It seems that hardly a week goes by without a coach, wrestler or team celebrating another milestone moment in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area.
Hopatcong-Lenape Valley senior Gage Graziano entered the record books on Wednesday in becoming the 17th member of the Patriots' 100-wins club. Graziano (26-3 at 144 pounds) pinned Newton's Joey Melillo in 22 seconds as coach Anthony Grogan's team logged a 45-36 win -- snapping a seven-match skid in the series with the program's first victory over the Braves since a 56-12 blowout in 2016.
 |
| Graziano (center) flanked by the LV coaching staff |
"It's been awhile since we beat the Braves," said Grogan, a former Lenape Valley wrestler and 2010 graduate whose brother, Paul, was a two-time district champion and state qualifier, as well as a member of the century club for wins at the Stanhope-based school.
It was a nice evening all-around for Hopatcong-Lenape Valley (8-10), which did not qualify for this week's sectional tournaments. The win over Newton, which gave the Patriots, who combined with Hopatcong after the 2022-23 season, a commanding 26-19-1 lead in a series dating to 1976, also vaulted Grogan's team into our area rankings for the first time this season.
Graziano, whose father, Doug, was a two-time district champion (1997 and '98) under former coach Bob Poggi, is the first to reach the century mark in wins for the program since Daniel Haws (109-27 from 2018-22), a three-time district champ and eighth-place state medalist in 2023, now wrestling at Centenary. Graziano (101-30), who announced via Instagram on Saturday that he will continue his wrestling career at East Stroudsburg University, is seven wins shy of matching Paul Grogan (108-31 from 2003-07), former Pats coach Gary Mikolay (108-17 from 1994-98) and Derek Nagy (108-22 from 1994-98) for eighth place on the school's career list.
Top Terrier
Delaware Valley (14-3) is eagerly awaiting its chance to atone for last season's disappointing Group 1 finals loss to Paulsboro. As the No. 1 seed in Central Jersey, Group 1, the Terriers, ranked No. 18 in the New Jersey Wrestling Writers statewide Top 20, are heavy favorites to capture the program's sixth straight sectional title and 23rd overall (tied with Hunterdon Central for the county lead).
 |
| Andy and Vince Fitz celebrate the 2024 sectional title |
But first, Del Val took time to celebrate
Andy Fitz's 300th coaching win, which came on Friday in a 37-15 victory over Hopewell Valley at Daniel Hutchins Memorial Gym. Coincidentally, Fitz picked up win No. 250 against the Mercer County school in 2023.
Fitz, now 300-19 overall in 18 seasons, passed his father, Vince, one of New Jersey's coaching legends, atop the school's list last season. The Terriers became a state power during Vince Fitz's tenure, going 284-60-3 overall in his 19 seasons from 1971-90, and winning seven sectional and six Group 2 titles.
Andy Fitz now ranks seventh on HWS' all-time list behind only Kittatinny's John Gill (666-218-5 in his 45th season), Hunterdon Central's Russ Riegel (533-89-6 over 35 seasons from 1957-91), High Point's John Gardner (416-131-2 in 26 seasons), Hunterdon Central's Steve Gibble (348-119 in 23 seasons from 1991-2015), Rick Thompson (347-150-4 in New Jersey) and Voorhees' Bob Hall (332-99-5 in 23 seasons from 1975-99). North Hunterdon's Dave Bell and Belvidere's Dan McIntyre are also over 300 wins, including stints with schools outside the area.
Fitz's teams have won eight sectional and three state titles (2017, '22 and '23) -- the latter two in Group 1. The only other coach in Del Val history to win a state title was current assistant Paul Petro, who guided the 1998-99 team to a Group 2 championship.
Sectional stuff
High Point (16-5) also has plenty of motivation for sectional week as the Wildcats' string of six in a row was snapped last season with a 32-29 loss to Jefferson in the North 1, Group 2 title match. Billy Smith, a state champion in 2011 and assistant coach on John Gardner's staff, recently made program history as the first head coach to log 15-plus wins in his rookie season. This is also the 'Cats' highest win total in a season since going 16-3 in 2018-19.
 |
| HP trails only Paulsboro (43) and P'burg (41) in section titles |
"I think the kids are in a good spot to challenge whatever is in front of them," said Smith, who passed Jan Michaels (14-7 in 1993-94) for that Wildcat coaching honor, of his team's chances of acquiring the program's 31st sectional title. "Think we do a good job just embracing challenges and whatever name is in front of you -- individual or team. I think are kids are pretty aggressive and attack opportunities."
Warren Hills (10-10), which dropped a 47-23 decision to High Point in the regular-season finale for both teams on Wednesday, looks to make a finals run in North 2, Group 3. With top seed Cranford and No. 4 West Essex in the top half, the third-seeded Blue Streaks have what looks to be a favorable draw as they head to No. 2 South Plainfield to face No. 6 Nutley in Monday's opening round.
"Our guys have been battle tested and we've seen significant improvement in really everybody in our lineup throughout the year," second-year Hills coach KC Wanamaker said. "This time of year is about being healthy getting your mind right and training properly, resting. We'll see what happens."
Area team rankings
1. North Hunterdon (12-6) -- Lions were idle this week as they gear up for a sectional title run as the No. 2 seed in North 2, Group 4. Coach Dave Bell, now in his second season, seeks his first with North after guiding Bergen Catholic to 16 of its 22 sectional championships. Senior Joseph Celentano leads the Lions, ranked No. 14 in the NJWWA Top 20, with 66 career wins, while sophomore Aidan Yarussi (25-4 at 132) is this season's leader.
Up next: Woodbridge in North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals at home on Monday.
 |
| P'burg is 41-3 all-time in sectional final appearances |
2.
Phillipsburg (13-3) -- Stateliners wrapped up their regular-season slate with a
65-11 waxing of Kittatinny on Monday after a two-year hiatus in that series, which P'burg leads, 22-6, dating to 1994. Coach Tim Longacre's team faces perhaps the most daunting task of any top seed in a rugged North 1, Group 4 field, which includes last season's Group 4 finalists in reigning champion Ridge (No. 3 seed) and runner-up Mount Olive (No. 2 seed). P'burg, No. 15 in the NJWWA Top 20, owns wins over both (32-30 vs. Mount Olive on Dec. 21 and 36-23 vs. Ridge on Jan. 4).
Up next: Leonia-Palisades Park in North 1, Group 4 quarterfinals at home on Monday.
3. Delaware Valley (14-3) -- Terriers scored a 37-15 win over Hopewell Valley in their lone action this week on Friday -- win No. 872 overall for the Hunterdon County school. Senior ace Jaden Perez (25-1 at 126), who is 110-19 for his career, moved into a tie with former state medalist Cody Barbiche (110-25 from 2007-11) for ninth on the program's all-time wins list. Chris Kelly (111) sits in eighth place.
Up next: Shore Regional in Central Jersey, Group 1 quarterfinals at home on Monday.
 |
| Clayton stands at 105-33 overall |
4.
High Point (16-5) -- Wildcats kept humming along with a 47-23 regular-season-closing win over Warren Hills on Wednesday. Senior state qualifier
Nick Clayton (21-3 at 150) was one of four to receive forfeit victories, but he remains focused on team and individual goals.
"It's cool. Just another step," Clayton said of joining the century club for wins and putting his name up on the gym wall with the likes of coach Billy Smith earlier this season. "I think I can do a lot [in the postseason] and we'll see where it takes me."
Up next: Lakeland in North 1, Group 2 quarterfinals at home on Monday.
5. Pope John (9-5) -- Lions returned to action for the first time in 15 days with a 54-24 pasting of Governor Livingston on Wednesday. Coach Mark Piotrowsky's team drew the No. 2 seed in he Non-Public B state tournament. Camden Catholic, which is the top seed, handed Pope John a 43-24 loss on Jan. 4. Senior star Carson Walsh (24-1 at 138), a returning state finalist, is three wins shy of matching Robbie Garcia (126) for fourth place on the program's career list.
Up next: St. Thomas Aquinas in Non-Public B state quarterfinals at home on Tuesday.
 |
| WH won the last of its 7 section titles in 2023 |
6.
Warren Hills (10-10) -- Blue Streaks concluded the regular-season dual slate with a 47-23 loss to High Point on Wednesday. Senior
Charlie Piccione (26-2 at 120) logged a first-period pin of Carter Drouin for win No. 111 overall to move past former state medalist Ryan Kanewski (110-31 from 1993-97) for third on Hills' career list. Junior
Davey Rhinehart (24-5 at 126) scored a wild 17-9 major of returning district champ Colton Jaust for his 81st career victory.
"Those guys are on a roll," second-year coach KC Wanamaker said. "Just continue to work. Enjoy the moment, have fun with it because it's easy this time of year to kind of get in your own head a little bit. Those guys, they wrestle loose and they wrestle fun. We're proud of them."
Up next: Nutley in North 2, Group 3 quarterfinals at South Plainfield on Monday.
7. Kittatinny (10-10) -- Cougars have their sights on the program's 26th sectional title after wrapping up the regular-season schedule with a 47-28 win over Sparta on Friday -- giving Kittatinny 698 victories in 50 seasons and a 29-11 advantage all time in that series. Senior Ethan Dalling (28-2 at 175) matched Clarke Moynihan for 10th on the program's career list at 123 apiece. Coach John Gill's team is the No. 1 seed in North 1, Group 1.
Up next: Boonton in North 1, Group 1 quarterfinals at home on Monday.
8. Hackettstown (14-8) -- Tigers capped a 2-1 week with a 45-19 win over Wallkill Valley on Friday as sophomore Giovanni Gutierrez (22-6 at 126) picked up his 51st career victory. Coach Jim Berringer's team, which also beat Morris Knolls (37-21 on Monday) and lost to Bloomfield (47-25 on Wednesday), earned the No. 4 seed in the North 2, Group 2 section. Berringer knows about sectional titles as the former state placewinner helped lead Hopatcong to its lone championship in 1997 (North 1, Group 2).
Up next: Parsippany Hills in North 2, Group 2 quarterfinals at Caldwell on Monday; at West Morris on Friday.
 |
| Patriots are sitting on 555 wins in 50 seasons |
9.
Hopatcong-Lenape Valley (8-10) -- Patriots make their area rankings debut on the heels of a 45-36 win over former No. 9 Newton on Wednesday. In addition to Graziano earning his 100th victory, fellow senior
Jakob Bell (15-13 at 150) scored a nice 10-7 decision over Braves region qualifier Mason Bucci, while senior
Marc Pavese (21-9 at 138) picked up his 96th career win in the team's 58-21 thumping of Mountain Lakes on Friday.
Up next: at Ramsey on Monday; Whippany Park at home on Wednesday; at Cedar Grove on Friday.
10. Newton (8-12) -- Braves, who are the No. 6 seed in North 1, Group 1, wrapped up their regular season with a 45-36 loss to Hopatcong-Lenape Valley in a match that featured just one bout going the distance and a combined 11 pins, including falls from seniors Keegan Murtagh (16-5 at 126) and Aaron Stone (15-6 at 175) -- their 58th and 56th career victories, respectively. Coach Eric Bollette recently surpassed High Point's Jeff Hull (288-104-4 over 25 seasons) for eighth place on HWS' all-time list for coaching wins earlier this season at 291-246-1 in 24 seasons.
Up next: Pompton Lakes in North 1, Group 1 quarterfinals at New Milford on Monday; Voorhees at home on Wednesday; Butler and Parsippany at River Dell quad on Saturday, Feb. 15.
No comments:
Post a Comment