Wrestling: 'Liners-Streaks set for Pin Cancer clash

The premiere high school wrestling event of the summer in our area is on tap for Thursday, July 26 as the seventh annual Pin Cancer match between Phillipsburg and Washington will be held on the turf at Warren Hills School District Stadium.

There will be a junior high match starting at 6 p.m., with the high school match to follow at 7 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m. Ticket price is $5. All proceeds go to cancer research and development. Check out http://www.pincancer.org/ for more information about this tremendous organization.

Phillipsburg defeated Warren Hills, 53-14, when the teams met during the 2017-18 high school season.

P'burg won the first four Pin Cancer matches before Washington ended that run with a 28-24 in 2016 at Warren Hills' auxiliary gym. The event was moved indoors for the first time due to rain, as was the case again for last year's event at Phillipsburg -- a 54-10 win for the Stateliners.

"We have a good freshmen class and we've looked awesome this summer," said P'burg coach Dave Post, whose team had a very successful run at the Lycoming Summer Camp.

This is the first Pin Cancer match for Dave Sbriscia as a head coach for Washington after he took over the reigns from Jarrett Hosbach in April.

"It's an awesome experience for the kids, that's what it's about, and raising money for a great organization," said Sbriscia, a former standout wrestler and assistant coach for the Blue Streaks who said 32 of his wrestlers attended summer camp at Penn State. "There will be a lot of great wrestling. People from both communities really come out and support the teams. There will be some great matchups to see."

This year's clash features four New Jersey state qualifiers in Phillipsburg's Travis Jones (135), Kyle Tino (145) and Cody Harrison (167), along with Washington's Nick Galka (215).

Jones (41-6) -- one of the most dangerous mat wrestlers around -- is a two-time district champion and captured his first region title this past season as a junior, placing seventh in the state tournament at 120 pounds, while Tino (25-11) was a district champion and region runner-up at 132.

Harrison (37-5), who did not compete in this event last year because of an injury, is a two-time state placewinner, finishing fourth at 138 pounds as a junior. He will enter his senior season with 85 career wins.

Galka (25-6), who battled foot issues last season, won a district title and finished second in Region 3 as a junior.

Sbriscia is looking forward to seeing his team, which lost a total of 77 varsity wins to graduation, in action.

"This [event] gives us an idea of what's going to happen in the season to come," he said. "I'm pretty excited about our incoming class. We'll have 12 to 13 freshmen. It's one of our biggest in five, six years. We have nine who were wrestlers coming up and three or four first-year wrestlers. We're hoping to have around 40 [total wrestlers in the program when the season starts]."

P'burg has two talented freshmen -- both grade school league champions in James Day and Joey Innamorato -- and six other wrestlers with 12 or fewer career varsity bouts in its Pin Cancer lineup.

"We're just excited to get some of our young guys bouts, just to see them against real competition," Post said. "One characteristic we always look for is if they wrestle more for each other than they do for themselves. They fight tooth-and-nail for every point. They don't necessarily have varsity experience, but they've all wrestled together for years and have wrestled so many bouts."

Post also provided a sneak preview of what the 2018-19 lineup may be at this mid-summer stage for his five-time defending Group 4 champions.

106 -- Fr. James Day; 113 -- So. Logan Maczko; 120 -- Fr. Joey Innamorato/So. Jason Tino; 126 -- Sr. Bryce Parenti; 132 -- Sr. Travis Jones; 138 -- Fr. Nate Zastowny/Sr. Luke Hardin; 145 -- Sr. Kyle Tino; 152 -- Sr. Cody Harrison; 160 -- Sr. Thomas Abode; 170 -- Jr. Ryan Mitzak; 182 -- Jr. Jacob Wicks; 195 -- Sr. Austin Roth; 220 -- So. Gage Horvath; 285 -- Jr. Cody Cruts

Tentative Pin Cancer matchups (Phillipsburg listed first)

107 -- Fr. James Day vs. Fr. Jared Lee
113 -- So. Logan Maczko vs. Fr. Noah DiNapoli
120 -- Fr. Joey Innamorato vs. Fr. Max Pagano
125 -- So. Jason Tino vs. Jr. Greg Slivka
130 -- Sr. Bryce Parenti vs. Fr. Stephen Malia
135 -- Sr. Travis Jones vs. Jr. Logan Nauta
140 -- Sr. Luke Hardin vs. Jr. Nick Gorab
145 -- Sr. Kyle Tino vs. Jr. Geir Nemeth
155 -- Sr. Thomas Abode vs. Sr. Chris Ostir
167 -- Sr. Cody Harrison vs. Jr. Nick Hildebrant
180 -- Jr. Jacob Wicks vs. Fr. Tyler McCarthern
200 -- Sr. Austin Roth vs. So. Logan Polcari
215 -- So. Gage Horvath vs. Sr. Nick Galka
285 -- Jr. Cody Cruts vs. Sr. Duro Ajayi

(Box from last season's high school dual)

PHILLIPSBURG 53, WARREN HILLS 14

182 -- Jarod Ostir, WH, d. Austin Roth, 5-2.
195 -- Shamyr Brodders, P, p. Logan Polcari, 1:19.
220 -- Cody Cruts, P, forfeit.
285 -- Duro Ajayi, WH, d. Patrick Sharpe, 3-1 SV.
106 -- Logan Maczko, P, forfeit.
113 -- Cullen Day, P, d. Greg Slivka, 3-0.
120 -- Travis Jones, P, forfeit.
126 -- Codey O'Rourke, WH, md. Brenden Fox, 9-1.
132 -- Kyle Wulff, WH, md. Thomas Abode, 10-2.
138 -- Kyle Tino, P, p. Nickolas Gorab, 1:38.
145 -- Cody Harrison, P, md. Chris Ostir, 17-7.
152 -- Brian Meyer, P, forfeit.
160 -- Josh Ramos, P, md. Nick Hildebrant, 14-4.
170 -- Lance Wissing, P, forfeit.

(2017 Pin Cancer results)

PHILLIPSBURG 54, WARREN HILLS 10

Logan Maczko, P, p. Walker Heller, :26.
Cullen Day, P, p. Greg Slivka, 4:27.
Luke Hardin, P, p. Shane Reynolds, 1:29.
Travis Jones, P, d. Logan Nauta, 12-6.
Kyle Wulff, W, md. Tyler Marason, 12-4.
Chris Ostir, W, d. Jared Kukor, 5-2.
Kyle Tino, P, d. Cameron Nauta, 8-4.
Jayson Zinsmeister, P, md. Geir Nemeth, 9-1.
Brian Meyer, P, p. Pedro Cruz, 3:27.
Lance Wissing, P, p. Logan Polcari, :25.
Shamyr Brodders, P, d. Nick Hildebrant, 6-5.
Austin Roth, P, tf. David Shafer, 16-1, 2:40.
Nick Galka, W, d. Cody Cruts, 10-5.
Patrick Sharpe, P, p. Brandon Prados, 1:13.

Jones set to be named new Warren Hills AD

Warren Hills Regional High School has chosen one of its own to run its athletic department.

Former star athlete Mike Jones is expected to be named the new athletic director during Tuesday night's Board of Education meeting.

Jones, who graduated from the Warren County school in 1998, was a candidate three years ago when Geri McKelvey was hired to replace Peter Lubrecht as the Blue Streaks' AD. Jones' prorated salary as AD will be $110,000 per year.

McKelvey, who was not rehired this past spring after serving two years on the job, is on Tuesday's agenda for approval to return to the classroom as a Health and Physical Education teacher as well as joining Josie Potter's field hockey staff as an assistant coach.

Jones, a star quarterback for Warren Hills under former head coach and AD Bob Lockhart, now an assistant coach at North Hunterdon, has recently been serving as chief administrator in the Hampton school district. A four-year letterwinner, Jones threw for 1,843 yards -- second most on the Streaks' all-time list -- his senior season in 1997. He still owns the school's career marks of 4,118 yards and 32 touchdowns. Jones was inducted into the Blue Streak Wall of Fame in May.

Jones will become the fifth athletic director at Warren Hills since Nick Holgash retired after 33 years at Warren Hills (15 as AD) in 2010.

Lubrecht succeeded Lockhart, who after two years as AD at his alma mater took the same position at Summit High School for the 2013-14 school year. Lubrecht, who had previously been the AD at Roselle Park from 2011-13, was not rehired following the 2015-16 school year.

Wrestling: Phillipsburg sets schedule for 2018-19

Phillipsburg coach Dave Post confirmed on Monday that his team's schedule for the 2018-19 season is just about complete. 

Phillipsburg celebrates its fifth straight Group 4 title in February.

The Stateliners, who finished 17-2 this past season and won their fifth straight Group 4 title (the program's 22nd state championship overall), will open next season by returning to the King of the Mountain Tournament at Central Mountain (Pa.) High School.

In addition to its mandated four dual meets against Skyland Conference Raritan Division opponents, Phillipsburg, which is 129-20 overall in Post's eight seasons, will again face Newton, Raritan, Kittatinny, Hanover Park, Southern and Ocean Township in independent matchups. Three of those teams appeared in the final New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 25 poll for 2017-18, as well as Hunterdon Central, which travels to P'burg on Jan. 24, 2019. In addition, Monroe Township and P'burg will meet for the first time on Jan. 5.

Hunterdon Central, Delaware Valley and Warren Hills are now non-divisional matchups under the new conference alignment for the next two seasons. Voorhees, which had wrestled P'burg almost continuously since the 'Liners -- 26-0 all time against the Vikes -- joined the Skyland Conference for the 1995-96 school year, is no longer on the dual meet schedule. However, the schools are now both in Region 4.

Sadly, a renewal of the series with High Point, the defending Group 2 champion, did not come to fruition despite attempts on both sides to find an agreeable date. P'burg owns a 17-1 edge all time against the 'Cats, including a 62-6 rout in their last matchup at The Pit in 2015. High Point's lone victory was 30-22 on Jan. 31, 2009, at The Pit.

"I feel pretty good about how the schedule worked out," said Post, who only has Thursday, Dec. 20 open for a potential match. "Only wish would be to restart the High Point match, but it really has to be on a weekend because of the [travel] distance, and that's tricky."

Newton, which owns a 9-7-1 edge overall against P'burg dating to 1947, will host the 'Liners for the first time since 2008 on Dec. 22. The Braves, who dropped a 38-29 decision after leading with two bouts left in last season's meeting, are the only program in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area that leads in a series vs. P'burg, which is 264-53-3 against HWS teams in its 72-year history.

P'burg, which returns seven full-time starters, including senior state medalists Travis Jones (seventh at 120) and Cody Harrison (fourth at 138), will square off against Ocean Township in its final dual meet of the regular season on Feb. 2, 2019. The 'Liners, who are 44-15 all time vs. Shore Conference schools, posted a 50-21 win at home last season in the first meeting between the schools.

Notably the only match against Pennsylvania's District 11 is against Easton (Jan. 19). The 'Liners had won three of the previous four matchups before a 28-26 loss to the Red Rovers last season. Easton owns a 64-17 advantage in the series since 1947.

"One less match with Pennsylvania will help us from having to scramble with regard to the NJ minimum [of 10 in-state matches before the cutoff for sectionals]," Post said.

Here's the schedule for 2018-19:

Dec. 14-15 -- at King of the Mountain Tournament (Mill Hall, Pa.)
Dec. 19 -- at Hillsborough
Dec. 20 -- TBA
Dec. 22 -- at Newton
Dec. 28-29 -- at Bethlehem (Pa.) Holiday Classic (Liberty High School)
Jan. 2 -- Warren Hills
Jan. 3 -- Raritan
Jan. 5 -- Monroe Township
Jan. 9 -- Montgomery
Jan. 10 -- Kittatinny
Jan. 12 -- Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament (site TBD)
Jan. 16 -- at North Hunterdon
Jan. 17 -- Hanover Park
Jan. 19 -- Easton (Pa.)
Jan. 23 -- at Ridge
Jan. 24 -- Hunterdon Central
Jan. 26 -- at Southern
Feb. 1 -- at Delaware Valley
Feb. 2 -- at Ocean Township
Feb. 4 -- Sectional first round
Feb. 6 -- Sectional semifinals
Feb. 8 -- Sectional finals
Feb. 10 -- Group championships at Toms River North
Feb. 16 -- District 13 Tournament (site TBD)
Feb. 20, 22-23 -- Region 4 Tournament at Union
*March 1-3 -- State Tournament at Atlantic City

Notes: Bold indicates Skyland Conference Raritan Division matches. State tournament dates in AC are subject to change should the state approve a proposed Thursday-Saturday format.

Wrestling: Bradley is choice as North Warren coach

Kellen Bradley has been eager for his opportunity. He waits no more.

Regarded as one of the top young assistants in the area, Bradley officially was named the new head wrestling coach at North Warren during Monday night's Board of Education meeting.

"I'm excited to take over at North Warren," said Bradley, a mathematics teacher at the Blairstown-based school. "When I took the assistant job, I viewed this as a diamond in the rough -- with great potential."

Bradley, a former Kittatinny standout, joined North Warren's staff this past season as the heir apparent to Scott Stoll, a former wrestler and graduate of Vernon Township High School. North Warren went 34-44 overall, including a 13-6 campaign this past season under Stoll, a former assistant coach who took over the program when Matt Parzero stepped down following the 2013-14 season.

"It felt good [going 13-6], it was a good season," Bradley said. "But I looked at it like we had one guy [senior heavyweight Joey Sprague] qualify for the Region 1 Tournament. That's not where I want us to be."

Bradley has wrestled for and coached with some of the top coaches in New Jersey. He previously served on John Gardner's staff at High Point -- on and off since the 2010-11 season. While wrestling for John Gill at Kittatinny, Bradley won district titles in 2003 and '04, and a Region 1 title at 103 pounds as a sophomore in '03. He was a region runner-up and a seventh-place finisher in the state tournament at 130 pounds as a senior in '05, finishing with a career mark of 93-18 despite seeing no varsity action as a freshman.

During Bradley's four seasons, the Cougars won four North 1, Group 2 sectional and Group 2 state championships, as well as four District 3 and Sussex County Interscholastic League titles. Those teams also were ranked No. 2 in the final New Jersey Coaches Association Polls in 2003 and '04, and third in '05. Bradley went on to wrestle for Scott Goodale and graduate from Rutgers University.

"Between the three of those guys [Gill, Gardner and Goodale], I will take pieces and things from each," said Bradley, who includes former SIR wrestling club owner Shawn Hall among his biggest influences. "Gill's teams are always competitive top to bottom, and he can turn guys into competitive wrestlers at the varsity level. Gardner taught me to be more relaxed than maybe I am some times, and if you hold high expectations, the kids will live up to them. They expect to win at High Point.

"Goodale is a good motivator and a great practice room guy. Shawn gave me my start. He taught me a lot."

Bradley is among several wrestlers under Gill to join the high school coaching ranks. Eric Bollette (Newton), Brian Bollette (Morris Hills), Tyler Branham (Hanover Park) and Dave Hughen (Boonton) are also head coaches, while Will Livingston (Pope John), Bryant Wanamaker and Dave Sylvester (Morris Hills) and Jerry McMickle (Parsippany) are assistants. In addition, Jared Roe, Mike Gummerson and Sean Lombardi all currently serve on Gill's staff.

Bradley has yet to put together his staff, but Eugene Fluri is expected to return in some capacity. Fluri has been a longtime assistant and also serves as North Warren's head football coach. Former wrestling coach and High Point great Chris Jones also is in the building. Jones, who guided the Patriots to their only sectional championships in 2006 and '07 (North 1, Group 1), is a special services teacher.

As for the schedule, Bradley said it's nearly complete. North Warren will open the season against Warren Hills on Friday, Dec. 14, while the Patriots will see Newton, North Hunterdon, Sparta and Voorhees along the way in dual meets. The tournament schedule includes annual dates in the Linn Crawn Memorial Classic at Kittatinny on Thursday, Dec. 27 and Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex on Saturday, Jan. 12.

"We've ramped it up. My philosophy is to not shy away from tough competition," he said.

With 11 starters returning next season, Bradley feels the program is in good shape moving forward.

"We had a young team [in 2017-18] with a lot of potential," he said. "They are starting to buy in and realize they need to put in a lot more time during the offseason. With the right mentality, I think they can get it done."

Field hockey: Voorhees picks Hughes as head coach

Voorhees has a new head coach after a four-month-long search.

Shannon Hughes, a former star player at South Plainfield and Rider University, was approved as the program's eighth head coach during a Board of Education meeting on Tuesday.

Vikings athletic director Brian Baumann confirmed the hiring via text message on Wednesday.

Hughes succeeds Taylor Webb, a star player at Voorhees and the Hunterdon County school's head coach the previous seven seasons. At South Plainfield, Hughes played for her mother, Cheryl, who succeeded longtime coach Fran Flannery. Shannon's sister, Caity, shattered every South Plainfield scoring record before graduating in 2017.

Shannon Hughes enjoyed a stellar playing career -- scoring 28 goals with 23 assists her senior season in leading South Plainfield to a 20-4 record and its second straight appearance in the North 2, Group 2 sectional final. Upon graduation in 2014, Hughes shared the Middlesex County school's all-time point record with Meghan Schweers before Caity Hughes broke it her junior season in '15. Another sister, Meghan, also played for the Tigers.

At Rider, Shannon Hughes, a forward, led the team in assists this past season with seven and finished with career totals of 11 goals and 13 assists in 77 games (36 starts). The Broncs finished 8-11 in 2017 and lost in the opening round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament.

Webb, 33, a former midfielder and considered one of the school's greatest players, guided her teams to an overall mark of 112-31-4, including a 14-6 campaign in 2017. The Vikes captured four Skyland Conference division titles as well as a Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament title (2012) and a sectional championship (2016).

Baumann, who has been on the job for two years, admitted during a December interview that finding Webb's successor wouldn't be an easy task.

"You're not going to replace her knowledge and love for the game ... it's a huge loss," he said.

Voorhees, which has had just three losing seasons in its 43-year history and none since 2004, has long been one of the state's most successful and storied programs. Webb played under former coach Ann Bonavita, who built the program into a powerhouse during her 11 seasons from 1992-2002.

Bonavita's final season as head coach -- she also served as Webb's assistant for a few seasons -- culminated with a North 2, Group 2 sectional title before dropping a tough 2-1 decision in overtime to eventual Group 2 champion West Essex in the state semifinals. Webb, who still owns the Vikes' all-time assists record (58), went on to play at the University of Iowa before transferring back home to finish her career at Rider.

Webb became Voorhees' seventh head coach in 2011, succeeding Beth Stocker, who continued the program's winning tradition in her eight seasons from 2003-10. Under Stocker, the Vikes went 130-29-9 and captured the North 2, Group 3 title in 2006, falling 1-0 to Moorestown in the Group 3 title game -- the Hunterdon County school's second and last appearance in a state final.

Voorhees went nine seasons after that postseason loss without winning a sectional title until a 1-0 win in overtime against Hackettstown secured the North 2, Group 2 championship in what would be Webb's second-to-last season.

Wrestling: Sbriscia tabbed as Warren Hills coach

Warren Hills' search for a new head wrestling coach is over.

Dave Sbriscia, a former wrestler for the Warren County school and an assistant on former Blue Streaks coach Jarrett Hosbach's staff, accepted the position on April 17, pending approval by the Board of Education. His hiring was not on Tuesday's agenda, and the next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, May 8.

Former PIAA state qualifier Josh Nordmark, a Stroudsburg High School alum who also is employed in the district a science teacher at Warren Hills Middle School, was also a finalist for the job. He and Sbriscia had final interviews on Monday.

"I'm very excited. Dave was very prepared and has a plan in place," Warren Hills athletic director Geri McKelvey said on Tuesday.

Longtime area coach Rick Thompson, along with former Delaware Valley and Voorhees assistant coach Steve Barkman, former Paramus coach and Wilson Area High School star Steve Klass and former Camden Catholic coach John Denuto also had recently interviewed for the job, which opened when Hosbach resigned after 13 seasons following the 85th State Championships in Atlantic City earlier this month. It was immediately speculated that Sbriscia would be a candidate to become the 81-year-old program's eighth head coach.

The advertisement seeking fall and winter coaches was posted on the school's web site on Feb. 28. McKelvey, who originally had no timetable to fill the head wrestling position, recently said she felt it was necessary to expedite the hiring process with scheduling and offseason commitments hanging in the balance.

Sbriscia, a 2006 graduate and a three-year wrestler for Warren Hills, going 78-22 overall, won two district titles and was a two-time region placewinner -- winning a Hunterdon-Warren Tournament championship at 215 pounds in his senior season. He is a Health and Physical Education teacher at the middle school.

Nordmark, who has been running his own club -- Ring of Fire in Monroe County, Pa. -- since 2006, wrestled for longtime coach Ron Spinner at Stroudsburg before graduating in 1996. Nordmark, the only candidate with no prior high school coaching experience, qualified for the state tournament in Hershey, Pa., his junior season, going 29-8 and finishing third in the Northeast Region at 130 pounds in '95. He went on to wrestle and graduate from Bloomsburg University.

Klass and Thompson were the only candidates with previous head coaching experience.

Klass, a PIAA Class AA state runner-up at Wilson as a senior in 1993 under legendary coach Dave Crowell, did a fine job in his nine seasons at Paramus. Klass, who amassed 119 career wins for the Warriors, guided his teams to six sectional final appearances and the North 1, Group 3 title in 2015. The Spartans were the Group 3 runners-up in '15, after defeating Sparta, 29-24, in the sectional final. Klass, who resides in Easton, Pa.,  and is still employed at Paramus as a biology teacher, is currently on Crowell's staff at Nazareth.

Thompson, 62, who stepped down after nine seasons as the head coach at Bangor Area High School in Pennsylvania following the 2016-17 campaign, also has made stops at Mountain High School (Orange, N.J.), Hackettstown, Franklin and Voorhees in addition to his three successful stints at Phillipsburg, where his teams went 268-59-1 overall and captured 15 sectional and seven state championships -- the most under any Stateliner coach.

Overall, Thompson, a Slippery Rock University graduate, is 471-231-4 -- going 124-81 in his most recent stint at Bangor. An accomplished wrestler, Thompson won two state titles (1971 and '73) and placed third ('70), while winning four district and three region championships for the Stateliners.

Hosbach's teams at Warren Hills finished 165-135 overall, including a 7-13 campaign this season. The Streaks advanced to the North 2, Group 3 sectional semifinals, dropping a 48-25 decision to champion Voorhees.

Wrestling: WH set to interview coaching candidates

Warren Hills appears to be close to hiring its next head wrestling coach.

Open Mike has learned Dave Sbriscia, a former wrestler for the Warren County school and an assistant on former Blue Streaks coach Jarrett Hosbach's staff, is among six candidates slated for interviews to be conducted on Thursday and Friday.

The others, according to multiple sources, are: longtime area coach Rick Thompson, along with former Delaware Valley and Voorhees assistant coach Steve Barkman, former PIAA state qualifier Josh Nordmark, a Stroudsburg High School alum and a science teacher at Warren Hills Middle School, as well as former Paramus coach and Wilson Area High School star Steve Klass.

The sixth member of this group, who has New Jersey ties, has yet to be identified.

"We will have a better grasp [of who the best candidate is] by the end of the week," said athletic director Geri McKelvey, who would neither confirm or deny whether any of the names above were on the scheduled interview list. The next Board of Education Meeting will be held on Tuesday, with another slated for Tuesday, April 24.

"By the end of April, we will have all of our [fall and winter] head coaches. Then they can pick their assistants."

Hosbach, who guided the Warren Hills program for the past 13 seasons, officially submitted his letter of resignation following the 85th State Championships in Atlantic City earlier this month. It was immediately speculated that Sbriscia would be a candidate to become the 81-year-old program's eighth head coach.

The advertisement seeking fall and winter coaches was posted on the school's web site on Feb. 28. McKelvey, who originally had no timetable to fill the head wrestling position, said on Tuesday that she felt it was necessary to expedite the hiring process in recent days with scheduling and offseason commitments hanging in the balance. Another factor limiting the candidate pool is the unknown with regards to potential teaching positions becoming open for the next school year, but McKelvey feels they will be scarce with the current budget.

"I don't want to hurt kids' opportunities," McKelvey said. "I don't want to make those decisions without the coach's input. Right now, there is no coach as a contact for the out of season [events]."

McKelvey outlined her criteria for hiring the next coach earlier this month.

"I'm looking for someone who will take control of the program, someone with managerial know-how, and will look out for the best interests of our kids," she said. "There are a lot of things, not just the knowledge of the sport."

The second-year AD also formed a committee to help with selecting the next coach.

"We have a lot of people with head coach-mentality on the panel," she said. "Whoever we hire has to have that mentality, and they'll know whether [that candidate] can handle it."

Sbriscia, a 2006 graduate and a three-year wrestler for Warren Hills, going 78-22 overall, won two district titles and was a two-time region placewinner -- winning a Hunterdon-Warren Tournament championship at 215 pounds in his senior season.

Thompson, 62, who stepped down after nine seasons as the head coach at Bangor Area High School in Pennsylvania following the 2016-17 campaign, also has made stops at Mountain High School (Orange, N.J.), Hackettstown, Franklin and Voorhees in addition to his three successful stints at Phillipsburg, where his teams went 268-59-1 overall and captured 15 sectional and seven state championships -- the most under any Stateliner coach.

Overall, Thompson, a Slippery Rock University graduate, is 471-231-4 -- going 124-81 in his most recent stint at Bangor. An accomplished wrestler, Thompson won two state titles (1971 and '73) and placed third ('70), while winning four district and three region championships for the Stateliners.

Barkman, who is involved with the Hunterdon Hills Wrestling Club, served on Dave Gaunt's staff at Del Val for two seasons in the mid-1990s. Barkman, a district champion at Hunterdon Central and an NCAA Division I qualifier at Indiana State, won a gold medal at 63 kilograms in Greco-Roman at the 2015 Veterans World Championships in Greece -- just the seventh U.S. wrestler to do so at the time.

Klass, a PIAA Class AA state runner-up at Wilson under legendary coach Dave Crowell, did a fine job in his nine seasons at Paramus where he led his teams to six sectional final appearances and the North 1, Group 3 title in 2015. The Spartans finished as the Group 3 runner-up in '15, and defeated Sparta, 29-24, in the sectional final. Klass, who still teaches at Paramus, is currently on Crowell's staff at Nazareth.

Hosbach's teams at Warren Hills finished 165-135 overall, including a 7-13 campaign this season. The Streaks advanced to the North 2, Group 3 sectional semifinals, dropping a 48-25 decision to champion Voorhees.