Wrestling: Kittatinny '2nd to none' against Newton

NEWTON -- One second. That was essentially the difference in Kittatinny's thrilling 35-33 come-from-behind victory over Newton in the 49th edition of this crosstown rivalry and key NJAC Freedom Division clash on Thursday night at a packed Henry Boresch Memorial Gym.

In the pivotal bout at 160 pounds, Kittatinny senior Gian Knippenberg was awarded a controversial escape at the buzzer in the ultimate tiebreaker against Melkart Abou-Jaoude for a 4-3 win that helped the Cougars snap their two-match skid in the series. Knippenberg, who had escaped with just one tick left on the clock in the second tiebreaker, successfully went to the well again by hitting a Granby roll in the ultimate session.

Kittatinny (4-4, 1-1 division), ranked No. 8 in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area by Open Mike and now 32-17 all-time against Newton (6-7, 2-1) in a series dating to 1976, trailed by 18 points (27-9) heading into 160, but that victory was the spark it needed with the Cougars' capable upper weights still to come. Sophomore Ty Eldred added a technical fall win at 285 pounds that set up sophomore Shane Nelson's match-sealing pin in the final bout at 106.

Newton suffered its first loss to Kittatinny since 2016.

"I was pretty confident [about getting out on bottom]," said Knippenberg, who opted to start in the defensive position despite appearing to have run out of steam prior to the second tiebreaker. "I hit those in practice all the time. I felt [it was there] and I went for it."

Gary Kessel, a veteran referee who is well respected in wrestling circles in New Jersey and across the country, hesitated for a split-second before awarding the decisive point. Newton coach Eric Bollette pleaded his case that there was no control -- the wrestlers were head-to-head on their feet as Abou-Jaoude appeared to still have a front headlock -- as mat judge Gary Szucs and Kessel discussed the call. It stood, and four bouts later, Bollette was still hot about that outcome as he voiced his displeasure from the bench.

"The call didn't go our way," said Bollette, who's now 6-16 career against his alma mater and former coach John Gill. "I thought it was not [an escape]. Both kids wrestled hard."

That loss at 160 proved even more damaging for No. 10 Newton, when senior Julian Sibblies scored a wild 13-11 decision over Robert Bruce, an HWS champion who led 5-2 after one period, at 195. Both wrestlers took turns on their back in a bout that would have clinched the match for the Braves had they been able to hold on three bouts earlier.

"We didn't count on Robert losing," said Gill, now 32-12 overall against Newton in his 40 seasons at the helm. "I really wanted this one. They got us the past two years and it was nice to put this one together. I know Eric will be agonizing over [the call at 160]. That buzzer was ringing."

Eldred (12-6), who only weighs around 217, has been a pleasant surprise in his first varsity season. Leading, 2-0, after one period against Isaiah Wilkins, who had 32 pounds and about a foot in height advantage, Eldred racked up seven takedowns over the next two periods to earn the tech following another key pin by junior Jackson Crawn at 220.

"He had a great JV year [as a freshman], and his only loss was at the Newton JV Tournament [held annually on Super Bowl Sunday]," Gill said. "We knew he was a quality kid. He's tough to beat because he's tough to score on. I'm really proud of him. Knippenberg was a hero and Eldred was a hero."

It was a real family affair in this one as Kittatinny sophomore Steven Dalling delivered a clutch 6-2 win over Nick Costa at 152 -- with Dalling's father, Steve, a Cougars icon and two-time champion, in attendance.

On the Newton side, all three Sibblies brothers -- freshman Thaylor and sophomore Takeo in addition to senior Julian -- won on their father's 49th birthday. Ted Sibblies, now an assistant coach, was the Braves' last state finalist in 1989.

"The Sibblies had a great night," Bollette said. "Julian came fighting back against a county champ. I thought we had to get eight wins [it was a seven-seven split] and figured we had to get close to 37 points to win tonight. We just came up a little short."

KITTATINNY 35, NEWTON 33
113 -- Fr. Anthony Ferrari (6-10), K, p. Jr. Aden Sathuthiti (0-9), 1:08.
120 -- Jr. Nathan Fitt (21-2), N, p. Fr. Chris Casale (4-8), 4:48.
126 -- Jr. Danny Cleary (13-9), N, p. Fr. Andrew Knutelsky (5-9), 5:43.
132 -- Fr. Thaylor Sibblies (11-9), N, d. Jr. Connor Hanna (1-8), 6-3.
138 -- So. Takeo Sibblies (1-0), N, p. Fr. Ryan VanKirk (0-1), :52.
145 -- Jr. JoJo Lotruglio (19-4), N, p. Jr. Craig Molfetto (4-9), :50.
152 -- So. Steven Dalling (10-7), K, d. Jr. Nick Costa (10-12), 6-2.
160 -- Sr. Gian Knippenberg (6-10), K, d. So. Melkart Abou-Jaoude (7-11), 4-3 UTB.
170 -- Sr. Trevor Aughenbaugh (12-4), N, d. So. Evan Raposo (3-12), 8-4.
182 -- So. Brycen Mafaro (14-3), K, p. Fr. Brody Guerra (3-6), 1:21.
195 -- Sr. Julian Sibblies (18-5), N, d. Sr. Robert Bruce (13-5), 13-11.
220 -- Jr. Jackson Crawn (16-1), K, p. Jr. Jabari Oxley (6-13), 2:46.
285 -- So. Ty Eldred (12-6), K, tf. Sr. Isaiah Wilkins (3-13), 20-5, 5:50.
106 -- So. Shane Nelson (16-1), K, p. Sr. Valerio Sanchez (3-12), 1:00.
Records -- Kittatinny 4-4, 1-1; Newton 6-7, 2-1.
Officials -- Gary Kessel and Gary Szucs.

Wrestling: North claims title before victory over Hills

CLINTON TWP. -- North Hunterdon senior Evan Klimas and his teammates were just happy to be back in dual-meet action after an extended layoff. The added bonus was picking up a pair of victories and the program's first conference title in 25 years in the process.

The Lions didn't seem to skip a beat as they secured the Skyland Conference Raritan Division championship with a 69-7 rout over Montgomery and capped the tri-meet with a 58-10 waxing of Warren Hills in a cross-divisional matchup on Wednesday night in the Lions Den.

"It was a good day," said third-year North coach Chris Hrunka, whose team had a week off between its celebrated 30-24 win at Phillipsburg on Jan. 15, as snow cancelled a scheduled trip to South Jersey for a quad meet this past Saturday. "Things felt a little sluggish at practice before they picked it up the last couple of days. It was a little too long of a time off. You can get lazy and forget what we're working for."

North hopes to add a few more title years this season.

North Hunterdon (11-0), ranked No. 4 in the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20, claimed the program's fourth division title and first since the 1994-95 season and continued its mastery over Warren Hills (11-4), which shares the Valley Division lead with Delaware Valley and had opened its day with a 59-13 victory against Montgomery in the middle session.

"It's always nice to put something on a banner," Hrunka said. "You don't always get those opportunities. We're in a tough conference. We won't take it for granted."

Klimas (16-2), one of five starting seniors for the Lions who used a cradle to earn a first-period pin of Reese Manfredi at 145 pounds, knows a little something about the North Hunterdon-Warren Hills rivalry, which dates to 1957. Klimas' father, Steve, wrestled for the Blue Streaks and was a senior on the 1988-89 team that was ranked No. 2 in New Jersey. Evan Klimas came up through the Washington Y youth program before moving into the North school district prior to seventh grade.

"I grew up with a lot of these guys and wrestled with them," said Evan, who gained some bragging rights at home with that win over P'burg as his father's teams went 0-5 against the Stateliners, including a 33-21 loss in the 1989 North 2, Group 3 sectional final. "We always go into a match to do our jobs as a team and push to achieve our goals."

North certainly did just that as it won 23 of the 28 bouts (six pins and a major in the nightcap) contested overall, while improving to 40-22 all-time in the series against Warren Hills. The Blue Streaks, who have been dealing with injuries all season, were missing sophomore Tyler McCatharn (285) due to illness. Things also ended on a sour note as senior Greg Slivka was forced to default after one period in the final bout against Lions junior Frank DiEsso at 120.

Second-year coach Dave Sbriscia has several wrestlers who are up against their 30-match limits so he took the opportunity to sit several starters against North, which jumped out to a 16-3 lead after Klimas' pin in the fourth bout. Warren Hills sophomore Stephen Malia continued to impress as he dominated Kyle Anderson for a 10-2 major at 152, while senior Nick Hildebrant scored a 5-1 decision over Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament runner-up James Holder at 170.

Freshman Alex Uryniak and senior Nate Fossett, two anchors for North's tough upper weights, stretched the lead to 34-10 with back-to-back pins at 182 and 195, before junior reserve Andrew Franklin iced the match with a 6-1 win at 220.

Down 3-0, after one bout, junior Connor Quinn gave North the lead for good when he converted two third-period takedowns for a 9-1 major of Logan Nauta at 132. Quinn (13-5) broke it open with three back points off a bar in the second period en route to his third win over Nauta this season, along with decisions of 8-3 and 7-3 in the John Goles Invitational and HWS Tournament.

North will compete in the Patriot Duals on Saturday.

Hrunka also had the chance to get some of his backups into the varsity lineup, as he used only five starters against Montgomery. The former district champion for Warren Hills is now 3-0 overall against his alma mater.

"I loved my time at Warren Hills and those guys are good coaches over there," said Hrunka, now 2-0 vs. Sbriscia, his former teammate. "It's definitely nice to be on the winning side. It was nice to test some of our guys against quality kids. I thought it was a good match back for us."

Both teams are gearing up for the rugged Patriot Duals at North Warren on Saturday, featuring three teams ranked in the NJWWA Top 20, including No. 11 High Point at No. 18 West Essex.

North Hunterdon, the top seed, will open against No. 8 Morris Catholic before an anticipated semifinals clash with West Essex. No. 3 seed Warren Hills squares off with No. 6 Westfield in the opening round, while High Point is the No. 2 seed.

"We have a big weekend," said Klimas, a two-time region qualifier and three-time HWS placewinner who is headed to Bucknell University in the fall. "We could see High Point. It would be a good match with them."

NORTH HUNTERDON 58, WARREN HILLS 10
126 -- So. Jared Lee (16-8), WH, d. Fr. Daniel Delusant (8-9), 3-0.
132 -- Jr. Connor Quinn (13-5), NH, md. Sr. Logan Nauta (16-6), 9-1.
138 -- Sr. Drew Doscher (12-3), NH, p. So. Max Pagano (3-4), 1:28.
145 -- Sr. Evan Klimas (16-2), NH, p. Jr. Reese Manfredi (4-9), 1:14.
152 -- So. Stephen Malia (19-4), WH, md. Sr. Kyle Anderson (9-6), 10-2.
160 -- So. William Cole (12-5), NH, p. So. Caden Crawford (3-7), 2:24.
170 -- Sr. Nick Hildebrant (10-5), WH, d. Jr. James Holder (14-5), 5-1.
182 -- Fr. Alex Uryniak (13-3), NH, p. Jr. Brandon Riggs (3-14), 1:24.
195 -- Sr. Nate Fossett (16-2), NH, p. So. Michael Galka (9-7), :56.
220 -- Jr. Andrew Franklin (7-1), NH, d. Jr. Logan Polcari (11-8), 6-1.
285 -- So. Liam Akers (17-2), NH, forfeit.
106 -- Fr. Logan Wadle (18-2), NH, d. Fr. Kevin Riedinger (6-15), 8-3.
113 -- So. Nick DeLorenzo (11-7), NH, p. Fr. Ryan Lundy (2-4), 1:38.
120 -- Jr. Frank DiEsso (16-3), NH, injury, Sr. Greg Slivka (15-6), 2:00.
Records -- Warren Hills 11-4; North Hunterdon 11-0.
Official -- Frank Leitner.

WARREN HILLS 59, MONTGOMERY 13
120 -- Sr. Greg Slivka (15-5), WH, p. Sr. Jared Segota (9-3), 1:31.
126 -- Fr. Michael Drazek (1-1), WH, tf. So. Edward Cunningham (4-12), 15-0, 4:56.
132 -- So. Max Pagano (3-3), WH, d. So. Gabe Rohmeyer (8-7), 6-4.
138 -- Sr. Geir Nemeth (16-6), WH, p. So. Yousef Hamad (6-10), :31.
145 -- Jr. Reese Manfredi (4-8), WH, p. So. Sean Golubitsky (5-7), 1:59.
152 -- So. Caden Crawford (3-6), WH, p. Fr. Elhadji Diara (2-5), 1:02.
160 -- Jr. Alex Abrahamsen (10-1), M, d. Fr. Luke Dugan (0-2), 10-5.
170 -- Sr. Nick Hildebrant (9-5), WH, p. Jr. Alex Ipeker (13-5), 3:15.
182 -- So. Ryan Galka (1-0), WH, p. Fr. Eddie Qian (1-8), :21.
195 -- So. Michael Galka (9-6), WH, forfeit.
220 -- Jr. Logan Polcari (11-7), WH, forfeit.
285 -- Jr. Jarod Chamberlain (5-5), M, forfeit.
106 -- Fr. Kevin Riedinger (6-14), WH, d. So. Ty Greenberg (11-7), 7-2.
113 -- So. Luke Greenberg (11-7), M, md. Fr. Ryan Lundy (2-3), 8-0.
Records -- Warren Hills 11-3; Montgomery 4-5.
Official -- Joe Benvenuto.

NORTH HUNTERDON 69, MONTGOMERY 7
113 -- So. Nick DeLorenzo (10-7), NH, p. So. Luke Greenberg (10-7), 3:45.
120 -- Sr. Jared Segota (9-2), M, md. So. Ian Hewitt (2-1), 10-0.
126 -- Fr. Daniel Delusant (8-8), NH, p. So. Edward Cunningham (4-11), :54.
132 -- Jr. Connor McGeary (4-5), NH, p. So. Gabe Rohmeyer (8-6), 1:37.
138 -- So. Aaron Wysocki (2-1), NH, p. So. Yousef Hamad (6-9), 1:47.
145 -- Fr. Brendan Raleyh (2-1), NH, p. So. Sean Golubitsky (5-6), 1:28.
152 -- So. Luke Yager (4-1), NH, p. Fr. Elhadji Diara (2-4), 1:20.
160 -- Jr. Alex Abrahamsen (9-1), M, d. So. William Cole (11-5), 7-6.
170 -- Jr. James Holder (14-4), NH, p. Jr. Alex Ipeker (13-4), 1:15.
182 -- Jr. Ethan Akers (3-0), NH, p. Fr. Eddie Qian (1-7), 1:54.
195 -- So. Kyle Schultz (6-3), NH, forfeit.
220 -- Jr. Andrew Franklin (6-1), NH, forfeit.
285 -- So. Liam Akers (16-2), NH, forfeit.
106 -- So. Ben Makaritis (3-3), NH, d. So. Ty Greenberg (11-6), 9-4.
Records -- North Hunterdon 10-0, 4-0; Montgomery 4-4, 0-2.
Official -- Joe Benvenuto.

Wrestling: Warren Hills at North Hunterdon preview

What: Warren Hills Blue Streaks at North Hunterdon Lions.

Where: North Hunterdon Regional High School, Clinton Township.

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m. (Tri-meet includes: North Hunterdon vs. Montgomery, 4 p.m., followed by Warren Hills vs. Montgomery).

Conference: Skyland cross-divisional.

Records: Warren Hills 10-3; North Hunterdon 9-0.

State rankings: (New Jersey Writers): North Hunterdon, No. 4.

Area rankings: (Open Mike): Warren Hills, No. 7; North Hunterdon, No. 1.

Coaches: Dave Sbriscia (26-7, second season, 0-1 vs. NH); Chris Hrunka (45-8, third season, 2-0 vs. WH).

Series history: North Hunterdon owns a 39-22 edge overall dating to 1957, when Warren Hills was known as Washington High School, and has won three in a row, including a 40-18 victory last season on Jan. 25, 2019. Warren Hills, which has dropped seven of the previous eight meetings and is 10-29 in the series since 1979, has not beaten the Lions since a 28-27 win in 2016. The schools have split a pair of postseason matchups -- Warren Hills scoring a 42-27 win in the 1997 Group 3 final and North earning a 40-26 victory in the 2005 North 2, Group 3 sectional semifinals. Since 1997, the Streaks have gone 4-17 in the series -- winning in 2004, '06, '10 and '16. Teams did not meet in 1985, '96 and 2012.

Note: Warren Hills wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses.

106 -- Fr. Kevin Riedinger (5-14) vs. Fr. Logan Wadle (17-2).

113 -- Fr. Shawn Redfield (12-10) vs. So. Nick DeLorenzo (9-7).

120 -- Sr. Greg Slivka (14-5) vs. Jr. Frank DiEsso (15-3).

126 -- So. Jared Lee (15-8) vs. Fr. Daniel Delusant (7-8).

132 -- Sr. Logan Nauta (16-5) vs. Jr. Connor Quinn (12-5).

138 -- Sr. Geir Nemeth (15-6) vs. Sr. Drew Doscher (11-3).

145 -- Jr. Reese Manfredi (3-8) vs. Sr. Evan Klimas (15-2).

152 -- So. Stephen Malia (18-4) vs. Sr. Kyle Anderson (9-5).

160 -- So. Owen Frizzell (16-5) vs. So. William Cole (11-4).

170 -- Sr. Nick Hildebrant (8-5) vs. Jr. James Holder (13-4).

182 -- Jr. Brandon Riggs (3-13) vs. Sr. Nate Fossett (15-2) or Fr. Alex Uryniak (12-3).

195 -- So. Michael Galka (8-6) vs. So. Kyle Schultz (5-3).

220 -- Jr. Logan Polcari (10-7) vs. Sr. Ian Gaburo (13-1).

285 -- So. Tyler McCatharn (18-3) vs. So. Liam Akers (15-2).

North can clinch the division title vs. Montgomery.

Breakdown: In the opener, North Hunterdon looks to clinch the Skyland Conference Raritan Division title with a win over Montgomery. ... The series with Warren Hills reunites former teammates and district champions for the Blue Streaks -- Sbriscia (2005-06) and Hrunka ('07). ... The teams have gone head-to-head nine times this season between the John Goles Invitational and Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex tournaments (DeLorenzo d. Redfield, 5-3; Lee p. Delusant; Quinn d. Nauta, 8-3 and 7-3; Doscher d. Nemeth, 6-5; Frizzell p. Cole; Holder p. Hildabrant; Akers d. McCatharn, 2-1) -- with North winning seven of those
matchups. ... I don't think we're going to see much, if any, juggling on both sides for this one. North rates as the favorite at 106, 120, 132, 145, 170, 182, 195 and 220. Warren Hills has the edge at 126, 152 and 160. Let's call 113, 138 and 285 tossups, though the Lions won close decisions at all three earlier this season. The bout at 120 could also be interesting, though DiEsso is 2-0 all-time against Slivka dating to last season. The Streaks would likely need all three (I think they get two) to go their way to make this close, but bonus points will be hard to come by, while North, which wins nine bouts, should have opportunities there in at least five weights. The problem, as is the case for most of North's opponents, is dealing with the Lions' balance and formidable upper weights. Warren Hills will be the underdog at several weights where it counts on getting wins in most matches.

Prediction: North Hunterdon, 39-21.

Wrestling: New Jersey Writers Association Top 20

Phillipsburg is the biggest mover as four teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area grace this week's New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20 poll.

The Stateliners (5-1), who are gearing for their annual clash with border-rival Easton (Pa.) -- the 83rd meeting in a series led by the Red Rovers, 64-18 -- on Thursday and a showdown against No. 9 Southern at home on Saturday, jump up five spots to No. 7, following a 29-28 independent victory over then-No. 9 Toms River North last Thursday. P'burg was coming off a 30-24 loss to North Hunterdon in a crucial Skyland Conference Raritan Division clash the previous evening in Lopatcong Township.

North Hunterdon (9-0), which can win the division title outright with a victory over Montgomery as part of tri-meet with Warren Hills on Wednesday, moves up to the No. 4 spot as the state's top-ranked public school. Coach Chris Hrunka's Lions will also be in action, along with No. 11 High Point and unranked Warren Hills, in the Patriot Duals this Saturday at North Warren. The eight-team field also includes No. 18 West Essex (9-0) -- last season's Group 3 state champion.

High Point (2-1), which saw its scheduled clash against P'burg on Saturday moved to Monday, Jan. 27, returns to action on Tuesday at West Morris. Coach John Gardner's Wildcats, who are starting to get healthy, could match up against Warren Hills (10-3), which recently finished third at the Jack Welch Duals and seems to be rounding into form after a rash of early-season injuries, and North Hunterdon at the Patriot Duals.

Pope John (5-2), which had a finalist and three other medal winners in the rugged Escape the Rock Tournament this past weekend, check in at No. 13 this week. The Lions, who will face Don Bosco Prep on Tuesday and West Morris at home on Thursday, cap their week with a tough quad at No. 5 Kingsway that also includes No. 1 Bergen Catholic and Jackson Memorial.

No. 5 Kingsway (9-1), which dropped a 40-21 decision to North Hunterdon in the championship match at the 15th annual Henry Boresch Duals on Jan. 4, is hoping that senior Cheney Kinner, a Region 8 fifth-place finisher, can return to the lineup at some point before the end of the season.

Kinner, who last season helped secure the program’s first state title (a 26-20 win over Phillipsburg in the Group 4 final) since 2007, sustained a broken left arm in a car accident in December. Dragons coach Mike Barikian said the senior recently had the cast removed and could rejoin the team soon.

Rank	School	Record	Previous
1	Bergen Catholic	(9-2)	1
2	Delbarton	(11-2)	2
3	Camden Catholic	(8-2)	4
4	North Hunterdon	(9-0)	5
5	Kingsway	(9-1)	8
6	Howell	(15-1)	7
7	Phillipsburg	(5-1)	12
8	Toms River North	(11-3)	9
9	Southern	(7-1)	6
10	St. Joseph-Montvale	(3-3)	3
11	High Point	(2-1)	10
12	St. Augustine	(8-2)	13
13	Pope John	(5-2)	11
14	Paulsboro	(8-2)	14
15	St. Peter's Prep	(4-3)	16
16	Seton Hall Prep	(7-1)	15
17	Brick Memorial	(11-2)	17
18	West Essex	(9-0)	18
19	Montville	(7-1)	NR
20	South Plainfield	(12-4)	19

Others receiving votes: Paramus Catholic and Williamstown.

NJWWA voting members listed in alphabetical order: Donald J. Brower (GardenStateHSWrestling.com); Frank D’Esposito (theshoreconference.com; Steven Falk (Asbury Park Press and APP.com); Sean Farrell (The Record of Hackensack and NorthJersey.com); Jane Havsy (Daily Record and DailyRecord.com); “Screwy” Louie Lazzari (New Jersey wrestling historian); John Lewis (Burlington County Times and phillyburbs.com); Ron Mazzola (NJWWA president and Region V ranking chairman); Tom McGurk (Courier Post of Cherry Hill); Andy Mendlowitz (Courier News and MyCentralJersey.com); Greg Tufaro (Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com); Michael Weilamann (Open Mike).

Wrestling: Local teams set to clash in Patriot Duals

The field for the much anticpated Patriot Duals is set as three state-ranked teams are set to battle it out on Saturday at North Warren Regional High School.

North Hunterdon looks to add another title trophy.

North Hunterdon (9-0), ranked No. 4 by the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association and winner of the 15th annual Boresch Duals on Jan. 4, drew the No. 1 seed, while No. 11 High Point is the No. 2 seed.

Warren Hills (10-3) and North Warren (4-5) round the locals competing in the eight-team field, which also includes No. 18 West Essex (9-0), the No. 4 seed, Westfield (8-0), Bound Brook (4-5) and Morris Catholic (0-13).

North Warren coach Kellen Bradley, now in his second season, immediately sought to bring back the once popular Patriot Duals, which began under former coach Jim Lehman in the mid-1990s. But they abruptly ended following the 2015-16 season. After a three-year hiatus, the tournament is back in full force with some of New Jersey's top programs.

"Over the years it's been pretty good," Bradley said in the offseason. "When it started, North Warren won it a few years, then it started to be pretty competitive. We're looking to make wrestling more of an event at North Warren. We're trying to do that in different ways."

Here is the schedule (All times approximate as a new round will begin following the completion of the previous session):

Quarterfinals, 9 a.m.

1-North Hunterdon (9-0) vs. 8-Morris Catholic (0-13)
4-West Essex (9-0) vs. 5-Bound Brook (4-5)

Quarterfinals, 10:30 a.m.

3-Warren Hills (10-3) vs. 6-Westfield (8-0)
2-High Point (2-1) vs. 7-North Warren (4-5)

Semifinals and wrestlebacks, noon

North Hunterdon-Morris Catholic winner vs. West Essex-Bound Brook winner
North Hunterdon-Morris Catholic loser vs. West Essex-Bound Brook loser

Semifinals and wrestlebacks, 1:30 p.m.

Warren Hills-Westfield winner vs. High Point-North Warren winner
Warren Hills-Westfield loser vs. High Point-North Warren loser

Consolation round, 3 p.m.

Fifth- and seventh-place matches.

Championship round, 4:30 p.m.

First- and third-place matches.

Wrestling: Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex rankings

It's been a struggle on the health front for Warren Hills' wrestling program, but the Blue Streaks seem to be rounding into form as we steam toward the final weeks of the regular season.

Coach Dave Sbriscia's team enjoyed a solid week, going 4-1 and finishing in third place at the 14th annual Jack Welch Duals on Friday and Saturday at Moorestown High School.

Warren Hills at the Jack Welch Duals. (Dave Sbriscia)

Warren Hills (10-3), which won its pool with a 33-25 victory over Long Branch, suffered its only loss to overall champion Delbarton, ranked No. 2 in the state by the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association, 62-6, before rebounding with a 37-30 victory over Cherokee.

"We knew it was going to be a dogfight between us and Long Branch," said Sbriscia, whose team has another big week on tap, including a Skyland Conference cross-divisional match at North Hunterdon on Wednesday to cap a tri-meet that begins with the Lions taking on Montgomery at 4 p.m., followed by Warren Hills vs. Montgomery. "Cherokee was tough. The way the matchups fell, we saved some bonus points, and where we needed to hit them up top, we did."

The Streaks, who were missing six starters in a 36-27 loss to Hunterdon Central on Dec. 31, are still not at full strength, as freshman Jarett Pantuso (170) and sophomore Ryan Galka (182) have been out indefinitely in the upper weights, while promising freshman Cody Miller (145) was lost for the season due to a knee injury. The good news for Warren Hills is that senior Nick Hildebrant (8-6 at 170), sophomore Michael Galka (8-6 at 195) and junior Logan Polcari (10-7 at 220) all recently returned to action.

"You never wish for [injuries], but it's given a lot of our JV guys some varsity experience," Sbriscia said. "Going into the season, I thought we were a pretty deep team. Obviously it's showed by beating some quality teams having guys out."

Sophomore Stephen Malia (18-4 at 152), an HWS Tournament runner-up, is enjoying a breakout season, while senior Greg Slivka (14-5 at 120) and sophomore Jared Lee (15-8 at 126), along with seniors Logan Nauta (16-5 at 132) and Geir Nemeth (15-6 at 138), give Warren Hills a formidable middle of the lineup. In addition, sophomore Owen Frizzell (16-5 at 160) has been a pleasant surprise after going 2-5 in a limited role as a freshman. The upper weights are anchored by sophomore Tyler McCatharn (18-3 at 285).

"We're still a young team," said Sbriscia, who regularly employs a combination of seven freshmen and sophomores, along with three juniors in the starting lineup.

With Group 3 being extremely wide open once again, the focus in a few weeks will be on the North 2 section, which includes defending state champion West Essex and Warren Hills, which is looking to capture the program's sixth sectional title and first since 2007. Both teams will be in action at the Patriot Duals on Saturday at North Warren. Montville is the team to watch coming out of North 1.

"I think it's going to come down to our section -- who is healthy and wrestling well that time of year," Sbriscia said.

Now, onto this week's rankings:

1. North Hunterdon (9-0) -- Lions snapped a 17-match skid against Phillipsburg and secured at least a share of the Skyland Conference Raritan Division title with a 30-24 victory on Wednesday -- the program's first win in the series since Jan. 6, 2007. Junior Frank DiEsso (120) and senior Drew Doscher (138) delivered pins, while senior Ian Gaburo added a key decision win at 220. Coach Chris Hrunka's team could face another stiff test against High Point on Saturday as the state-ranked teams will likely draw the top two seeds for the Patriot Duals.

Up next: Montgomery and Warren Hills at home on Wednesday; Patriot Duals at North Warren on Saturday.

2. Phillipsburg (5-1) -- Stateliners, who won six bouts and gave a good account in their 30-24 loss to North Hunterdon on Wednesday, bounced back with a 29-28 win over Toms River North on Thursday as freshman Hunter Cleaver (1-2), who coach Dave Post mentioned as a wrestler to watch following the North match, delivered a clutch pin at 138 pounds in his varsity dual meet debut. Sophomore Joey Innamorato, who scored a big win at 132 pounds in the loss to North Hunterdon, missed the Toms River North match due to illness. The annual "Return to The Pit" match this season featuring High Point, which was to be contested on Saturday, was rescheduled to Monday, Jan. 27. The 'Liners will seek their fifth win in the last seven meetings against Easton on Thursday. The 40-22 triumph over the Red Rovers last season was their largest margin in the series since a 34-8 victory on Feb. 5, 1970.

.@PBurgHSWrestlin 29 @TrnWrestling 28 Final

Great Match by Both Teams!!#980Wins pic.twitter.com/grmAm90YI3

— PBurg HS Wrestling (@PBurgHSWrestlin) January 17, 2020

Up next: Ridge at home on Wednesday; at Easton (Pa.) on Thursday; Southern at home on Saturday.

3. High Point (2-1) -- In their only action last week, the Wildcats cruised to a 55-18 victory over Hackettstown in an NJAC Freedom Division match. Senior Billy Talmadge (18-0 at 138), who is 118-26 overall, is four victories shy of moving into the school's Top 10 list. The good news for coach John Gardner's team was it featured a healthy 13 starters on the mat -- freshman Shane Woolf is likely out for the season with a knee injury -- and junior Nick Douma (126-132) could be back in a few weeks to help bolster the lineup.

Up next: at West Morris on Tuesday; at Mount Olive on Thursday; Patriot Duals at North Warren on Saturday.

4. Pope John (5-2) -- Lions went 3-0 in dual-meet action with wins against North Warren (47-25), Roxbury (51-9) and Mendham (39-25), the latter two were NJAC American Division clashes, and capped the week in the Escape the Rock Tournament. Senior Eddie Ventresca (19-2 at 126), who secured second place on the school's all-time wins list (136-14) this past week, was an Escape the Rock Tournament finalist, suffering his second loss this season to PIAA Class AA state champ Ryan Crookham of Notre Dame (Pa.), 1-0, while junior Shane Percelay (seventh at 120), senior Kaya Sement (fourth at 145) and sophomore Jack Stoll (seventh at 182) earned medals.

Up next: Don Bosco Prep at home on Tuesday; West Morris at home on Thursday; Bergen Catholic and Jackson Memorial at Kingsway on Saturday.

5. Delaware Valley (11-1) -- Terriers rolled to a 54-18 win over Voorhees in a Skyland Conference Valley Division clash on Wednesday before going 2-1 in a quad -- minus sophomore Robert Groogan (113) and senior Ryan Sutter (285) due to illnesses -- at home on Saturday, including a 39-28 victory over Kittatinny and a 28-27 criteria win (least forfeits, 1-0) over West Morris, as well as a 44-15 loss to Westfield. Junior Corey Crater (145) and senior Derek Schepens (113), who bumped up from 106, had key decisions against Kittatinny. Coach Andy Fitz, with 214 career wins and his father, Vince (284), are closing in on a milestone with a combined 498 victories. Del Val is at 786 total.

DV 54, Voorhees 18

Win #784

Derek Schepens changed the number!

Thanks to the fans and the DV Dawgpound for your support. The gym looked GOLDEN tonight! pic.twitter.com/wSvPqMVASE

— Del Val Wrestling (@DVRWrestling) January 16, 2020

Up next: Watchung Hills at home on Tuesday; Bernards at home on Wednesday; Hillsborough at home on Friday; Manalapan and Perth Amboy at Sayreville on Saturday.

6. Hunterdon Central (5-4) -- Red Devils scored a Skyland Conference Delaware Division win over Bridgewater-Raritan (53-21) on Tuesday and beat Hillsborough (63-12) on Thursday before splitting a tri-meet on Saturday with a win over host Emerson (No. 990 for the program) and a loss to Mount Olive (35-24). Junior Colton Washleski (145) and senior Anthony Romaniello (152) are each approaching 80 career victories.

Up next: Morris Knolls at home on Wednesday; Roxbury, Westwood and Woodstown at home on Saturday.

7. Warren Hills (10-3) -- Blue Streaks opened last week with a 67-6 win over Bernards in a Skyland Conference Valley Division showdown before going 4-1 at the Jack Welch Duals over the weekend, including a 37-30 victory over Cherokee in the third-place match. Sophomores Owen Frizzell (160) and Tyler McCatharn (285), and senior Nick Hildebrant (170), all went 4-1 in the tournament.

Nice weekend for the streaks. 4-1 winning against Cherokee 37-30 to take 3rd place. pic.twitter.com/TU3b8EEDwL

— Warren Hills Wrestling (@WHR_Wrestling) January 18, 2020

Up next: Montgomery at North Hunterdon tri-meet on Wednesday; at Somerville on Friday; Patriot Duals at North Warren on Saturday.

8. Kittatinny (3-4) -- Cougars rolled to wins over Morris Hills (42-17) on Wednesday and Hanover Park (43-24) on Friday before going 0-2 in a quad at Delaware Valley on Saturday, including a 39-28 loss to the Terriers and a 35-33 defeat against Westfield. Junior Jackson Crawn, who enters the week with 68 career wins, decked Del Val senior Zach Zuchowski, an HWS Tournament runner-up, at 220. Veteran coach John Gill will face his friend and former wrestler Eric Bollette in a key NJAC Freedom Division clash at Newton on Thursday.

Up next: at Newton on Thursday; Passaic Valley and Teaneck at Dumont on Saturday.

9. Sparta (6-4) -- Spartans went 1-2, falling to a pair of state-ranked teams in Delbarton (60-13) on Wednesday and 43-27 to St. Peter's Prep at home as part of a tri-meet on Saturday, which included a 39-38 victory over Pompton Lakes. Junior Spencer Stewart (19-0), who is sitting on 92 career wins, secured the victory with a 17-second pin in the final bout at 132 pounds. Senior Garrett Stewart, a two-time HWS runner-up who is 123-24 overall, recently passed Ian Burke (120-23 from 2011-15) for second place on the school's all-time wins list and is four shy of surpassing Robert Gennat (126-32 from 2014-18) for the top spot.

Up next: Montville at home on Thursday; Wallkilll Valley, Demarest and Pascack Hills at home on Saturday.

10. Newton (6-6) -- Braves pulled out a 33-31 win over Jefferson in an NJAC Freedom Division matchup on Wednesday before going 3-2 at the Jack Welch Duals with victories against Northern Burlington (35-30), Holy Spirit (53-18) and Cinnaminson (51-21). Against Jefferson, junior JoJo Lotruglio scored a decisive 7-5 decision over Austin Jack in sudden-victory overtime in the final bout. Coach Eric Bollette's team will look to secure second place in the division with a win over archrival Kittatinny on Thursday.

Up next: Kittatinny at home on Thursday; Montgomery at New Brunswick on Saturday.

Wrestling: Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex standings

(Through Saturday's matches)

Skyland Conference
Delaware Division
		Overall	Division
Hunterdon Central		(5-4)	(1-0)
x-Watchung Hills		(3-2)	(1-0)
Franklin		(12-1)	(2-1)
Bound Brook		(4-5)	(1-1)
Bridgewater-Raritan		(1-6)	(0-3)
Raritan Division
		Overall	Division
xy-North Hunterdon		(9-0)	(3-0)
Ridge		(5-3)	(1-1)
Hillsborough		(5-7)	(1-2)
Montgomery		(5-2)	(0-1)
Phillipsburg		(5-1)	(0-1)
Valley Division
		Overall	Division
Delaware Valley		(11-1)	(2-0)
Warren Hills		(10-3)	(2-0)
Bernards		(6-1)	(1-1)
Somerville		(1-4)	(0-1)
Voorhees		(1-9)	(0-3)
Mountain Division
		Overall	Division
Manville		(7-3)	(2-0)
Belvidere		(2-4)	(2-0)
North Plainfield		(4-2)	(1-2)
Rutgers Prep		(1-5)	(0-1)
Pingry		(1-6)	(0-2)
Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference
Freedom Division
		Overall	Division
High Point		(2-1)	(2-0)
Newton		(6-6)	(2-0)
Jefferson		(9-4)	(0-1)
Kittatinny		(3-4)	(0-1)
Hackettstown		(4-2)	(0-2)
American Division
		Overall	Division
Delbarton		(11-2)	(4-0)
Pope John		(5-2)	(3-1)
Montville		(6-1)	(2-1)
Sparta		(6-4)	(1-2)
West Morris		(4-5)	(1-2)
Mendham		(6-3)	(1-3)
Roxbury		(1-8)	(0-3)
Colonial Division
		Overall	Division
Hopatcong		(1-4)	(1-0)
North Warren		(4-5)	(1-0)
Lenape Valley		(4-5)	(1-1)
Vernon		(5-6)	(1-1)
Wallkill Valley		(0-7)	(0-2)
x-county champion
y-clinched share of division title