The Region 1 Tournament has new dates and times this season.
The tournament will begin on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. with first-round matchups involving second- and third-place finishers from Districts 1 through 4. District champions will still receive a bye in the opening round and will not wrestle until the tournament resumes on Friday, Feb. 24 with the quarterfinals at 4 p.m. (one hour earlier than previous years).
The event concludes on Saturday, Feb. 25 with semifinals at 9 a.m., followed immediately by two rounds of wrestlebacks. The consolation finals will being 30 minutes at the conclusion of the wrestlebacks with the championships in all 14 weight classes to follow.
Unlike previous years, the tournament will be seeded in its entirety on Monday, Feb. 20. There will no longer be a re-seed for the quarterfinals, which usually took place on that Wednesday following the opening round a day earlier.
The top three finishers in each weight class advance to the state tournament held March 2-4 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
Doors open at Wallkill Valley at 3 p.m. on Wednesday; 2 p.m. on Friday and 7 a.m. on Saturday. In the event that Wednesday's scheduled is postponed, the tournament will begin on Thursday. If Friday's session is postponed, there will be three sessions on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. The same schedule would apply on Sunday should Saturday's action be postponed.
Ticket prices are as follows: Wednesday/Friday $5 general admission and $3 for students and seniors. On Saturday, an all-day pass is $10 for adults and $6 for students and seniors. Otherwise it's $5 for general admission and $3 for students and seniors.
Remember to get your "complete" breakfast Saturday morning!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Wrestling: Sectional and Group championship picks
The NJSIAA sectional wrestling tournaments begin on Monday with first-round matchups at 7 p.m. Winners advance to Wednesday's semifinals and the sectional championships will be contested on Friday.
All sectional winners advance to the Group championships on Sunday at Toms River North High School.
Group 4 and Group 2 will be worth the price of admission alone. Here's an analysis and predictions for all sections and Groups:
Group 4
North 1 -- Morris Knolls.
North 2 -- Phillipsburg.
Central -- Brick Memorial.
South -- Southern.
Notes -- Really a wide open field here. The Central Jersey section, which also includes Jackson Memorial and Howell, is brutal. Phillipsburg is on a major roll right now and will benefit down at Toms River by wrestling the North 1 winner in the semifinals, while Brick Memorial and Southern battle it out on the adjacent mat. Southern's balance will give P'burg problems, but a 17th championship is long overdue for the Warren County school.
Group 3
North 1 -- Paramus.
North 2 -- South Plainfield.
Central -- Ocean Township.
South -- Timber Creek.
Notes -- Paramus, which beat Northern Highlands, 32-21 on Jan. 27, prevails in that section over Wayne Valley, which will avenge an earlier loss to Northern Highlands in the semifinals. South Plainfield is head-and-shoulders above here and will meet Timber Creek -- which it beat, 52-10, on Jan. 14 -- in the Group 3 semifinals for the third straight year. Timber Creek has a solid lineup, but South Plainfield is better everywhere that TC is good. Ocean Township has a nice team, but South Plainfield wins its second title in three years and seventh overall on Sunday.
Group 2
North 1 -- High Point.
North 2 -- Voorhees.
Central -- Raritan.
South -- Delsea.
Notes -- Talk about wide open fields. This one promises to be fun. High Point, last year's Group 3 champion, and Delsea are the class of those respective sections. Voorhees prevails behind bonus points in a tough battle with Brearley, while Raritan holds off Delaware Valley in a tight one. I picked High Point to win it all at the beginning of the season and I'm not backing off now, despite a two-point loss to Raritan a few weeks ago. That's the final and the Wildcats win two tight ones on Sunday to bring home another trophy.
Group 1
North 1 -- Kittatinny.
North 2 -- Hanover Park.
Central -- Bound Brook.
South -- Paulsboro.
Notes -- Lots of talk surrounding Bound Brook and being a choice school. Like it or not, the Crusaders are the clear-cut favorites to win the program's first Group 1 title and will have a semifinal showdown with Kittatinny, which prevails in a tough section over a good Emerson-Park Ridge squad just to get to Toms River. Paulsboro isn't the power it has been, but should reach another Group 1 final.
Non-Public A
North -- St. Peter's Prep over Bergen Catholic.
South -- Christian Brothers over St. Augustine.
Overall winner -- St. Peter's Prep just gets by a tough Bergen Catholic team, whose only in-state losses are to South Plainfield, Southern and Brick Memorial, and knocks off CBA for the championship.
Non-Public B
North -- St. Mary's-Rutherford over DePaul.
South -- Camden Catholic over Bishop Ahr.
Overall winner -- Camden Catholic, even in an off year, is too much to handle here.
All sectional winners advance to the Group championships on Sunday at Toms River North High School.
Group 4 and Group 2 will be worth the price of admission alone. Here's an analysis and predictions for all sections and Groups:
Group 4
North 1 -- Morris Knolls.
North 2 -- Phillipsburg.
Central -- Brick Memorial.
South -- Southern.
Notes -- Really a wide open field here. The Central Jersey section, which also includes Jackson Memorial and Howell, is brutal. Phillipsburg is on a major roll right now and will benefit down at Toms River by wrestling the North 1 winner in the semifinals, while Brick Memorial and Southern battle it out on the adjacent mat. Southern's balance will give P'burg problems, but a 17th championship is long overdue for the Warren County school.
Group 3
North 1 -- Paramus.
North 2 -- South Plainfield.
Central -- Ocean Township.
South -- Timber Creek.
Notes -- Paramus, which beat Northern Highlands, 32-21 on Jan. 27, prevails in that section over Wayne Valley, which will avenge an earlier loss to Northern Highlands in the semifinals. South Plainfield is head-and-shoulders above here and will meet Timber Creek -- which it beat, 52-10, on Jan. 14 -- in the Group 3 semifinals for the third straight year. Timber Creek has a solid lineup, but South Plainfield is better everywhere that TC is good. Ocean Township has a nice team, but South Plainfield wins its second title in three years and seventh overall on Sunday.
Group 2
North 1 -- High Point.
North 2 -- Voorhees.
Central -- Raritan.
South -- Delsea.
Notes -- Talk about wide open fields. This one promises to be fun. High Point, last year's Group 3 champion, and Delsea are the class of those respective sections. Voorhees prevails behind bonus points in a tough battle with Brearley, while Raritan holds off Delaware Valley in a tight one. I picked High Point to win it all at the beginning of the season and I'm not backing off now, despite a two-point loss to Raritan a few weeks ago. That's the final and the Wildcats win two tight ones on Sunday to bring home another trophy.
Group 1
North 1 -- Kittatinny.
North 2 -- Hanover Park.
Central -- Bound Brook.
South -- Paulsboro.
Notes -- Lots of talk surrounding Bound Brook and being a choice school. Like it or not, the Crusaders are the clear-cut favorites to win the program's first Group 1 title and will have a semifinal showdown with Kittatinny, which prevails in a tough section over a good Emerson-Park Ridge squad just to get to Toms River. Paulsboro isn't the power it has been, but should reach another Group 1 final.
Non-Public A
North -- St. Peter's Prep over Bergen Catholic.
South -- Christian Brothers over St. Augustine.
Overall winner -- St. Peter's Prep just gets by a tough Bergen Catholic team, whose only in-state losses are to South Plainfield, Southern and Brick Memorial, and knocks off CBA for the championship.
Non-Public B
North -- St. Mary's-Rutherford over DePaul.
South -- Camden Catholic over Bishop Ahr.
Overall winner -- Camden Catholic, even in an off year, is too much to handle here.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Region 1 wrestling rankings (as of Feb. 5)
106 pounds
1. Sr. Jan Rosenberg, Morris Knolls
2. So. Tyler Hyrcak, Wayne Valley
3. Fr. A.J. Vindici, Randolph
4. Fr. Peter Lipari, Lenape Valley
5. Fr. Max Nauta, Warren Hills
Others to watch: Sr. John Torppey, High Point; So. Bryan Damon,
Jefferson; So. Devon LaFranco, Roxbury; Fr. Steven Friedman, Phillipsburg; Jr.
Joey Spaziani, Hopatcong; Fr. William Kui, DePaul; So. Austin Sisco, Pope John;
Fr. Dylan Luciano, West Morris; Fr. Michael Glasser, Montville; So. Christian
Silva, Kittatinny.
Notes: Big news here as Vindici knocked off Lipari, 5-4, on
Saturday. Hyrcak suffered his second loss, 5-4, to Michael Russo of St. Peter’s
Prep. That won’t penalize him here. Silva beat Friedman, 7-3, on Thursday.
113 pounds
1. Fr. David McFadden, DePaul
2. So. Nick Lizza, Montville
3. Jr. Zach Fisher, Phillipsburg
4. Sr. James Elphick, Kittatinny
5. So. Tai Adetula, Warren Hills
Others to watch: So. Matt Ritchie, North Warren; Jr. Cory Fleming,
West Morris; Jr. Vince Pallone, Mendham; Fr. Ian Burke, Sparta; Jr. Collin
Grimm, High Point; Jr. Stephen Caserta, Roxbury; Sr. Dylan Crupi, Randolph; So.
Matt Tripodi, Jefferson.
Notes: Fisher decked Elphick in a wild bout on Thursday, as each
took turns on their backs in that one. They flip spots and a potential rematch in
Region 1 will be eagerly awaited. Fisher (22-8) has been real solid of late and
followed that one up with a 12-2 major of Paulsboro freshman Sam Morina on
Saturday. Lizza hasn’t been at 113 since Jan. 14, but with one week to go
before districts he will stay here.
120 pounds
1. Sr. Chaz Coppa, Pequannock
2. Sr. Joe Cruz, Hopatcong
3. Fr. Mike Derin, High Point
4. Fr. Glenn Haines, Lenape Valley
5. Jr. Dave Popek, Kittatinny
Others to watch: Jr. Andrew Kaluzny, Phillipsburg; Sr. Chris
Greenwald, Warren Hills; Sr. Corey Forlenza, Montville; So. Lou Carusillo,
DePaul; So. Ronald Spera. Mount Olive; So. Kevin Hernandez, Roxbury; So. Matt
Vozzo, Randolph; Sr. Dillon Guarino, West Milford.
Notes: Popek back in after his second 3-2 win over Kaluzny this
season.
126 pounds
1. Jr. Sam Tareky, Wayne Valley
2. Jr. Matt Benvenuto, Lenape Valley
3. Sr. Kevin Gocklin, Vernon
4. Jr. Joe Kratochvil, Warren Hills
5. Fr. Max Elling, Phillipsburg
Others to watch: Jr. Jesse Thorsen, Belvidere; Jr. Connor McHugh,
High Point; Fr. Eric Friedman, Mendham; So. Johnny Hayes, North Warren; So.
Jake Legotte, Roxbury; Jr. Jake Struble, Wayne Hills; Sr. Matthew Messina,
Mount Olive.
Notes: Benvenuto coming on as evidenced by a technical fall of
Thorsen on Friday. Elling was impressive on Saturday in decking Paulsboro’s
Juan Rivera, a District 29 runner-up last season. McHugh hasn’t wrestled of
late, as he’s out with an undisclosed injury.
132 pounds
1. Sr. Dylan Thorsen, Belvidere
2. Sr. Steven Churchill, Newton
3. Sr. R.J. DeGeorge, Pequannock
4. Fr. Jason Gaccione, High Point
5. Fr. Jim Schuitema, Phillipsburg
Others to watch: Sr. James Rivera, Mount Olive; Jr. Brandon
Carcuffe, West Morris; Jr. Tyler Kozimor, Hackettstown; Sr. Johnny Walker,
Mendham; Sr. KC Wanamaker, Warren Hills; Fr. Tom Murphy, Kittatinny.
Notes: Thorsen matched his school’s record for career wins and is
122-12 overall entering the week. Tyler Smith was 122-20 from 2004-08.
Churchill became the seventh Newton wrestler to reach 100 wins and is 26-0 on
the season. Gaccione was idle last week and the feeling is that he goes 138 for
districts. We shall see, as this is a loaded weight class. Rivera is having a
solid season and will battle it out in District 1 with Thorsen, Schuitema,
Wanamaker, Carcuffe and possibly Kozimor, who may go 138 or 145. Thorsen beat
Carcuffe, 7-1, on Saturday. Schuitema beat Murphy, 5-2, on Thursday, a day
after a big 5-3 win over Hillsborough star Mackey Price. Thorsen lost, 5-2, to
Price on Jan. 9.
138 pounds
1. Sr. Jason Snider, High Point
2. So. Nick Romyns, Kittatinny
3. Jr. Nick Matthews, West Morris
4. Sr. Steven McKowen, Morris Knolls
5. Sr. Ray Timpani, Randolph
Others to watch: Sr. Ryan Higgins, Jefferson; Jr. A.J.
Bongiovanni, Hopatcong; Jr. Mason Ryzoff, North Warren; So. Jonathan Patane,
Roxbury; Jr. Joe Hocking, Wallkill Valley; Sr. Tyler Walker, Vernon; Jr.
Brandon Rothman, Hackettstown; Jr. Kevin Bundschuh, Warren Hills; So. Niko
Grello, Newton; Jr. Anthony Johnson, Phillipsburg.
Notes: Romyns had a tough week, pulling one out of the fire
against Johnson on Thursday with a five-point move late. The Kittatinny
sophomore was teched by Toms River South stud B.J. Clagon on Friday.
Interestingly, Matthews won a narrow, 3-2, decision over Bongiovanni on
Saturday. Hocking, who has had an up and down season, scored a nice 4-0 win
over Paramus’ Joe Rizzitello, fourth in Region 2 last season, on Saturday. Higgins beat Grello, 7-2, on Saturday and Walker, 10-9, on Wednesday.
145 pounds
1. Sr. Tim Garripoli, Roxbury
2. Sr. Tyler VanDyke, Pequannock
3. Sr. Dylan Offerding, Mount Olive
4. Sr. Jacob Aloia, Mendham
4. Sr. Jacob Aloia, Mendham
5. Sr. Jon Arbelaez, Morris Knolls
Others to watch: Sr. Joe Emering, Pope John; Sr. Rick Levens,
Randolph; Fr. Luke Bohn, Jefferson; Sr. Devin Sullivan, Morris Hills; Jr. Greg
Wallace, West Morris; Jr. Ryan Ward, Vernon; Sr. Chris Olivo, Lenape Valley;
Sr. Sean Mullin, Butler; Sr. Andrew Gundlah, Pompton Lakes; Sr. Ryan Schaible,
Dover; So. Jake Kocsis, Phillipsburg.
Notes: Garripoli (26-0) still the man to beat here. VanDyke decked
Gundlah on Saturday. Here’s where it gets tricky. Aloia, who dropped out of the
top five last week, beat Arbelaez, 5-3 in OT, on Wednesday. Offerding lost to
Arbelaez, 3-2, in the MCT, but defeated Aloia, 5-3, in the same tourney.
Emering has been ranked here most of the season, but hasn’t beaten anyone in the
top five. He comes out on that basis and Aloia moves back in.
152 pounds
1. So. Dillon Artigliere, Roxbury
2. Sr. Clarke Moynihan, Kittatinny
3. Jr. Parker Meytrott, Montville
4. Sr. Michael Staufenberger, North Warren
4. Sr. Michael Staufenberger, North Warren
5. Sr. V.J. Delmonico, Phillipsburg
Others to watch: Jr. Patrick VanDuyne, West Milford; Sr. Johnny
Berry, Lakeland; So. Sam Button, Mendham; Sr. Brett Secor, Pompton Lakes; Jr.
Sean Rodgers, Randolph.
Notes: New entry here as Staufenberger, who was No. 5 at 152,
dropped to 145 on Wednesday and earned a nice 3-2 win in triple overtime
against Mount Olive’s Dylan Offerding, who is ranked at 145. Moynihan was
pinned by Toms River South state placewinner Ken Theobold on Friday and beat
Delmonico, 6-1, on Thursday. Interestingly, VanDuyne hasn’t been at 152 since
early in the season and will likely go 160 for the postseason. There’s no place
for him here as of now.
160 pounds
1. Sr. Keith Lemengello, Pequannock
2. Sr. Kevin Button, Mendham
3. Sr. Nathan Dow, Belvidere
4. Sr. Joe Moyer, Phillipsburg
5. So. Kieran Gerrity, Kittatinny
5. So. Kieran Gerrity, Kittatinny
Others to watch: Fr. Nick DePalma, DePaul; Sr. Andrew LaBell,
Lenape Valley; Sr. D.J. Wagner, Morris Hills; Sr. John Malazinsky, Morris
Knolls.
Notes: Rough week for Gerrity with losses to Lemengello, 3-1, on
Wednesday and Moyer, 6-2, on Thursday. The Moyer loss mucks things up a bit. Dow
lost, 3-2, to Gerrity on Jan. 14, but moves up here. Dow beat Moyer, 6-4, at
HWS and his only other losses are to Button (5-4 on Dec. 27) and Voorhees state
runner-up Jadaen Bernstein (11-2 on Jan. 20).
170 pounds
1. Sr. Ryan Harrington, Mendham
2. Sr. Steve Secor, Lakeland
3. Jr. John Sickles, West Morris
4. Sr. Kevin Pettenger, High Point
5. Jr. Jake Brook, Kittatinny
Others to watch: Sr. Dan Ryan, Mount Olive; Jr. Richard DiZenzo,
West Milford; So. Anthony Landberg, Wayne Valley; Sr. Devin Grade,
Phillipsburg; Jr. KC Apkarian, Butler; Sr. Max Shirhall, Lakeland; Jr. Keith
Lopez, Pompton Lakes; Jr. Michael Burns, Morris Knolls.
Notes: Brook pinned Grade on Thursday in Kittatinny’s 36-18 loss
to the Stateliners. Otherwise, a pretty quiet week at this weight class.
182 pounds
1. Sr. Nick Dellaferra, Wayne Valley
2. Jr. Michael Rettino, Morris Knolls
3. Jr. Evan Bray, Belvidere
3. Jr. Evan Bray, Belvidere
4. Sr. Shaun Maloy, Phillipsburg
5. Jr. Stephen Arthur III, Roxbury
5. Jr. Stephen Arthur III, Roxbury
Others to watch: Jr. Luke Foukas, Pequannock; Sr. Dan Hauck,
North Warren; Sr. Ryker Kern, Warren Hills; So. Kyle Stoll, High Point; So.
Garrett Armstrong, Kittatinny; Sr. Zack Levy, Vernon; Sr. Jimmy VanKluyve,
Wayne Hills; Jr. Hunter McConnell, Butler; Sr. Alex Muller, Sparta.
Notes: A few changes here after Maloy’s 5-3 win over Kittatinny’s
Dylan Wunder, ranked No. 2 at 195, on Thursday. Wunder has a 9-7 win over
Arthur III, who recently beat Foukas, 3-0, in the MCT. Rettino went 4-0 since
our last set of rankings, including a 4-0 win over Mendham’s Jim Conte at 195.
Dellaferra (21-2) was on the short end of a 3-1 loss on Saturday to tough Anthony Pafumi of
St. Peter’s Prep, who was a fifth-place finisher in the state tournament last season.
195 pounds
1. Sr. Jake Connelly, Newton
2. So. Dylan Wunder, Kittatinny
3. Sr. Kyle Smith, Morris Knolls
4. Jr. Ronny Cobilich, Montville
5. Sr. Jack Baumgaertel, Pompton Lakes
Others to watch: Jr. Jim Conte, Mendham; Jr. Jon Fazio,
Lakeland; So. Jesse Cornwell, Vernon; So. Ryan Witner, Warren Hills; Sr. Derek
Pierson, Phillipsburg.
Notes: Connelly (29-0) firmly entrenched here at the top spot and
could meet up with Cobilich when their teams meet on Thursday. Smith (24-3) and
Cobilich have split two meetings this season. Wunder (22-5), who only weighs
174, has seen some time at 182 but remains here for now. Pierson hasn’t been in
the lineup of late, as P’burg likes to bump 182-pounder Shaun Maloy up to 195.
Baumgaertel has been bouncing between 195 and 220, but was here this past week
and goes in at No. 5. He owns a win over Belvidere’s J.B. Lawson, ranked at
220.
220 pounds
1. Sr. Brandon Hull, Phillipsburg
2. Sr. Dan Smith, Warren Hills
3. Sr. Alex Trani, Wayne Valley
4. Jr. J.B. Lawson, Belvidere
5. Sr. Dave Tlatelpa, Vernon
Others to watch: Jr. Robert Levine, Wayne Hills Jr. William
Wenzel, West Milford; Jr. Pete Andrich, Mount Olive.
Notes: Hull (24-3) earned his 81st career win on
Saturday with an 11-second pin of Paulsboro’s Davontae Randall. Smith idle last
week as the Blue Streaks shut down operations due to skin disease. Tlatelpa (18-3)
is coming on and his only losses here are to Smith (15-2) and Lawson (3-2) in
the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.
285 pounds
1. Sr. Mike Spencer, Pequannock
2. Sr. Jermaine Eluemunor, Morris Knolls
3. Sr. Andrew Grosser, Pompton Lakes
4. Sr. Anthony Pare, Phillipsburg
5. Sr. Zak Krulan, West Morris
Others to watch: Sr. Jon Gemeinhardt, Vernon; Jr. Chris
Longyhore, North Warren; Fr. Andrew Pacheco, Warren Hills; Jr. Ryan Appleby,
Belvidere; Jr. Brendon Narbone, Lakeland; Sr. Chuck Foster, Morris Hills; Sr.
Ismail Saleh, Hackettstown.
Notes: Spencer (30-0) cemented his hold on No. 1 by decking
Grosser in 1:03 on Saturday. Eluemunor (23-2) defeated Foster, 2-1, in sudden
victory – his second win in OT over Foster this season. Krulan (20-3) decked
Appleby on Saturday in OT. Longyhore scored a nice 5-3 UTB win over Delaware
Valley’s Forrest Wooden on Thursday.
Note: Wrestlers
are ranked at their lowest competition weight in most cases. Results reported
to NWCA Scorebook and matches covered by Open Mike are used to help determine
the rankings. This list will be updated each Monday until the postseason tournaments.
Stateliners run roughshod over Paulsboro
Phillipsburg's wrestling team is on a major roll right now and caught in the wake was a Paulsboro team that was simply steamrolled in a 63-9 ambush on Saturday at The Pit.
The Stateliners (12-3), coming off an impressive 36-18 win over Kittatinny on Thursday, strung together nine straight wins, including seven pins (eight total) as they handed the Red Raiders (18-3) one of their worst defeats in the history of the storied South Jersey program. Paulsboro still holds an 8-5 edge in the series that began in 1999, but P'burg has now won three of the last four meetings and is 4-3 at home in this rivalry.
"We knew we were favored in quite a few bouts," said second-year coach Dave Post, whose 'Liners won 12 of 14 bouts in the their regular-season finale. "I just told them to enjoy this one. We have so many seniors and they will always remember their first [match] in The Pit and their last [regular season match]. They will certainly remember this one."
Paulsboro won't soon forget this lopsided loss either. Coach Paul Morina's squad appeared overmatched from the start.
In the opening bout at 113 pounds, P'burg junior Zach Fisher surrendered the opening takedown to freshman Sam Morina, the coach's son, and rattled off 12 unanswered points, including two sets of back points, for a 12-2 major decision. Andrew Kaluzny followed with a 9-1 major at 120 and freshman Max Elling gave the 'Liners a commanding 14-0 lead by decking sophomore Juan Rivera in 5:43 after a tightly-contested first two periods.
"Fisher was a big one," Post said. "He is going for bonus points all the time. He has an awareness and saw an opportunity, and took it."
Elling (16-8) led 5-4 as Rivera (26-4), a District 29 runner-up, took bottom to start the third period. Rivera escaped to tie at it 5, before Elling defended a dump attempt by stepping over for his own takedown and the stunning pin.
Pauslboro's Ronald Gentile momentarily stopped the bleeding with a 7-4 win over Jim Schuitema in matchup of talented freshmen at 132. Gentile (26-4) converted three takedowns in the win -- the last offensive points scored by the visitors until John Gentile's pin at in the final bout at 106.
Junior Anthony Johnson started the nine-bout streak for P'burg by flattening Cody Croce in 3:54 at 138. Jake Kocsis followed with a major at 145 and V.J. Delmonico extended the 'Liners lead to 27-3 with a 5-0 win over Nick Knauer at 152. Senior Joe Moyer started a run of six straight pins -- five in the first period -- for P'burg at 160 and the rout was in full motion.
"We thought we were favored from about 152 on up," Post said. "When Knauer moved up we thought we'd win at 145. We got a lot of turns on top, looked good on our feet, and did a good job on getting out from the bottom. We were solid in all three facets."
Matt Silva (182), Brandon Hull (220) and Anthony Pare (285) all had pins in less than a minute. Hull's was the fastest, 11 seconds, against freshman Davontae Randall.
Now, P'burg has its sights firmly set on a 32nd sectional title and the program's 17th Group state championship as the 'Liners prepare to host a North 2, Group 4 sectional semifinal on Wednesday.
"Every single match we're looking better and better," Post said.
PHILLIPSBURG 63, PAULSBORO 9
113 -- Jr. Zach Fisher (22-8), Ph, md. Fr. Sam Morina (25-5), 12-2.
120 -- Jr. Andrew Kaluzny (11-9), Ph, md. Sr. Zack Wellington (13-6), 9-1.
126 -- Fr. Max Elling (16-8), Ph, p. So. Juan Rivera (26-4), 5:43.
132 -- Fr. Ronald Gentile (26-4), Pa, d. Fr. Jim Schuitema (19-8), 7-4.
138 -- Jr. Anthony Johnson (9-6), Ph, p. Sr. Cody Croce (19-11), 3:54.
145 -- So. Jake Kocsis (16-8), Ph, md. Fr. Niko Savaiinaea (17-9), 8-0.
152 -- Sr. V.J. Delmonico (19-10), Ph, d. Sr. Nick Knauer (22-8), 5-0.
160 -- Sr. Joe Moyer (15-12), Ph, p. So. Tyler Adams (4-16), 1:08.
170 -- Sr. Devin Grade (14-11), Ph, p. Sr. Mike Silvestro (21-9), 1:03.
182 -- Sr. Matt Silva (5-4), Ph, p. Jr. Tim Barnaby (0-9), :59.
195 -- Sr. Shaun Maloy (16-10), Ph, p. Jr. Zach Funk (6-12), 3:14.
220 -- Sr. Brandon Hull (24-3), Ph, p. Fr. Davontae Randall (13-17), :11.
285 -- Sr. Anthony Pare (23-4), Ph, p. Sr. Austin Im (11-15), :37.
106 -- Jr. John Gentile (23-1), Pa, p. Fr. Steve Friedman (14-14), 1:54.
Records -- Paulsboro 18-3; Phillipsburg 12-3.
Official -- Lou Riccardi.
The Stateliners (12-3), coming off an impressive 36-18 win over Kittatinny on Thursday, strung together nine straight wins, including seven pins (eight total) as they handed the Red Raiders (18-3) one of their worst defeats in the history of the storied South Jersey program. Paulsboro still holds an 8-5 edge in the series that began in 1999, but P'burg has now won three of the last four meetings and is 4-3 at home in this rivalry.
"We knew we were favored in quite a few bouts," said second-year coach Dave Post, whose 'Liners won 12 of 14 bouts in the their regular-season finale. "I just told them to enjoy this one. We have so many seniors and they will always remember their first [match] in The Pit and their last [regular season match]. They will certainly remember this one."
Paulsboro won't soon forget this lopsided loss either. Coach Paul Morina's squad appeared overmatched from the start.
In the opening bout at 113 pounds, P'burg junior Zach Fisher surrendered the opening takedown to freshman Sam Morina, the coach's son, and rattled off 12 unanswered points, including two sets of back points, for a 12-2 major decision. Andrew Kaluzny followed with a 9-1 major at 120 and freshman Max Elling gave the 'Liners a commanding 14-0 lead by decking sophomore Juan Rivera in 5:43 after a tightly-contested first two periods.
"Fisher was a big one," Post said. "He is going for bonus points all the time. He has an awareness and saw an opportunity, and took it."
Elling (16-8) led 5-4 as Rivera (26-4), a District 29 runner-up, took bottom to start the third period. Rivera escaped to tie at it 5, before Elling defended a dump attempt by stepping over for his own takedown and the stunning pin.
Pauslboro's Ronald Gentile momentarily stopped the bleeding with a 7-4 win over Jim Schuitema in matchup of talented freshmen at 132. Gentile (26-4) converted three takedowns in the win -- the last offensive points scored by the visitors until John Gentile's pin at in the final bout at 106.
Junior Anthony Johnson started the nine-bout streak for P'burg by flattening Cody Croce in 3:54 at 138. Jake Kocsis followed with a major at 145 and V.J. Delmonico extended the 'Liners lead to 27-3 with a 5-0 win over Nick Knauer at 152. Senior Joe Moyer started a run of six straight pins -- five in the first period -- for P'burg at 160 and the rout was in full motion.
"We thought we were favored from about 152 on up," Post said. "When Knauer moved up we thought we'd win at 145. We got a lot of turns on top, looked good on our feet, and did a good job on getting out from the bottom. We were solid in all three facets."
Matt Silva (182), Brandon Hull (220) and Anthony Pare (285) all had pins in less than a minute. Hull's was the fastest, 11 seconds, against freshman Davontae Randall.
Now, P'burg has its sights firmly set on a 32nd sectional title and the program's 17th Group state championship as the 'Liners prepare to host a North 2, Group 4 sectional semifinal on Wednesday.
"Every single match we're looking better and better," Post said.
PHILLIPSBURG 63, PAULSBORO 9
113 -- Jr. Zach Fisher (22-8), Ph, md. Fr. Sam Morina (25-5), 12-2.
120 -- Jr. Andrew Kaluzny (11-9), Ph, md. Sr. Zack Wellington (13-6), 9-1.
126 -- Fr. Max Elling (16-8), Ph, p. So. Juan Rivera (26-4), 5:43.
132 -- Fr. Ronald Gentile (26-4), Pa, d. Fr. Jim Schuitema (19-8), 7-4.
138 -- Jr. Anthony Johnson (9-6), Ph, p. Sr. Cody Croce (19-11), 3:54.
145 -- So. Jake Kocsis (16-8), Ph, md. Fr. Niko Savaiinaea (17-9), 8-0.
152 -- Sr. V.J. Delmonico (19-10), Ph, d. Sr. Nick Knauer (22-8), 5-0.
160 -- Sr. Joe Moyer (15-12), Ph, p. So. Tyler Adams (4-16), 1:08.
170 -- Sr. Devin Grade (14-11), Ph, p. Sr. Mike Silvestro (21-9), 1:03.
182 -- Sr. Matt Silva (5-4), Ph, p. Jr. Tim Barnaby (0-9), :59.
195 -- Sr. Shaun Maloy (16-10), Ph, p. Jr. Zach Funk (6-12), 3:14.
220 -- Sr. Brandon Hull (24-3), Ph, p. Fr. Davontae Randall (13-17), :11.
285 -- Sr. Anthony Pare (23-4), Ph, p. Sr. Austin Im (11-15), :37.
106 -- Jr. John Gentile (23-1), Pa, p. Fr. Steve Friedman (14-14), 1:54.
Records -- Paulsboro 18-3; Phillipsburg 12-3.
Official -- Lou Riccardi.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Wrestling preview: Paulsboro at Phillipsburg
What: Paulsboro Red Raiders at Phillipsburg Stateliners.
Where: The Pit at Phillipsburg High School.
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Conference: Independent.
Records: Paulsboro 18-2; Phillipsburg 11-3.
Coaches: Paul Morina (548-32-4, 27th season); Dave Post (24-9, second season).
Series history: Paulsboro leads 8-4 dating to 1999, including a 34-21 victory at home in 2011. The teams did not meet in 2010. Phillipsburg's last win was 48-13 in The Pit in 2009. The Stateliners' other wins came in 2001 (30-28 at home), 2003 (32-29 at home) and 2008 (51-18 on the road). P'burg is 3-3 in the series at home and 1-5 on the road. Red Raiders won four in a row from 2004-07 and seven of the first nine in this rivalry, including a thrilling 27-26 victory in the first meeting at The Pit on Feb. 13, 1999.
Note: Paulsboro wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses.
106 -- Jr. John Gentile (22-1) vs. Fr. Steve Friedman (14-13).
113 -- Fr. Sam Morina (25-4) or Fr. Mickey Croce (12-4) or Sr. Zack Wellington (13-5) vs. Jr. Zach Fisher (21-8).
120 -- So. Juan Rivera (26-3) or Morina or Wellington vs. Jr. Andrew Kaluzny (10-9).
126 -- Fr. Ronald Gentile (25-4) or Rivera vs. Fr. Max Elling (15-8).
132 -- Sr. Cody Croce (19-10) or Gentile vs. Fr. Jim Schuitema (19-7).
138 -- Sr. Nick Knauer (22-7) or Croce vs. Jr. Anthony Johnson (8-6).
145 -- Fr. Niko Savaiinaea (17-8) or Knauer vs. So. Jake Kocsis (15-8).
152 -- Jr. Lee Koller (4-5) or Savaiinaea vs. Sr. V.J. Delmonico (18-10).
160 -- Sr. Mike Silvestro (21-8) vs. Sr. Joe Moyer (14-12).
170 -- So. Tyler Adams (4-15) vs. Sr. Devin Grade (13-11).
182 -- Jr. Joe Muraca (7-15) or Jr. Tim Barnaby (0-8) vs. Sr. Shaun Maloy (15-10) or Sr. Matt Silva (4-4).
195 -- Jr. Zach Funk (6-11) vs. Sr. Derek Pierson (8-6) or Maloy.
220 -- Fr. Davontae Randall (13-16) vs. Sr. Brandon Hull (23-3).
285 -- Sr. Austin Im (11-14) vs. Sr. Anthony Pare (22-4).
Breakdown: This has been a great rivalry since the series began in 1999 with an all-time great match at The Pit. Paulsboro owned this series until 2007, but Phillipsburg has won two of the last three and is a big favorite at home in this one. Paulsboro can hang with a lot of teams from 106-145, but after that, the lineup thins a bit. That's where I see the Stateliners doing a ton of damage, especially from 170 through 285. Paulsboro is definitely favored at 106, 120 and slightly at 126, but that's it. P'burg has the edge at 113, 152, 170, 182, 195, 220 and 285. Tossups at 132, 138, 145 and 160. Bouts to watch are 113 (Morina-Fisher), 126 (Rivera or Gentile vs. Elling) and 132 (Rivera or Gentile vs. Schuitema). Paulsboro could win six bouts, but I think only one has potential for bonus points. Visitors may steal a bout to make it closer, but the 'Liners could blow this one wide open. P'burg stays on a major roll heading into sectional and Groups week.
Prediction: Phillipsburg, 39-19.
Where: The Pit at Phillipsburg High School.
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Conference: Independent.
Records: Paulsboro 18-2; Phillipsburg 11-3.
Coaches: Paul Morina (548-32-4, 27th season); Dave Post (24-9, second season).
Series history: Paulsboro leads 8-4 dating to 1999, including a 34-21 victory at home in 2011. The teams did not meet in 2010. Phillipsburg's last win was 48-13 in The Pit in 2009. The Stateliners' other wins came in 2001 (30-28 at home), 2003 (32-29 at home) and 2008 (51-18 on the road). P'burg is 3-3 in the series at home and 1-5 on the road. Red Raiders won four in a row from 2004-07 and seven of the first nine in this rivalry, including a thrilling 27-26 victory in the first meeting at The Pit on Feb. 13, 1999.
Note: Paulsboro wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses.
106 -- Jr. John Gentile (22-1) vs. Fr. Steve Friedman (14-13).
113 -- Fr. Sam Morina (25-4) or Fr. Mickey Croce (12-4) or Sr. Zack Wellington (13-5) vs. Jr. Zach Fisher (21-8).
120 -- So. Juan Rivera (26-3) or Morina or Wellington vs. Jr. Andrew Kaluzny (10-9).
126 -- Fr. Ronald Gentile (25-4) or Rivera vs. Fr. Max Elling (15-8).
132 -- Sr. Cody Croce (19-10) or Gentile vs. Fr. Jim Schuitema (19-7).
138 -- Sr. Nick Knauer (22-7) or Croce vs. Jr. Anthony Johnson (8-6).
145 -- Fr. Niko Savaiinaea (17-8) or Knauer vs. So. Jake Kocsis (15-8).
152 -- Jr. Lee Koller (4-5) or Savaiinaea vs. Sr. V.J. Delmonico (18-10).
160 -- Sr. Mike Silvestro (21-8) vs. Sr. Joe Moyer (14-12).
170 -- So. Tyler Adams (4-15) vs. Sr. Devin Grade (13-11).
182 -- Jr. Joe Muraca (7-15) or Jr. Tim Barnaby (0-8) vs. Sr. Shaun Maloy (15-10) or Sr. Matt Silva (4-4).
195 -- Jr. Zach Funk (6-11) vs. Sr. Derek Pierson (8-6) or Maloy.
220 -- Fr. Davontae Randall (13-16) vs. Sr. Brandon Hull (23-3).
285 -- Sr. Austin Im (11-14) vs. Sr. Anthony Pare (22-4).
Breakdown: This has been a great rivalry since the series began in 1999 with an all-time great match at The Pit. Paulsboro owned this series until 2007, but Phillipsburg has won two of the last three and is a big favorite at home in this one. Paulsboro can hang with a lot of teams from 106-145, but after that, the lineup thins a bit. That's where I see the Stateliners doing a ton of damage, especially from 170 through 285. Paulsboro is definitely favored at 106, 120 and slightly at 126, but that's it. P'burg has the edge at 113, 152, 170, 182, 195, 220 and 285. Tossups at 132, 138, 145 and 160. Bouts to watch are 113 (Morina-Fisher), 126 (Rivera or Gentile vs. Elling) and 132 (Rivera or Gentile vs. Schuitema). Paulsboro could win six bouts, but I think only one has potential for bonus points. Visitors may steal a bout to make it closer, but the 'Liners could blow this one wide open. P'burg stays on a major roll heading into sectional and Groups week.
Prediction: Phillipsburg, 39-19.
Five thoughts on P'burg's win over Kittatinny
Some thoughts and observations from Phillipsburg's impressive 36-18 victory at Kittatinny on Thursday. The Stateliners now lead the all-time series, 11-6, dating to 1994, and have won five of the last six meetings.
1. Phillipsburg's wrestlers beat Kittatinny to the punch in just about every key bout and were far more aggressive in their approach. By my count, the 'Liners won four bouts as underdogs, including Shaun Maloy's 5-3 win over Dylan Wunder at 195. That came on the heels of Matt Silva's key 6-2 decision over Garrett Armstrong at 182. Two huge wins with Brandon Hull (220) and Anthony Pare (285) on deck and favored to get pins -- which they did to give P'burg a commanding 18-6 lead. Jake Brook's big stunning pin at 170 to get Kittatinny out in front early went by the wayside with the losses in the next two bouts.
2. Kittatinny, for whatever reason, has just not responded well in big matches this season. The Cougars knew coming into the season that beating P'burg and Timber Creek would be tall orders, but this was supposed to be their year against High Point. Kittatinny lost that one, 32-21, and also suffered a 33-31 loss to Warren Hills earlier this season after a disqualification loss in the final bout. Cougars coach John Gill was happy to get through a brutal week that culminated with a 20-point loss to Timber Creek last Saturday, but his team needs to step it up in order to win the program's 17th sectional title and earn a trip to Toms River. "I thought our effort [against P'burg] was respectable, but I was a little disappointed with the score," Gill said.
3. The 113-pound bout between Phillipsburg junior Zach Fisher and Kittatinny senior James Elphick was worth the price of admission. Both go for broke on the mat and each found themselves in bad spots during an action-packed three minutes. Fisher got the opening takedown and Elphick a reversal to tie it, but Fisher hit a big five-point move before Elphick got another reversal to make it 9-4 after one period. Elphick, a transfer from Pen Argyl, Pa., took bottom in the second, and after almost reversing and putting Fisher to his back, made a costly mistake that Fisher capitalized on for the pin. That one was the final nail in the coffin for the hosts. Can't wait for the rematch at Wallkill Valley in a few weeks.
4. Phillipsburg won the flip, and ironically, helped Kittatinny by taking home on the even bouts. The Cougars wanted to control the matchups at 182 and 195, which they did, and gave them the option at 132, where they were hoping to bump freshman Tom Murphy and sophomore Nick Romyns up a weight, to 138 and 145, respectively. But everything fell apart, as P'burg won both 182 and 195, en route to a 27-12 lead after Max Elling won at 126. Down 15 with five bouts left, Kittatinny could not afford to give away a possible six points at 132 and had to stay pat with the hope of winning out.
5. Freshman Jim Schuitema continues to impress me every time I see him take the mat. One night after a big win over state qualifier Mackey Price of Hillsborough, Schuitema came through with a clutch 5-2 decision over Murphy. Choosing to wrestle the Stateliner on the mat is bad strategy, as Murphy found out the hard way. Leading 2-1 after two periods, Murphy went down to start the third and was turned twice for a total of four points. Murphy, who earlier converted the bout's lone takedown, was never on bottom before the third period and you can bet he won't go there again if the two get a rematch at Region 1 in a few weeks.
Here's the complete boxscore:
PHILLIPSBURG 36, KITTATINNY 18
170 -- Jr. Jake Brook (17-9), K, p. Sr. Devin Grade (13-11), 3:59.
182 -- Sr. Matt Silva (4-4), P, d. So. Garrett Armstrong (15-9), 6-2.
195 -- Sr. Shaun Maloy (15-10), P, d. So. Dylan Wunder (21-5), 5-3.
220 -- Sr. Brandon Hull (23-3), P, p. Sr. Jake Drelich (16-10), :39.
285 -- Sr. Anthony Pare (22-4), P, p. So. Tom Smith (8-13), 2:48.
106 -- So. Christian Silva (15-11), K, d. Fr. Steve Friedman (14-13), 7-3.
113 -- Jr. Zach Fisher (21-8), P, p. Sr. James Elphick (8-1), 3:01.
120 -- Jr. Dave Popek (17-9), K, d. Jr. Andrew Kaluzny (10-9), 3-2.
126 -- Fr. Max Elling (15-8), P, d. So. Kevin Jelinek (3-5), 9-2.
132 -- Fr. Jim Schuitema (19-7), P, d. Fr. Tom Murphy (15-12), 5-2.
138 -- So. Nick Romyns (21-5), K, d. Jr. Anthony Johnson (8-6), 8-5.
145 -- So. Jake Kocsis (15-8), P, d. Fr. Brandon Olsen (10-16), 5-0.
152 -- Sr. Clarke Moynihan (24-2), K, d. Sr. V.J. Delmonico (18-10), 6-1.
160 -- Sr. Joe Moyer (14-12), P, d. So. Kieran Gerrity (21-5), 6-2.
Records -- Phillipsburg 11-3; Kittatinny 13-4.
Officials -- Bob Melillo and Gary Szucs.
1. Phillipsburg's wrestlers beat Kittatinny to the punch in just about every key bout and were far more aggressive in their approach. By my count, the 'Liners won four bouts as underdogs, including Shaun Maloy's 5-3 win over Dylan Wunder at 195. That came on the heels of Matt Silva's key 6-2 decision over Garrett Armstrong at 182. Two huge wins with Brandon Hull (220) and Anthony Pare (285) on deck and favored to get pins -- which they did to give P'burg a commanding 18-6 lead. Jake Brook's big stunning pin at 170 to get Kittatinny out in front early went by the wayside with the losses in the next two bouts.
2. Kittatinny, for whatever reason, has just not responded well in big matches this season. The Cougars knew coming into the season that beating P'burg and Timber Creek would be tall orders, but this was supposed to be their year against High Point. Kittatinny lost that one, 32-21, and also suffered a 33-31 loss to Warren Hills earlier this season after a disqualification loss in the final bout. Cougars coach John Gill was happy to get through a brutal week that culminated with a 20-point loss to Timber Creek last Saturday, but his team needs to step it up in order to win the program's 17th sectional title and earn a trip to Toms River. "I thought our effort [against P'burg] was respectable, but I was a little disappointed with the score," Gill said.
3. The 113-pound bout between Phillipsburg junior Zach Fisher and Kittatinny senior James Elphick was worth the price of admission. Both go for broke on the mat and each found themselves in bad spots during an action-packed three minutes. Fisher got the opening takedown and Elphick a reversal to tie it, but Fisher hit a big five-point move before Elphick got another reversal to make it 9-4 after one period. Elphick, a transfer from Pen Argyl, Pa., took bottom in the second, and after almost reversing and putting Fisher to his back, made a costly mistake that Fisher capitalized on for the pin. That one was the final nail in the coffin for the hosts. Can't wait for the rematch at Wallkill Valley in a few weeks.
4. Phillipsburg won the flip, and ironically, helped Kittatinny by taking home on the even bouts. The Cougars wanted to control the matchups at 182 and 195, which they did, and gave them the option at 132, where they were hoping to bump freshman Tom Murphy and sophomore Nick Romyns up a weight, to 138 and 145, respectively. But everything fell apart, as P'burg won both 182 and 195, en route to a 27-12 lead after Max Elling won at 126. Down 15 with five bouts left, Kittatinny could not afford to give away a possible six points at 132 and had to stay pat with the hope of winning out.
5. Freshman Jim Schuitema continues to impress me every time I see him take the mat. One night after a big win over state qualifier Mackey Price of Hillsborough, Schuitema came through with a clutch 5-2 decision over Murphy. Choosing to wrestle the Stateliner on the mat is bad strategy, as Murphy found out the hard way. Leading 2-1 after two periods, Murphy went down to start the third and was turned twice for a total of four points. Murphy, who earlier converted the bout's lone takedown, was never on bottom before the third period and you can bet he won't go there again if the two get a rematch at Region 1 in a few weeks.
Here's the complete boxscore:
PHILLIPSBURG 36, KITTATINNY 18
170 -- Jr. Jake Brook (17-9), K, p. Sr. Devin Grade (13-11), 3:59.
182 -- Sr. Matt Silva (4-4), P, d. So. Garrett Armstrong (15-9), 6-2.
195 -- Sr. Shaun Maloy (15-10), P, d. So. Dylan Wunder (21-5), 5-3.
220 -- Sr. Brandon Hull (23-3), P, p. Sr. Jake Drelich (16-10), :39.
285 -- Sr. Anthony Pare (22-4), P, p. So. Tom Smith (8-13), 2:48.
106 -- So. Christian Silva (15-11), K, d. Fr. Steve Friedman (14-13), 7-3.
113 -- Jr. Zach Fisher (21-8), P, p. Sr. James Elphick (8-1), 3:01.
120 -- Jr. Dave Popek (17-9), K, d. Jr. Andrew Kaluzny (10-9), 3-2.
126 -- Fr. Max Elling (15-8), P, d. So. Kevin Jelinek (3-5), 9-2.
132 -- Fr. Jim Schuitema (19-7), P, d. Fr. Tom Murphy (15-12), 5-2.
138 -- So. Nick Romyns (21-5), K, d. Jr. Anthony Johnson (8-6), 8-5.
145 -- So. Jake Kocsis (15-8), P, d. Fr. Brandon Olsen (10-16), 5-0.
152 -- Sr. Clarke Moynihan (24-2), K, d. Sr. V.J. Delmonico (18-10), 6-1.
160 -- Sr. Joe Moyer (14-12), P, d. So. Kieran Gerrity (21-5), 6-2.
Records -- Phillipsburg 11-3; Kittatinny 13-4.
Officials -- Bob Melillo and Gary Szucs.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Wrestling preview: Phillipsburg at Kittatinny
What: Phillipsburg Stateliners at Kittatinny Cougars.
Where: Kittatinny Regional High School, Hampton, N.J.
When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
TV: Service Electric Cable (Sparta) Channel 10.
Conference: Independent.
Records: Phillipsburg 10-3, Kittatinny 13-3.
Coaches: Dave Post (23-9, second season); John Gill (462-144-5, 32nd season).
Series history: Phillipsburg leads 10-6 dating to 1994, including a 34-21 win at The Pit in 2011. Kittatinny prevailed, 41-34, at home in 2010. The Cougars won four in a row from 2003-06 and have won five of the nine meetings since '03. 'Liners won the first five meetings by wide margins and were victorious in four of the last five matchups, including three straight from 2007-09.
Note: Phillipsburg wrestlers listed first with season records in parentheses.
106 -- Fr. Steve Friedman (14-12) vs. So. Christian Silva (14-11).
113 -- Jr. Zach Fisher (20-8) vs. Sr. James Elphick (8-0) or So. Nick West (6-8).
120 -- Jr. Andrew Kaluzny (10-8) vs. Jr. Dave Popek (16-9) or Elphick.
126 -- Fr. Max Elling (14-8) vs. So. Kevin Jelinek (3-4) or Popek.
132 -- Fr. Jim Schuitema (18-7) vs. Fr. Tom Murphy (15-11).
138 -- Jr. Anthony Johnson (8-5) vs. So. Nick Romyns (20-5).
145 -- So. Jake Kocsis (14-8) vs. Fr. Brandon Olsen (10-15).
152 -- Sr. V.J. Delmonico (18-9) vs. Sr. Clarke Moynihan (23-2).
160 -- Sr. Joe Moyer (13-12) vs. So. Kieran Gerrity (21-4).
170 -- Sr. Devin Grade (13-10) vs. Jr. Jake Brook (16-9).
182 -- Sr. Shaun Maloy (14-10) or Sr. Matt Silva (3-4) vs. So. Garrett Armstrong (15-8) or So. Dylan Wunder (21-4).
195 -- Sr. Derek Pierson (8-6) or Maloy vs. Armstrong or Wunder.
220 -- Sr. Brandon Hull (22-3) vs. Sr. Jake Drelich (16-9).
285 -- Sr. Anthony Pare (21-4) or Jr. Jarrett Williams (2-0) vs. So. Tom Smith (8-12).
Breakdown: This is one of the best rivalries in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area with lots of mutual respect on both sides. I don't see P'burg needing to make any lineup moves, leaving Kittatinny to possibly do some juggling in order to pull off the upset. Straight up, 'Liners are favored at 106, 126, 145, 220 and 285. Cougars have the edge at 138, 152, 160, 170 and 182 (Wunder). Tossups are 113, 120, 132 and 195. Popek beat Kaluzny, 3-2, at HWS, but Kaluzny is a much different wrestler now. Kocsis pinned Olsen at HWS for fifth place and Moynihan defeated Delmonico, 6-1, in the semifinals. My feeling is that Kaluzny reverses that loss and Kittatinny runs Murphy and Romyns up a weight to try and secure 138 and 145, provided it gets the flip. Cougars also would like a Wunder-Maloy matchup at 182. No matter how you slice it, I don't see Kittatinny getting many, if any, bonus-point wins. P'burg has the potential in four weight classes for more than a regular decision. That's the difference.
Prediction: Phillipsburg, 31-21.
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