Wrestling: District recap for HWS by the numbers

Let's review what happened in the nine districts that house teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area. There are 98 local wrestlers still competing, down one from last season.

P'burg advanced a Warren County-best 9 from D3 (photo/Ray Patt)

Overall, here are the area qualifiers by season since realignment (which now changes every year) was introduced in 2017 -- 118 in '17 and '18; 125 in '19; 113 in '20 (no district tournaments in '21 due to the pandemic); 122 in '22, 107 in '23 and '24; 99 in '25. The nine-year average is 112.

The top three at each weight class advanced to the region tournaments on Friday and Saturday. Region 1 is at West Milford, Region 2 at Mount Olive, Region 3 at West Orange, Region 4 at Union and Region 5 at Franklin are those involving HWS wrestlers.

Here's the team-by team breakdown of qualifiers:

Delaware Valley (13); North Hunterdon (12); Pope John (11); Phillipsburg (9); Hackettstown and High Point (7); Newton (7); Sparta and Warren Hills (6); Newton (5); Hunterdon Central, Kittatinny and Voorhees (4); Belvidere (3), Hopatcong-Lenape Valley and North Warren (2); Vernon (1).

We had four schools win team championships: Phillipsburg (D3), North Hunterdon (D14), Pope John (D15), Delaware Valley (D20).

Here's a closer look by the numbers:

North had 6+ champs for the 5th time since 2017 (NH Facebook)

21 -- North Hunterdon, which has gone just one season without a district winner (2008), added six for the second straight year as senior Reid Buzby (26-8 at 126 pounds) became just the 21st Lion to win at least three titles, while juniors Cayden Wadle (29-3 at 106), Aidan Yarussi (29-2 at 132) repeated as champs and were joined by first-time winners Owen Fol (29-2 at 113), a sophomore, and Kieran Raley (27-7 at 138) and Matthew Esposito (23-9 at 144), also juniors. Buzby (93) and Yarussi (97) are also eyeing 100 career wins. North, which has produced 246 champs in its 69-season history, advanced 12 wrestlers to Region 4. Wadle earned the eighth championship for his family as older brother, Logan (2020, '22 and '23), and their father, Rudy (1991-93), all won three for the Lions. Raley's brother, Brendan, was a two-time district champion (2022 and '23). 

33 -- In all, 33 wrestlers from Hunterdon County schools will compete at the region level. Hunterdon Central produced four finalists in District 19, including two champs in freshman James Fearon (28-9 at 126) and junior Joshua Buck (27-10 at 144), while Voorhees did not have a winner for the first time since 2020, as senior Christian Bollette (31-5 at 144) was denied in his bid to become the Vikings' first three-time winner since Sam Huff (2017-19) and 14th overall to win at least three, when he was upended by Esposito, 11-2, in their finals matchup. South Hunterdon, which is in just its second varsity season since the program was resurrected by former Delaware Valley district champ Leigh Hall, went 2-6 in District 19 as the Eagles, who went 10-13 in the dual season, entered six wrestlers. Junior Milo Dopp (18-10 at 165) was one of two to win a preliminary bout. 

Gavin and Luke Geleta have combined for 244 wins and 6 district golds

396 -- Phillipsburg blitzed the field in District 3, as the host crowned five champions, including senior Gavin Geleta (28-4 at 175) and junior Owen Garriques (31-3 at 150) who are the 44th and 45th wrestlers to win at least three titles for the Stateliners. Garriques, whose father, John, won three district golds (one at Hackettstown in 1994 and two for P'burg in '96 and '97), will look to become only the 10th to win four for the 'Liners next season. Geleta also became the 31st at his school to join the century club for victories with his win in the quarters -- joining his brother, Luke, now a freshman at Binghamton University, who also is a three-time district champion and ranks second on the P'burg wins list (142-28 from 2021-25). Gavin stands at 102-38 heading into Region 1 at West Milford. Sophomore Zack Swingle (24-8 at 106) and seniors Massimo Gonzalez (27-4 at 138) and Ben Ellis (26-7 at 285) all won their second titles. Ellis' father, Stephen, won back-to-back titles at heavyweight in 1973 and '74, for the 'Liners. P'burg, which advanced nine to R1, saw its streak of producing at least seven winners snapped at seven straight tournaments and now has 396 winners overall in its illustrious 78-season history.

Szamreta seeks his 2nd region title (Hackettstown Facebook)

125 -- Warren Hills moved six through the field in District 12 at Randolph, including senior star Augie Szamreta (33-6 at 126), who became the 21st overall, including the former Washington High (14th for Hills), to win at least three district titles for the Blue Streaks, while eclipsing the school mark for career wins in doing so at 125-34 overall -- surpassing four-time champion Dave Richmond (124-17 from 2002-06). Szamreta, who was third in the district as a freshman in 2023 and finished eighth in last season's state tournament at 113 pounds, was joined in the winner's circle by senior Davey Rhinehart (30-6 at 132), who won his second title and holds the program's career mark for pins with 82, along with being tied for fourth on the school's wins list at 119-29 overall. Rhinehart's uncle, Rick, was a three-time champ (1967, '68 and '70) uncle, Rob, won a district gold at 158 pounds in 1976. Davey's grandfather, John, a state runner-up, won his only title at 178 pounds that season in 1969, and father, David, was a third-place finisher in then District 1 at 171 pounds in 1998.

28 -- Delaware Valley advanced a Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area-best in moving all 13 of their entries in District 20 through to Region 5, while also outpointing Middletown North (249 1/2 to 231 1/2) for the team championship at Matawan. The Terriers produced four champions -- senior Tye Falkenstein (26-10 at 138), sophomore Hunter Taffera (25-8 at 157) and juniors Marcus Gary (29-5 at 165) and Matthew Sencher (24-8 at 190), all first-time winners. Seniors Michael Hasson (36-2 at 144), Sebastian Dobak (30-3 at 150), both thirds, and Olivier Paul (32-4 at 175), a runner-up, were denied in their repeat bids. Group 1 champion Del Val, which logged its first unbeaten season with a program-record 24 wins, has produced at least one winner in 28 straight tournaments since missing in 1997. Andy Fitz, who has coached 61 of the school's 143 champs, won a district title for the Terriers at 160 pounds in 1990.

8 -- Pope John extended its streak with at least five champions to eight straight tournaments by matching a program-record seven in easily winning the District 15 team title at Watchung Hills. Senior Dalton Weber, a two-time state medal winner, became only the seventh at his school to win four titles -- joining Mike Frick (1969-72), Hugh Albora (1972-75), Brian Unkert (1987-90), Jake Rotunda (2015-18), Eddie Ventresca (2017-20) and former teammate Carson Walsh (2022-25). Juniors Braydan Lombreglia (9-3 at 157) and Lukas Katsigiannis (29-2 at 165), along with senior Cole Dunham (23-6 at 175) each picked up their seconds championships, while sophomore Jacob Campbell (20-5 at 113), junior Daniel Arroyo (19-7 at 150) and senior Nick Mignone (12-5 at 215) each picked up their first. Lombreglia's father, Dan, won a district title at 171 pounds in 1998 for the Lions.

Hackettstown finished 2nd in the D12 team race

7 -- Hackettstown snapped its two-year title drought as juniors Steven Vidal (34-7 at 106) and Joseph Rowinski (38-3 at 120) captured their first titles as the Tigers (69 champs overall) sent seven to Region 3 at West Orange. Rowinski, a three-time finalist, sits at 99-24 overall as he looks to become only the 12th at his school to reach the century mark and first since all-time leader Alex Carida (142-28) capped his stellar career in 2018. Junior Giovanni Gutierrez (33-9 at 126) was a runners-up for a third consecutive year, while juniors Diego Penaloza (27-10 at 132), Adrian Pinto (30-9 at 138) and Bryan Dougherty (31-7 at 150) also reached the District 12 finals at Randolph. In all, 27 wrestlers from Warren County moved on to the region level. First-year Hackettstown coach Tyler Kozimor was a two-time champ (2010-11), while assistant coach Joe Renne also won two golds (2014 and '16) for the Tigers. Kozimor, whose brother, Corey, is the program's only four-time champion (2007-10), was also named the District 12 Coach of the Year.

3 -- Sparta sent three to the championship round at District 2 and came away with three gold medals for the third straight season as senior Ryan Hrenenko (38-2 at 144) became only the third in the program's 65-season history to win at least three titles -- joining four-timer Todd Sheaffer (1978-81) and Mark Preston (1972, '74, '75). Ryan, who is 129-26 overall, also moved past Robbie Gennat (126-32 from 2014-18) for second place on the school's all-time wins list at 129-26. Hrenenko's brother, Logan, won a district title in 2024. The Spartans have logged 26 district winners since 2014 after being shut out from 2008-13 and in '22, including freshmen Kellen Shearer (30-10 at 106) and Finn McGurrin (24-14 at 120). 

Newton's Eric Bollette is the D2 Coach of the Year

38 -- Number of wrestlers from Sussex County who advanced to the region level, as High Point ran its streak with at least one winner to 22 straight tournaments since missing in 2003 behind three first-time winners in sophomore Thomas Jaust (22-11 at 106), junior Carter Drouin (23-8 at 120) and senior Gavin Mericle (27-1 at 285). Newton snapped its two-year drought as freshman Jake McNamara (26-10 at 132) and senior Sean Brown (28-8 at 285) won their first titles. Amazingly, Kittatinny's run of champs ended for the first time since missing in 1993, as the Cougars sent just four wrestlers to Region 1, including junior Michael Witowski (24-14 at 175), who was their lone finalist. Wallkill Valley produced its first champ in 16 years as third-seeded junior Scottie Weiss (26-5 at 165), who earned the Outstanding Wrestler Award after knocking off the top two seeds, became the Rangers' first winner since Ryan Callahan won at 171 pounds to kick off his state title run in 2010. Vernon ace True DiGiuseppe (30-1 at 195) took his first loss in the District 2 finals as he was bidding to become the Vikings' first winner since David Tlatelpa and Jon Gemeinhardt took home golds in 2012. DiGiuseppe (95-17) is looking to join Brian Hoyt (114-31 from 2003-07) in the school's century club for victories.