haamid Shakoor was a milestone moment as the first to reach the century mark since all-time leader Quinn Melofchik (142-119 from 2015-19). Newton, which was shut out in the finals for a second straight season and third time since 2013, advanced seven to Region 1 by going 5-0 in the consolation round in District 3. Senior Keegan Murtagh (23-6 at 126) and sophomores Joey Melillo (18-15 at 144) and Sean Brown (22-13 at 285) are first-time qualifiers. Junior Tyler Morodan (16-7 at 157) placed third for a second straight season, while senior Aaron Stone (22-7 at 165) got his third district medal. Freshman Layne Smith (9-12 at 106) and senior Mason Bucci (25-9 at 150) were runners-up. Vernon senior Daniel Rendon (21-4 at 190) was his school's lone qualifier in District 3.

3 -- Sparta, which sent five to the championship round at District 3, came away with three gold medals for the second straight season as juniors Ryan Hrenenko (31-4 at 132) and Luke Brown (14-10 at 190) won their second titles, while Sean Brown (25-6 at 144) picked up his first. Hrenenko and Brown are the first to repeat at the Sussex County school since Garrett Stewart and Spencer Stewart went back-to-back in 2019 and '20. The Spartans have logged 23 district winners since 2014 after being shut out from 2008-13 and in '22. Senior Logan Hrenenko (29-6 at 138), a two-time runner-up and champ in 2024 who is 114-41 overall, moved past Phil Takacs-Senske (112-27 from 1999-2003) for seventh on the school's all-time wins list.

Graziano on the top step in D7

79 -- Lenape Valley's streak with at least one champion ended at 19 straight tournaments last season as the Patriots were shut out for the first time since 2003. Now combined with Hopatcong, Lenape Valley advanced three to the Region 2 Tournament at Mount Olive High School, including senior Gage Graziano (33-5 at 144), a two-time winner who became the program's 79th champ overall with a first-period pin in District 7. Senior Marc Pavese (27-12 at 138) placed third for a third straight season after a runner-up finish in 2022. 

8 -- Hackettstown, which did not have a champ for the second straight year and third since 2015, advanced five to Region 3 at West Orange. Sophomores Joseph Rowinski (28-7 at 113) and Giovanni Gutierrez (26-8 at 120) were runners-up for a second consecutive year, while sophomore Steven Vidal (28-7 at 106) also reached the finals in District 12 at Morristown. Sophomores Bryan Dougherty (21-8 at 126) and Adrian Pinto (17-14 at 144) were third-place finishers. North Warren advanced three to Region 1 as junior Conor Hallowich (26-8 at 113), a district champion in 2024, and sophomore Cole Castles (27-7 at 132) reached the finals, while senior Logan Garriques (25-4 at 175) placed third in District 3. In all, 27 wrestlers from Warren County moved on to the region level.