Wrestling: Mount Olive at Phillipsburg preview

Who: Mount Olive Marauders at Phillipsburg Stateliners.

What: North 1, Group 4 sectional final.

Where: Phillipsburg High School, Lopatcong Township.

When: Wednesday, 6 p.m.

Records: Mount Olive 15-3; Phillipsburg 15-3.

State rankings: (NJWWA Top 20): Mount Olive No. 10; Phillipsburg No. 15.

Coaches: Sean Smyth (370-153, 25th season, 0-3 vs. P'burg); Tim Longacre (33-4, second season, 2-0 vs. MO).

Series history: Phillipsburg owns a 3-0 edge, including a 32-30 victory in the last meeting on Dec. 21 and a 32-27 win at home on Dec. 23, 2023, with both matchups taking place at the Suzy Duals. P'burg also won the only other postseason clash -- 48-12 in the North 2, Group 3 final at The Pit on Feb. 21, 2003. The Stateliners have appeared in 44 consecutive title matches since the tournaments formed in 1980. No team events were held in 2021 due to the pandemic.

Note: Mount Olive wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses.

108 -- Fr. Kristian Beres (20-6) vs. Fr. Zack Swingle (22-6).

115 -- Jr. Jack Bacigalupo (11-16) or Fr. Nicholas Bacigalupo (2-0) vs. So. Anthony Pettinelli (25-6).

122 -- Jr. Anthony Piemonte (26-3) or So. Shane Kostakos (13-14) vs. Fr. Matthew Velez (11-16).

128 -- Sr. Matteo Eagleson (22-10) or Piemonte vs. Jr. Massimo Gonzalez (24-8).

134 -- Sr. Brandon Beres (21-8) or Eagleson vs. So. Owen Garriques (21-8).

140 -- Jr. Nahki Hernandez (2-0) or B. Beres vs. Sr. Anthony Ashford (8-11).

146 -- So. Colin Smyth (12-8) vs. Sr. Luke Geleta (27-1).

152 -- So. Justin Bullock (22-8) vs. Jr. Gavin Geleta (23-5).

159 -- Sr. Tanner Perez (20-11) vs. Sr. Gavin Hawk (27-1) or Sr. Benny Mendoza (10-6).

167 -- So. Scott Coppolo (17-12) or Jr. Stephen Hayek (13-7) vs. Mendoza or Hawk.

177 -- Hayek or Coppolo vs. Sr. Derek Stone (19-8).

192 -- Sr. Tyler Cumming (24-7) vs. Jr. Kevin Buonocore (16-9) or Sr. Jesus Alfaro (15-15).

217 -- So. Jared Martini (18-7) or Jr. Nicolas Gonzalez (26-3) vs. Alfaro or Buonocore.

287 -- Gonzalez or Martini vs. Jr. Ben Ellis (18-11).

Breakdown: This is perhaps the most anticipated rematch of the postseason as the winner will be the No. 1 seed for the Group 4 semifinals on Friday. Phillipsburg has seemingly rebounded nicely with four straight wins following a brutal stretch that resulted in three losses over the span of nine days (44-25 to Rumson-Fair Haven on Jan. 20, 40-24 to Easton (Pa.) on Jan. 25 and 34-24 to North Hunterdon on Jan. 29). ... But Mount Olive, which seeks its sixth sectional title and fifth in a row, enters this one looking to avenge that much talked about two-point loss here nearly two months ago when the Morris County Tournament champions were without Colin Smyth (146) and Justin Bullock (152) and were pinned at both of those weights. The lineup has also changed with Anthony Piemonte and Matteo Eagleson each dropping a weight class. ... The biggest challenge facing P'burg is limiting the damage in losses as Mount Olive figures to have the greatest opportunity for bonus points. Straight up, the visitors are favored at 126, 132 (Eagleson d. Garriques, 6-0), 138 (Beres majored Ashford, 15-3), 157 or 165 (Perez p. Mendoza), 190, 215 and 285. That's eight bouts, though Piemonte pulled off just a 5-4 decision over Gonzalez. The bouts up top are where the

P'burg is 41-3 all-time in sectional title matches

Marauders can go to town as Cumming (vs. Buonocore) and Gonzalez (vs. Ellis) scored technical fall victories last time, while Martini majored Alfaro (16-5). Phillipsburg has the edge at 106 (Swingle won 6-2 over Beres), 113 (Pettinelli tf. J. Bacigalupo), 144, 150 (slight), 157 or 165 (with Hawk) and 175 (Stone scored a 10-6 win over Coppolo). It would not be hard to see P'burg winning seven or perhaps even eight bouts and it still might not be enough to secure the program's 42nd sectional title. Mount Olive has more maneuverability with its lineup and it will be interesting to see which way it goes. My guess is Piemonte goes 120 (Velez d. Kostakos, 9-3 last time) with the goal of securing big bonus there and Eagleson gets a rematch vs. Garriques. That could potentially net a gain of two points and two of three from 120-132, as the thought of losing a Piemonte-Gonzalez rematch along with 120 will probably be the impetus for that decision. The flip is huge for P'burg as it would like a Hawk-Perez matchup, and the potential to sweep 146, 152, 159 and 167, which it will likely need to do to win the match. I keep coming back to the bonus points and it's hard to see P'burg not on the short end there, especially up top. Perhaps even Mount Olive avenges a loss somewhere else. In any case, this should be a good one. 

Prediction: Mount Olive, 37-30.