Wrestling: North Hunterdon at Phillipsburg preview

What: North Hunterdon at Phillipsburg Stateliners.

Where: Phillipsburg High School, Lopatcong Township.

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Conference: Skyland Delaware Division.

Records: North Hunterdon 4-5 overall, 0-0 division; Phillipsburg 2-1, 0-0.

State rankings: (NJWWA Top 20): North Hunterdon No. 11; Phillipsburg No. 17.

Coaches: Dave Bell (28-24. third season, 2-1 vs. P'burg); Tim Longacre (37-6, third season, 1-2 vs. NH)

Series history: Phillipsburg owns a 59-13-1 edge dating to 1961, including a 7-5 mark in postseason meetings. Lions swept both meetings last season -- 34-24 in a regular-season clash on Jan. 29, 2025, at the Lions Den (snapping the Stateliners' three-match win streak) and 37-27 in the Group 4 final on Feb. 16 at Rutgers University's Jersey Mike's Arena. North is eyeing a third straight win in the series for only the second time in program history and first since snapping their 17-match skid in the series with a 30-24 win on the road in 2020 and 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. The Lions, who completed a three-peat with 32-23 win at home in 2021, had logged consecutive wins in the series on only one other occasion in 1961-62. 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.

Note: North Hunterdon wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses.

106 -- Jr. Cayden Wadle (11-2) or So. Thomas Wade (0-2) vs. Fr. Rocco Munzipapa (1-2).

113 -- So. Owen Fol (11-2) vs. So. Zack Swingle (9-4) or Fr. Jack Flynn (2-5).

120 -- Fr. Daniel Snyder (0-11) vs. Jr. Anthony Pettinelli (6-4).

126 -- Sr. Reid Buzby (8-6) vs. Fr. Noah Regemann (3-6).

132 -- Jr. Aidan Yarussi (12-1) vs. So. Matthew Velez (0-5).

138 -- Jr. Kieran Raley (11-3) vs. Sr. Massimo Gonzalez (10-2).

144 -- Jr. Matthew Esposito (9-5) vs. So. Mason Hawk (7-2). 

150 -- Jr. Ian English (8-6) vs. Jr. Owen Garriques (11-2).

157 -- Jr. Luke Charbonneau (6-7) vs. Sr. Brad Kisselbach (7-6).

165 -- Fr. Nicholas Romaniello (1-6) or Jr. Dylan McGuinness (3-3) or Sr. Sebastian Santos (2-8) vs. Jr. Seth Wolfinger (1-3).

175 -- McGuinness or Romaniello or Santos vs. Sr. Gavin Geleta (10-1).

190 -- Sr. Owen Dandeo (5-4) vs. Sr. Kevin Buonocore (2-4).

215 -- So. Dajinder Dillon (4-6) vs. Fr. Ian Jankowski (4-4).

285 -- Jr. Andrew DeSimone (7-6) vs. Sr. Ben Ellis (8-4).

Breakdown: The 74th meeting has the potential to be a real nail-biter, at least on paper, and should decide this season's Delaware Division championship. Interestingly, both teams are coming off tough losses to Howell, which beat North, 35-29, in the Boresch Duals semifinals on Saturday before heading back up the Parkway on Monday to score an impressive 46-29 win at The Pit. North is the odds-on favorite and Phillipsburg has been slow out of the gate this season due to a pre-holiday layoff because of skin issues, but one look at the matchups and it's clear that there could be as many as four or five tossup bouts. North is strong from 106-144, but the Lions have struggled a bit in the middle weights and up top. Phillipsburg is fighting through some varsity inexperience in the middle of its lineup, but the uppers, anchored by Geleta who was a round shy of placing in last season's individual state tournament, are seasoned for the most part with the freshman Jankowski showing immense potential thus far.

P'burg is 234-44-2 all-time vs. Hunterdon-Warren teams

North has a bit more depth and could make a few moves, starting at 106, where Bell may opt to run Wadle up against Swingle, who dropped both of their meetings last season (8-5 SV and 4-1), and insert Wade, who pinned Munzipapa in a recent junior varsity matchup, though the 'Liner was winning handily before the fall so that could be a bit of a gamble on North's part. Depending on where the match starts, Wadle could stay down where he'd be eyeing big bonus points. Fol also went 0-3 against Pettinelli last season and would be giving up weight to move up. Straight up, North is favored at 106, 113, 126, 132, 144 and 190. P'burg has the edge at 120, 150, 175 and 215. Call 138, 157, 165 and 285 tossups. To pull off the upset, I think the 'Liners need all of the tossups -- or an upset elsewhere -- and limit the damage down low. It's a lot to ask, but it's not out of the question and would be a huge momentum builder for a young squad (six starters with 20 or fewer career varsity bouts). But North is the reigning Group 4 champion and has been a bit more battle tested thus far. That should be the difference in a good one!   

Prediction: North Hunterdon, 33-28.