Wrestling: Group wrap-up, tidbits (HWS rankings)

Celebrate good times, c'mon. The reasons may be varied, but Delaware Valley and North Hunterdon had good cause to party down as both represented the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area in style in Sunday's state team championships at Rutgers University's Jersey Mike's Arena.

Delaware Valley ran absolutely roughshod through the postseason and capped its run with a 47-16 victory over Hanover Park in the Group 1 final. The Terriers (19-3) outscored their five opponents through the sectional and state tournaments by a combined score of 328-40, while capturing the program's 11th state championship and third in Group 1 since 2020. 

Only Paulsboro (34), Phillipsburg (23), Camden Catholic (19), Bergen Catholic (14) and South Plainfield (12) have won more titles than Del Val, third among public schools since the tournaments formed in 1982.

Del Val leads Hunterdon County with 11 state titles

"We had so much momentum from the week," said coach Andy Fitz, whose team waited nearly a year for a shot at redemption after a three-peat bid ended with a 33-25 title-match loss to Paulsboro in 2024. "I'm a big believer in momentum in this sport, it's a true team sport. We just had it rolling."

Driving that train was senior ace Jaden Perez (30-1), a Drexel recruit who won by technical fall against fellow state medalist Devin Ryan of New Milford in the Group 1 semis on Friday and again on Sunday vs. Hanover Park junior Nick DiFrancescantonio, who lost in the Blood Round at states last season at 120 pounds. The latter result happened with Del Val winning the flip and keeping Hanover Park from bumping up to open at 126 pounds in hopes of creating more desirable matchups down low.

"I've got the best support system there is, these guys are awesome," said Perez, who looks to become only the 10th to win at least three district titles for the Terriers on Saturday. "I can't wait."

Perez, who placed fifth at 126 last season, was joined in the program's 100-wins club by senior state qualifier Jackson Bush (27-4), who hit the century mark with his pin in the Group 1 final. Perez currently ranks eighth on the list at 115-19 overall. Next up is Nick LaFevre (116-30 from 2004-08).

Stick-to-itiveness

North Hunterdon sophomore Anthony DeSimone and junior Reid Buzby really came through in the clutch in a 37-27 victory over Phillipsburg in what was easily the most competitive and entertaining public final in Group 4.

DeSimone (9-17), who appeared to be tiring in the third period, converted a takedown with just 24 seconds left to pull off a match-clinching 9-7 win over HWS champion Kevin Buonocore at 215 pounds. Earlier in the third bout at 126, Buzby, a returning state qualifier pulled off his own late takedown with six seconds to go against Massimo Gonzalez for a heart-stopping 4-2 decision.

North also won G4 titles in 2020 and '23

"I'm real happy that I stayed in the sport," said DeSimone, who is just a second-year wrestler. "I just thought it would be really cool to win [a state title]. And to be in a spot where I need to win the match makes it all worthwhile.

"I knew starting at 113, it was going to come down to 190, 215 and heavyweight. I worked my butt off this offseason, didn't win some matches that I should have won. This really brings it full circle for me. It really feels good."

The Lions (17-6) fully believed that DeSimone could deliver a repeat performance after his stunning 12-7 win over Buonocore in North's 34-24 win over P'burg on Jan. 29.

"He's a hard worker in the room," senior Joshua Joubert said of DeSimone. "I roll with him all the time. Just because he's a new wrestler doesn't mean anything. I'm very confident in his abilities just like all my [teammates]. I knew he'd pull through for the team like he did when we wrestled them [earlier] this season."

Turning the corner

North Hunterdon's 7-13 campaign last season sure seems like a distant memory. The Lions have now beaten P'burg twice in a season for only the second time in program history after doing so during their only unbeaten campaign in 2019-20, which culminated with their first Group 4 title. 

North also has a history of rebounding after regular-season losses to the Stateliners, turning the tables to win Group 3 state championships in 1982, '84 and '93. North is now 3-0 at neutral sites in the series, which P'burg leads 59-13-1 overall since 1961. North, Warren Hills (1989-90) and Hunterdon Central (2009-10 and 2012-13) are the only HWS programs to defeat P'burg twice in the same season since the advent of sectional and state tournaments.   

NH logged its highest win total since 2020 (23-0)

"I think a lot of people doubted us coming into the season," Joubert said. "Our records don't really show how talented we truly are. I don't think there's many teams in the state that have as much trust in their guys as we do in one another."

How did North undergo such a stark transformation in one year?

"Those guys," veteran coach Dave Bell said pointing to his wrestlers and coaches. "Coach [Andrew] Gapas. Coach [Darren] Schulman. They just believed. The energy and the chemistry came together."

A rugged schedule also helped as North faced every public school champion -- beating Delaware Valley (Group 1) and falling to Southern (Group 5), Delsea (Group 3), which became the ninth public school to win four or more in a row, and Rumson-Fair Haven (Group 2).

"Wrestling those best teams in the state really prepared us," Joubert said.

Final area rankings

1. North Hunterdon (17-6) -- Lions, who logged 10-plus wins for the 44th time in the program's 68 seasons, knocked off P'burg twice and handed Delaware Valley a 34-33 loss along the way, while also earning the program's 18th sectional title.

2. Phillipsburg (17-4) -- Stateliners, now 6-4 in state title matches since 2014, captured the program's 42nd sectional title with a 31-29 win over Mount Olive before suffering their third straight state finals loss since winning the Group 5 title in 2022. Senior Luke Geleta moved into second place on school's all-time wins list at 132-26 overall.

Del Val is 305-99 in 18 seasons under Andy Fitz

3. Delaware Valley (19-3) -- Terriers picked up their 23rd sectional title -- matching Hunterdon Central for the county lead -- before knocking off Hanover Park in the Group 1 final for the program's 877th win. Del Val was one shy of its 12th campaign with 20-plus wins.

4. High Point (19-6) -- Wildcats picked up their Sussex County-best 31st sectional title before a tough 38-30 loss to Group 2 runner-up Caldwell in the state semifinals. Former state champion Billy Smith is the first in program history to log 19 dual-meet wins and the second to win a sectional title, joining Jan Michaels (1994), as a rookie head coach.

5. Pope John (11-6) -- Lions nearly pulled off a postseason stunner in a 32-30 loss to Camden Catholic in the Non-Public B final. Coach Mark Piotrowsky's team found a way to make up 17 points in the rematch after a 43-24 loss to the Irish on Jan. 4. Sophomore Braydan Lombreglia logged a decision at 165 pounds after missing the first meeting, while pins from Shawn Baumann (215) and Jared Cofrancesco (285) were 12-point swings in both from the previous matchup.

 

6. Warren Hills (11-11) -- Blue Streaks went 1-1 in the postseason, scoring a 36-35 win over Nutley before dropping a 33-32 decision to South Plainfield in the North 2, Group 3 sectional semis. Senior Tyler Redfield (29-3 at 138), who is at 97 career wins, aims to become only the fifth four-time district champion for the Streaks and first since Dave Richmond (2003-06) as Hills is set to host District 7. 

Kittatinny logged its 700th win in the N1, G1 semis

7. Kittatinny (12-11) -- Cougars saw their dual season end abruptly as they came up short in their bid for the program's 26th sectional title with a 38-31 loss to New Milford in the North 1, Group 1 final. Senior Ethan Dalling (31-2 at 175) looks to become the just sixth to win four district titles for the Cougars, along with his father, Steve (1988-91).

8. Hackettstown (14-10) -- Tigers lost a 42-30 decision to Parsippany Hills in the North 2, Group 2 quarterfinals before ending the dual slate with a 51-21 loss to West Morris. Sophomores Joe Rowinski (26-6 at 106), Steven Vidal (26-6 at 113) and Giovanni Gutierrez (24-7 at 120) all enter the postseason with 20-plus wins.

9. Hopatcong-Lenape Valley (11-13) -- Patriots wrapped up their dual campaign by going 3-3 last week, including a quad at West Essex, where senior Marc Pavese (25-11 at 138) became the 18th member of the program's 100-wins club -- joining fellow senior Gage Graziano (30-5 at 144).

10. Newton (11-14) -- Braves went 3-1 following a tough 38-36 loss to Pompton Lakes in the North 1, Group 1 sectional semis, including a 54-23 win over Voorhees on Wednesday. It was a Bollette family affair as Newton head coach Eric Bollette went against his younger brother and Vikes assistant coach J.P., whose son, Christian, a junior, scored a technical-fall win at 132 pounds for the visitors.