Wrestling: Region recap for HWS by the numbers

We're on the last leg of the high school wrestling season, but before we turn our focus to the 92nd State Championships at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City (Thursday-Saturday), let's take a look at some of the highlights from the five (ridiculous that our teams are spread out over that many) region tournaments that house teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area.

Boardwalk Hall awaits for 38 wrestlers from HWS

Phillipsburg seniors Luke Geleta (144) and Gavin Hawk (157) made even more program history in winning Region 1 titles as just the second and third Stateliners to appear in four region finals since the tournaments began in 1961 -- joining Bob Jiorle (1968-71), a two-time state medalist (champion at 98 pounds in '68, fourth at 115 in '71) and a former P'burg head coach. Jiorle won his only region gold in his state title season and did not advance to states in '69 or '70 since only region champions moved on until second became eligible for the first time in '74.

Geleta (36-1) celebrated his first title after three straight runner-up finishes, while Hawk (36-1) picked up his second after winning one at 132 pounds his sophomore season. They rank 1-2 all-time in career wins for P'burg, with Hawk sitting at 146-20 overall and Geleta at 138-26 as both seek their second state medals. Hawk, who also holds the program pins mark with 94, was a runner-up in 2024, while Geleta placed sixth in '23 and fell in the Blood Round in '24.

"It kind of gives me more motivation to do my thing, and go down to AC next week and perform well," Geleta said after winning that elusive region gold medal. 

Now, a recap of Regions 1 through 5 (also check out our district rundown):

38 -- We have that many wrestlers from the HWS area moving on to this week's state tournament (down six from 2023 and two from '24). In all, 14 advanced out of Region 1, while Region 4 produced 10. Over in Region 3, Pope John sent an area-best seven, while Phillipsburg (Region 1) and North Hunterdon (Region 4) each had six state qualifiers. Here are the total number of area qualifiers since realignment in 2017 -- 47 in '17, 48 in '18, 50 in '19, 37 in '20, 49 in '22, 46 in '23, 40 in '24 and 38 in '25. As a side note, there have been 12 state medal winners who finished fourth in the regions (not including 2021) and five were from the HWS area -- North Hunterdon's Andrew Gapas (eighth at 132) in 2017, High Point's Brandon LaRue (sixth at 113), Pope John's Reece Mulduun (seventh at 182) in '18, Sparta's Spencer Stewart (eighth at 120) in '19 and Pope's Jake Holly (eighth at 106) in '24. There were none in 2022 and '23 and one other last season besides Holly (Ethan Mendel of Northern Highlands sixth at 215).

Hawk and L. Geleta (first and second from the left)

134 -- Phillipsburg leads the way among HWS area schools in region champions as Geleta and Hawk raised that impressive total to 134. It was a nice bounce-back for the Stateliners, who were shut out in the 2024 championship round (0-for-4 in Region 2 at Mount Olive) for just the seventh time since 2000 and the 11th overall in program history. Former champs Brian Meyer (2016-18), the sixth and last three-time region gold medalist for the Stateliners and two-time winner Cody Harrison (2018-19) were in attendance on Saturday at West Milford. Great to see them back around the team more often as both were on hand to witness Hawk surpass Meyer (131) atop the career wins list in the team's 47-15 win over Warren Hills on Jan. 27. Also punching tickets to AC were Zack Swingle (29-9 at 106), Anthony Pettinelli (33-7 at 113), a runner-up in his first finals appearance, Owen Garriques (29-10 at 132) and Gavin Geleta (31-7 at 150).

7 -- Pope John leads the way for HWS as the Lions advanced seven out of Region 3 in West Orange. Junior Dalton Weber (23-3 at 132), a state bronze medalist last season, won his second title by knocking off returning state champ Ryan DeGeorge of Delbarton, 4-2, after a runner-up finish in 2024, while Donny Almeyda (16-0 at 144), a two-time state fourth-place finisher, captured his fourth region championship after winning three at St. Joseph-Montvale. Pitt recruit Carson Walsh (32-2 at 138), who's the Lions' first four-time finalist since current assistant coach JoJo Aragona (2016-19), was denied in his bid to join Mike Frick (1969-72) and Aragona as the only four-time winners for the Sparta-based school. Walsh (131-16 overall), a three-time state medalist who passed Jake Rotunda (130) for third on the program's wins list in the semis, was pinned by Delbarton senior Chase Quenault, a returning state seventh-place finisher. Quenault has Hunterdon County ties as his father, JJ, was a district champion at 125 pounds for Voorhees in 1992. Also moving on to AC for Pope John are Lukas Katsigiannis (24-11 at 150), Braydan Lombreglia (19-7 at 157), Cole Dunham (30-4 at 165) and David Thomson (25-9 at 175). 

Rhinehart and Szamreta are at 88 wins

12 -- In all, Warren County sent a dozen to AC as Warren Hills moved four out of Region 2, including two runners-up in juniors Augie Szamreta (33-4 at 113), a 2024 champion, and Davey Rhinehart (31-6 at 126), who became the first member of his immediate family -- after adding to their district legacy -- to reach the finals since great uncle Rob Rhinehart, a region champion at 158 pounds for the Blue Streaks in 1976. Hills senior Charlie Piccione (33-5 at 120), a fourth-place finisher, will make his third trip to AC, while senior Tyler Redfield (35-4 at 132), a third-place medalist and four-time district champ, earned his second state bid as Hills' total number of champs remained at 61 after being shut out for the fifth time in the last 10 seasons. Hackettstown sophomore Joseph Rowinski (31-9 at 113 in Region 3) and North Warren senior Logan Garriques (28-6 at 175 in Region 1) -- both fourth-place finishers -- will also make their first state appearances. Garriques' father, Todd, was a region champion (1992) and two-time state placewinner (third at 145 pounds in '91 and fifth-sixth at 152 in '92) for Hackettstown under coach Rick Thompson. Logan's uncle, John, was a three-time state medalist for Phillipsburg (fourth in '95, fifth-sixth in '96 and second in '97) and is the current head coach at Centenary University. His son, Owen, is a two-time state qualifier for the 'Liners.

NH crowned a state champ (Logan Wadle in 2023) in its previous G4 title run 

80 -- North Hunterdon moved a Hunterdon County-best six out of Region 4, including senior Evan Kinney (34-3 at 175), who became the Lions' 80th region winner overall after North was shut out a year ago for the first time since 2020 and the 11th since 2004. Also advancing for the Group 4 champion Lions are runners-up Cayden Wadle (30-9 at 106), Aidan Yarussi (35-5 at 132), along with third-place finisher Joshua Joubert (28-14 at 157) and fourth-placers Owen Fol (25-18 at 113) and Reid Buzby (31-10 at 126). Wadle joined his father, Rudy (a three-time region champ 1991-93) and his brother, Logan (a two-time winner in 2022 and '23) as region finalists. Also at Union High School, Voorhees was kept off the podium for the first time since 2022,, while Hunterdon Central junior Rhett Washleski (37-3 at 150) was derailed in a bid for his third title with a third-place finish in Region 5 -- as the Red Devils did not have a champ for only the 12th time in program history.

46 -- Delaware Valley senior Jackson Bush (33-4 at 150), one of four state qualifiers for the Terriers, won his first title and the program's 46th overall -- giving the Hunterdon County schools champs in consecutive seasons for the first time since Kyle Lightner (195 pounds in 2017) and AJ DeRosa (126 in '18). Senior ace Jaden Perez (35-3 at 126) was denied his second title with a third loss this season to Watchung Hills state medalist Anthony DiAndrea after winning in '24 en route to a fifth-place state finish. Perez, now 120-21 overall, is three wins shy of matching Bobby Stevely, a region champion in 2008 and state runner-up in 2010, for sixth place on the Terriers' all-time wins list. Making their first state appearances for Del Val are Sebastian Dobak (22-8, fourth at 144) and Luke Sinkewicz (30-6 at second at 157). 

Clayton is making his 3rd appearance in AC

15 -- Sussex County advanced an area-best 15 wrestlers to Atlantic City, including three from High Point in sophomore Carter Drouin (28-13, fourth in Region 1 at 120 and one of two No. 8 seeds to place top four), senior Nick Clayton (first at 150) and junior Gavin Mericle (33-5, third at 285). Clayton (31-3) raised the program total to 52 as he became only the 13th to win two-plus titles for the Wildcats -- joining head coach Billy Smith, a two-time winner in 2010 and '11, and current girls coach John Gardner, one of only three four-timers for High Point. The school's first region and state champion, Fred T. Swanson (178 pounds in 1971), was also in attendance on Saturday. Sparta also moved three to states in junior Ryan Hrenenko (33-5 at 132) and seniors Logan Hrenenko (32-7 at 138) and Jake Brown (17-11 at 190). The Hrenenko brothers gave the Spartans multiple region finalists for the first time since 2002, when Matt Stoppay (135) and Jim Miller (140) won titles, while Steve Swentzel (130) finished second in Region 1 at Wallkill Valley. The school's 20th and last champion was Phil Takacs-Senske (189 pounds in 2006). Logan Hrenenko is now sixth on his school's wins list at 117-42. Hopatcong-Lenape Valley senior Gage Graziano (35-7 at 144), a district champ, finished fourth in Region 2 as the Patriots have gone eight straight seasons without a winner since Nick Palumbo won at 145 pounds in 2017 en route to becoming the program's lone state champion. Graziano (110-34) ranks sixth on his school's career wins list.

19 -- Newton's amazing run with at least one region placewinner in 19 straight tournaments ended as the Braves did not produced a boys state qualifier for the first time since 2005. The fact that they won 11 dual meets this season is quite a testament to a powerhouse coaching staff, which includes former Kittatinny state placewinner and head coach Eric Bollette, along with two-time state champion Andy Iliff (1986-87) and runner-up Teddy Sibblies (1989) -- the last state finalists for the Braves, as well as his son Josh (a Region 1 champ and OW in 2013) and two-time region winner Wyatt McCarthy (2018 and '19). 

Dalling is 131-24 overall

34 -- Kittatinny senior Ethan Dalling, a three-time finalist, was seemingly on his way to getting over the hump in Region 1, where his bid to be the Cougars' first champ since Austin Scrivani (No. 34 in 2016 at 138 pounds) ended in stunning fashion. Dalling (36-3), a four-time region placer (third in 2022) and state qualifier, held a 4-0 lead in the third period before being muscled to his back and pinned by Bergen Catholic's Genti Idrizi, who was pinned by Dalling a week ago in the District 3 finals, with 34 seconds left on the clock. The loss was Dalling's first in just over two months -- a 24-9 technical fall against Penn State-bound PJ Duke of Minisink Valley (N.Y.), a four-time state champion and the nation's No. 1 overall recruit, in the Linn Crawn Memorial Classic finals on Dec. 27. The only other loss on Dalling's ledger is 8-5 to St. Benedict's Prep state placewinner Temuulen Mendbileg in the Caldwell Tournament finals on Dec. 14. Dalling's father, Steve, was the Cougars' first four-time district champ, three-time region winner and three-time state finalist (winning titles in 1990 and '91 after a runner-up finish in '89). Ethan Dalling also sits two wins back of Scrivani (133-29 from 2012-16) for sixth on the program's career wins list.