Wrestling: Group 4, 1, Non-Public B finals previews

Safe to say that North Hunterdon's wrestling team got its wakeup call this week.

The Lions escaped in the North 2, Group 4 sectional final with a slim 32-31 road win over Middletown North on Wednesday. 

"It definitely caught us off-guard," said junior Reid Buzby, who logged one of seven pins for North Hunterdon at 126 pounds in a 61-12 dismantling of Toms River South in the Group 4 semifinals on Friday in the Lions Den. "It showed us that we can't fool around [against teams] in the postseason."

HWS had no champs last year for the 1st time since 2019

Sophomore Kieran Raley's major decision in the final bout of that sectional final is the reason we're on the brink of the most talked about rematch in these parts as coach Dave Bell's team squares off against Phillipsburg at 2:30 p.m. in the Group 4 final on Sunday at Rutgers University's Jersey Mike's Arena.

"We talked about it that night and when we got back home," Bell said. "Simple formula -- consistency and effort. I don't know what it was with the environment. I could tell their focus wasn't there. When we got off to a bad start it just snowballed from there. 

"Thank God, we were able to pick it up, which says a lot for the guys. It looked pretty bleak for awhile and they fought back. You had this feeling that it just doesn't feel like it's our night -- and it ended up being our night."

North Hunterdon (16-6), which handed Phillipsburg a 34-24 loss in the Lions Den on Jan. 29, enters as the favorite, which is rare in these circumstances against the Stateliners (17-3), who have won 23 state titles -- second only Group 1 kingpin Paulsboro (34). North is the last Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area program to hand P'burg losses in the regular and postseason -- 30-24 in a road dual and a 37-12 blowout victory in the 2020 North 2, Group 4 sectional final in the Lions' only unbeaten season. 

P'burg's last championship was in Group 5 in 2022

"They're prideful kids and they want to go out and do their best," second-year coach Tim Longacre said after the Stateliners' impressive 31-29 win over Mount Olive in the North 1 sectional final. "Our goal is always state titles. Right now, we're healthy, everyone feels good. We've been to Rutgers. We know what it feels like to lose [45-21 to Southern in last year's Group 5 final]. So I think [our kids] are going to come hungry."

"A lot of our guys stepped up in big places," said senior Joshua Joubert, a sophomore on the 2023 North team that won the Group 4 title. "Our heavy guys stepped up, we won a lot of tossup bouts. I'm just excited for the rematch."

Ditto. Now, let's take a closer look at all finals involving HWS area schools:

Group 4

Titles: Phillipsburg 23 — (Group 5) 2022. (Group 4) 1986, '87, '88, '97, '98, '99, 2000, '12, '14, '15, '16, '17, '18. (Group 3) 1983, '89, '91, '92, '95, '96, 2003, '04, '09. North Hunterdon 6 — (Group 4) 2020, '23. (Group 3) 1982, '84, '94, 2002.

Series history: Phillipsburg owns a 59-12-1 edge dating to 1961, including a 7-4 mark in postseason meetings. North scored a 34-24 win at home on Jan. 29 to snap the Stateliners' three-match win streak. The Lions had previously won three straight for the first time in series history with a 32-23 victory at home on March 23, 2021. The Lions, who logged consecutive wins on only one other occasion in 1961-62, snapped their 17-match skid in the series with a 30-24 win on the road in 2020 and added a dominating 37-12 win in the North 2, Group 4 sectional final en route to the Group 4 state title and the program's only unbeaten season. North's other wins came in the Group 3 finals (1982, '84 and '93), and regular-season dual meets in 1961, '62, '65, '75 and 2007.

Phillipsburg Stateliners (17-3)

Fr. Zack Swingle (23-7) 106; So. Anthony Pettinelli (27-6) 113; Fr. Matthew Velez (12-17) 120; Jr. Massimo Gonzalez (25-9) 126; So. Owen Garriques (23-8)/Fr. Mason Hawk (2-2) 132; Sr. Anthony Ashford (9-12) 138; Sr. Luke Geleta (29-1) 144; Jr. Gavin Geleta (24-6)/Jr. Brad Kisselbach (3-2) 150; Sr. Gavin Hawk (29-1)/Sr. Benny Mendoza (11-7) 157-165; Sr. Derek Stone (20-9) 175; Jr. Kevin Buonocore (16-11)/Sr. Jesus Alfaro (16-16)/Sr. D'Angelo Hernandez (1-5) 190-215; Jr. Ben Ellis (19-12) 285.

North Hunterdon Lions (16-6)

North eyes its 7th state title and third in 5 years

So. Cayden Wadle (24-8) 106; Fr. Owen Fol (20-14) 113; Sr. Joseph Celentano (19-13) 120; Jr. Reid Buzby (25-8) 126; So. Aidan Yarussi (29-4) 132; So. Kieran Raley (18-16) 138; So. Matthew Esposito (13-9) 144; So. Dylan McGuinness (10-17) 150; Sr. Vincenzo Darrow (12-10) 157; Sr. Joshua Joubert (21-13) 165; Sr. Evan Kinney (27-3) 175; Jr. Owen Dandeo (19-11) 190; So. Anthony DeSimone (8-17) 215; Sr. James Turner (6-10) 285.

Breakdown: It's finally here. The matchup everyone up north has been looking forward to since late January. North was on top of its game that night, while P'burg was unable to meet the moment and uncharacteristically flat on the bench. That was addressed and you should expect a much different version of the 'Liners this time around. Can P'burg make up a six-point deficit? Sure. But two key matchups (106 and 215), which went to North last time, loom big. Also, the 'Liners need more bonus points where they didn't get them last time, perhaps 113 (Pettinelli p. Fol in the HWS Tournament) and 157 or 165 with Hawk. North could say the same at 175 and perhaps 126 as Buzby seems to be on another level right now. Both teams are wrestling well of late as evidenced by the lopsided semifinal results as P'burg rolled to a 55-12 win over Long Branch. P'burg will likely need to make that move again at 132, away from Yarussi who would be favored over Garriques, who avenged a loss to Matteo Eagleson of Mount Olive and aims to do it again after dropping a 7-2 decision to Raley in the dual at North. That may not be the only move of the lineup for P'burg in the middle. P'burg has had 17 days to stew over that loss and I think it wins enough of the closes ones and saves points in spots it lost big last time to pull this off. 

The pick: Phillipsburg, 30-25.

Group 1

Titles: Delaware Valley 10 — (Group 2) 1984, '85, '87, '88, '89, '90, '99, 2017. (Group 1) 2022, '23. Hanover Park 1 — (Group 2) 2015.

Hanover Park Hornets (17-6)

So. Gabriella Conte (19-3) 106; Sr. Giovanni Conte (21-10) 113; Fr. Ethan Kaup (14-12) 120; Jr. Nick DiFrancescantonio (26-6)/So. Kyle Dunn (11-13) 126; Sr. Santino Danise (9-1) 132; Sr. Cristian Cesaro (21-11) 138; Sr. Joey Tantawi (19-3) 144; Sr. Joey Borrello (23-9) 150; Sr. Nando Ott (23-9) 157; Sr. Joe Filippone (10-11) 165; Jr. Ronny Madera (5-17) 175; Sr. Vincenzo LaValle (31-3)/Sr. Luke Stephenson (12-6) 190; Sr. Christian Carter (8-7) 215; Jr. Aeeden Hamilton (21-10) 285.

Delaware Valley Terriers (18-3)

Del Val seeks its Hunterdon County-best 11th title 

Jr. Tristan Fawthrop (16-9) 106; Fr. Tanner Donaruma (9-5) 113; Jr. Julian Bednar (17-4)/Sr. Lucas Beyers (14-10) 120; Sr. Jaden Perez (29-1) 126; Jr. Tye Falkenstein (22-8) 132; Jr. Michael Hasson (23-8) 138; Jr. Sebastian Dobak (17-5)/Jr. Jacob Edwards (9-3) 144; Sr. Jackson Bush (26-4) 150; Sr. Luke Sinkewicz (24-5) 157; Jr. Olivier Paul (21-7)/So. Marcus Gary (10-5) 165; So. Matthew Sencher (8-9) 175; Sr. Branden Sozanski (14-4) 190; Sr. Oren Nahum (7-13) 215; Jr. Luken Alberdi (23-7) 285.

Breakdown: These small-school programs have a little history as Del Val scored a 30-28 win over Hanover Park in a memorable Group 2 final in 2017. The Terriers have been the prohibitive state-title favorites all season and are seeking redemption here after a disappointing 33-25 loss to Paulsboro in last year's championship match. Safe to say that coach Andy Fitz hasn't let his team, which has won seven in a row since a 34-29 loss to North 2, Group 3 champion Cranford on Jan. 24, forget in order to keep his wrestlers humble entering this one. A lineup shift with Fawthrop dropping to 106 and Bednar taking over at 120 has made Del Val stronger down low, presenting another issue for Hanover Park facing this fairly well-balanced lineup. The Hornets are no longer a bit weak in the upper weights, something that had hampered coach Tyler Branham's teams in recent seasons. Branham, a former Kittatinny star, picked up his 100th coaching win earlier this season. The biggest problem facing Hanover Park is that Delaware Valley may just be a bit better where the Hornets normally win. The flip could also be big as Branham will look to run DiFrancescantonio away from Perez, who is red-hot right now and coming off a technical fall of fellow state medalist Devin Ryan of New Milford in the Terriers' lopsided semifinal win. Those bouts at 132, 138 and 144 are huge, while the Hornets, who will be favored at 113, 126 or 132 wherever Perez is not, and 190 with LaValle, a two-time state runner-up and three-time medalist, would also like to get 175 and 215. Del Val has the edge at 106 (slight), 120, 126 (Perez), 150, 157, 165 and 285. Barring an upset or two, Del Val should prevail in eight bouts.

The pick: Delaware Valley, 34-21.

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Non-Public B

Titles: Camden Catholic 18 — (Non-Public A) 1996, '99, 2000, '01, '04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09. (Non-Public B) 2002, '10, '11, '12, '13, '19, '20, '23. Pope John 7 — (Non-Public B) 1982, '83, '86, '92, '94, 2018, '22.

Camden Catholic Irish (16-0)

So. Zach Reali (5-6) 106; So. Chase Martino (17-10)/Sr. Dom Digiacomo (10-0) 113; So. Stevo Pisasale (8-3) 120; Jr. Lazarus Joyce (18-5) 126; Jr. Sammy Spaulding (29-3) 132; Fr. EJ Bonnette (12-3) 138; Fr. Terrance Barnes (11-11)/So. Eric Swanson (6-2) 144; Jr. Michael Craft (25-4) 150; Jr. Kage Jones (27-5) 157; Jr. Terry Terch (17-5) 165; Jr. Jaden Simpson (25-5) 175; So. Chris Owen (13-9)/Jr. Tristan Owen (15-7) 190; So. Madden Rosario (3-7) 215; So. Lars Stegner (14-9) 285. 

Pope John Lions (11-5)

So. Taylor Struble (0-6) 106; Sr. Jake Holly (15-5) 113; So. Matthew Reilly (4-12) 120; So. Frank Spagnola (8-10) 126; Jr. Dalton Weber (17-2) 132; Sr. Carson Walsh (26-1) 138; Sr. Donny Almeyda (9-0) 144; So. Lukas Katsigiannis (19-8)/So. Daniel Arroyo (11-7) 150; So. Braydan Lombreglia (13-6) 157; Jr. Cole Dunham (23-3) 165; Sr. Kevin Wilson (9-3)/So. Matthew Sutton (8-11) 175; Jr. David Thomson (20-6) 190; Jr. Shawn Baumann (9-10) 215; Sr. Jarrod Cofrancesco (5-4) 285.

Breakdown: We saw a preview of this one back in early January, when Camden Catholic rolled to a 43-24 win over Pope John in a home tri-meet. The Lions are definitely the more battle-tested team having competed against Delbarton (55-12 loss), St. Augustine (41-24 win), Mount Olive (34-27 loss), which have all been ranked in the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Top 20 all season. Coach Mark Piotrowsky's lineup features a pair of state medalists in Almeyda, who recently logged his 100th career win, and Walsh (125-15 overall), a Pitt recruit and three-time placewinner (runner-up last season). Weber is sitting on 86 career wins. Pope needs a repeat at 113 (Holly d. Martino, 7-6) and trim the 19 additional bonus points it surrendered last time. In fact, 10 of the 12 bouts wrestled resulted in bonus. If Pope wins the flip it will likely run Weber up to 138 away from Spaulding and bump from there up to 175. I think the Lions make this one slightly closer, but the Irish are just a bit better in too many spots.

The pick: Camden Catholic, 43-26 (42-30 if PJ wins the flip).