Wrestling: P'burg pulls away late for Pin Cancer win

PHILLIPSBURG -- Twenty minutes or so after the final bout of the night, Phillipsburg senior Jacob Wicks was ready to go again. That's typical for the high-energy wrestler.

In the 11th of 14 bouts, Wicks iced things with a decision at 193 pounds as the Stateliners scored a 36-16 victory over newcomer Frenchtown before an estimated crowd of about 1,000 in the eighth annual Pin Cancer event on a picture perfect Thursday night on the new turf at Maloney Stadium. The result was the exact score and outcome from when the teams met during this past high school season.

Anthony DeRosa was among 5 winners for Frenchtown.

P'burg, now 7-1 all-time in Pin Cancer matches, won nine bouts in all and five of the last six, including sophomore David Pierson's 2-0 decision at 180 that started a four-bout run to the finish. After Wicks scored a workmanlike 7-1 decision over Zach Zuchowski, junior Gage Horvath (218) and senior Cody Cruts (288) capped the night with victories in matchups considered tossups.

"We thought coming in that if we wrestled the best we could, we could win 10," said P'burg coach Dave Post, who co-founded this event with former Washington/Warren Hills coach Jarrett Hosbach. "In reality, we could have won 12. We like the balance with this team. There are no superstars, but they are going to give us everything they've got."

Wicks, who went 24-16 and won a district title in a breakout junior campaign this past high school season, will be one of the leaders for a P'burg team that will be extremely young, but certainly not short on talent. His father, Jamie, was a legend for Delaware Valley, winning state titles in 1987 and '88. Jacob is now 2-0 in Pin Cancer matches.

Jacob Wicks controls Zach Zuchowski in a 7-1 win.

"I know these [Del Val/Frenchtown] guys really well and we're friends, but not on the mat," said Jacob Wicks, who has been working on improving this offseason and getting in some evening running sessions. "A lot of the guys have been telling me, 'Hey Wicks, transfer to Del Val. Sorry, I'm not doing that. [P'burg] is my team. We don't have any stars, but we have a lot of talent. We're going to do what P'burg always does and fill in some spots, and compete for state championships."

Frenchtown, which joined this event in March when Washington/Warren Hills pulled out for undisclosed reasons, was thrilled with its introduction to a unique summertime tradition. Terriers coach Andy Fitz is looking forward to hosting in 2020.

"There was a ton of enthusiasm going into the match," Fitz said. "I want to thank Hosbach, Post, the P'burg administration. This doesn't happen without someone like Jarrett thinking of doing this. In the big picture, this is about having fun in a great environment for a good cause."

P'burg fell behind early after dropping two of the first three bouts, including a tight one at 122, where Frenchtown junior Cooper Gill rode out Hakeem Ransdell in a 30-second period for a 4-3 win to give the Terriers a 6-5 lead, their final advantage of the night. The Stateliners won three of the next four, including a 7-3 win by senior Jared Kukor in a pivotal bout at 143 that swung the momentum for the hosts.

One of the most impressive performances came from P'burg sophomore Nate Zastowny, who scored a 12-2 major over Andrew Larsen. Keep an eye on Zastowny, who was tough on top with three sets of back points in his victory, after a collarbone injury derailed most of his freshman campaign. His return will be one of the keys for P'burg in the program's quest for sectional and Group 4 titles.

"He would have been a starter for us [last season]," Post said. "We're not too worried about Nate. He came back at the end of [last] season, but he didn't get enough mat time."

One of the best matchups of the night potentially would have pitted Zastowny against highly-touted Frenchtown freshman Garrett Tettemer, who did not compete due to a coaching decision. Fitz said he has been using multiple lineups this summer and Pin Cancer adopted the weights used in the upcoming 1,000 Island Duals, which feature one fewer class in the middle.

Junior Anthony DeRosa scored an 11-1 major at 170 for Frenchtown's fifth and final win of the match. P'burg led 24-16 through 10 bouts before pulling away up top.

In a wild one at 218, Horvath gave up a go-ahead reversal to Nick Moose with 19 seconds left before getting an escape to tie the bout at 3. With 14 seconds left in sudden-victory overtime, Horvath converted a low-single shot off the whistle to win it. P'burg finished with a 15-12 overall edge in takedowns.

"We let a couple matches slip away tonight," Fitz said. "I don't know if it was nerves or what. We're looking forward to the dual meet [during the high school season at P'burg on Feb. 6, 2020]. We're competitive with them again."

PHILLIPSBURG 36, FRENCHTOWN 16

108 -- Sr. Derek Schepens, F, d. So. Sean Stasiulaitis, 10-4.
115 -- So. James Day, P, tf. So. Robert Groogan, 16-0, 3:00.
122 -- Jr. Cooper Gill, F, d. So. Hakeem Ransdell, 4-3 OT (rideout).
128 -- So. Joey Innamorato, P, p. So. Noah Sheeley, 2:23.
133 -- Jr. Jason Tino, P, p. Jr. Ben Brown, 1:13.
138 -- Sr. Gage Crater, F, d. So. James Palitto, 10-4.
143 -- Sr. Jared Kukor, P, d. Sr. Chase Christie, 7-3.
150 -- Jr. Corey Crater, F, d. Fr. Hunter Cleaver, 1-0.
158 -- So. Nate Zastowny, P, md. Sr. Andrew Larsen, 12-2.
170 -- Jr. Anthony DeRosa, F, md. So. Matt D'Onofrio, 11-1.
180 -- So. David Pierson, P, d. Sr. Matt Zdepski, 2-0.
193 -- Sr. Jacob Wicks, P, d. Sr. Zach Zuchowski, 7-1.
218 -- Jr. Gage Horvath, P, d. Sr. Nick Moose, 5-3 SV.
288 -- Sr. Cody Cruts, P, d. Sr. Ryan Sutter, 5-3.
Officials -- Chip Castner, Frank Leitner and Jack Meyer.

Wrestling: Terriers-'Liners set for Pin Cancer clash

Nothing says summer wrestling in our area more than the annual Pin Cancer match. The eighth annual version, which is set for Thursday, features a different twist as Phillipsburg will take on newcomer Frenchtown on the brand new turf at Maloney Stadium.

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

Phillipsburg defeated Delaware Valley, 36-16, when the teams met during the 2018-19 high school season. Del Val joined the Pin Cancer fun when Washington (Warren Hills), which competed in the previous seven summer matches, pulled out of the event in March.

"We're happy to have the opportunity to get in a fairly visible event," Terriers coach Andy Fitz said in March. "It fits perfectly into our summer program. It's a local rivalry for a great cause. It was a no-brainer [to enter].

"This event is not all about winning. It's about getting quality matches and doing something good on and off the mat," Fitz added on Friday.

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 the 2017 match at Phillipsburg -- a 54-10 win for the Stateliners.

This year's clash features just one New Jersey state qualifier in Frenchtown's Anthony DeRosa, who will compete at 170 pounds. Phillipsburg's Logan Maczko, a district and region champion at 106 pounds as a sophomore this past season and the only returning qualifier for the Warren County program, will miss this year's event due to another wrestling commitment. Maczko (2-0) is one of five P'burg wrestlers to go unbeaten in Pin Cancer matches (minimum of two bouts).

"I like the matchups. I think it's going to be a good dual," said 'Liners coach Dave Post, whose teams are 6-1 in this event.

While one of Frenchtown's wrestlers does have Pin Cancer experience -- senior Shane Reynolds was a fill-in for Washington two years ago -- Fitz is eager to see how his fan base responds to what has become an extremely popular and unique occasion.

"While the Del Val community is excited, I don't think they understand how fun this event is going to be, and what a positive night it's going to be," said Fitz, who attended previous Pin Cancer matches as a spectator. "Our kids are excited. We always like wrestling P'burg."

The event will also feature a potential matchup between two blue-chip freshmen in Hunter Cleaver of P'burg, a New Jersey Grade School Wrestling League champion for the Washington Y program, and Garrett Tettemer of Frenchtown, a NJGSWL runner-up in 2019 and a champ in '18, at 150 pounds.

Tettemer's father, Scott, was a two-time district and a region champ as a senior for the Terriers in 1985. Frenchtown also features senior Gage Crater, a two-time district runner-up and 74-32 for his high school career, while DeRosa (27-11) is coming off a breakout season in which he finished fourth in Region 5. Ryan Sutter, a district runner-up at 285, went 23-12 as a junior.

P'burg, as we've noted in previous stories, will be a very young team this coming high school season, but not short on talent. Maczko, a two-time district champion who went 33-11 last season and 1-2 in his first trip to Atlantic City, leads the team with 51 career wins, while no other 'Liner has more than 29. Sophomore Joey Innamorato (128), senior Jacob Wicks (193) and sophomore Gage Horvath (218) were district champs last season.

Both Fitz and Post expect this year's Pin Cancer match to be highly competitive -- based on the head-to-head results in several matchups involving their teams a few weeks ago at the Lycoming Wrestling Team Camp.

"We had a fair amount of success against them, but it's a little hard to say it was Del Val vs. P'burg since one of our teams was two-thirds Del Val and one-third Benton [Pa.]," Fitz said. "After having some success against them at camp, we're looking forward to this."

"It could be very close," Post said.

Tentative Pin Cancer lineups (Frenchtown listed first)

108 -- Sr. Derek Schepens vs. So. Sean Stasiulaitis
115 -- So. Robert Groogan vs. So. James Day
122 -- Fr. Chris Colasurdo or Jr. Cooper Gill vs. So. Hakeem Ransdell
128 -- So. Noah Sheeley vs. So. Joey Innamorato
133 -- Jr. Ben Brown vs. Jr. Jason Tino
138 -- Sr. Gage Crater vs. So. James Palitto
143 -- Sr. Chase Christie vs. Sr. Jared Kukor
150 -- Jr. Corey Crater or Fr. Garrett Tettemer vs. Fr. Hunter Cleaver
158 -- Sr. Shane Reynolds or Sr. Andrew Larsen vs. So. Nate Zastowny
170 -- Jr. Anthony DeRosa vs. So. Matt D'Onofrio
180 -- Sr. Matt Zdepski vs. So. David Pierson
193 -- Sr. Zach Zuchowski or So. Matt Schneider vs. Sr. Jacob Wicks
218 -- Sr. Nick Moose vs. Jr. Gage Horvath
288 -- Sr. Ryan Sutter vs. Sr. Cody Cruts

(Box from last season's high school dual)

PHILLIPSBURG 36, DELAWARE VALLEY 16

145 -- Tommy Horn, DV, d. Jared Kukor, 6-2.
152 -- TJ Abode, P, p. Corey Crater, :55.
160 -- Cody Harrison, P, d. Anthony DeRosa, 5-3.
170 -- Shawne Ramsby, DV, d. David Pierson, 3-2.
182 -- Jacob Wicks, P, d. Kyle Carney, 11-4.
195 -- Austin Roth, P, d. Anthony DiPaolo, 6-2.
220 -- Gage Horvath, P, d. Nick Moose, 5-2.
285 -- Ryan Sutter, DV, d. Cody Cruts, 5-2.
106 -- Logan Maczko, P, tf. Derek Schepens, 17-2, 5:26.
113 -- James Day, P, md. Cooper Gill, 9-0.
120 -- Joey Innamorato, P, md. Ben Brown, 12-2.
126 -- Travis Jones, P, p. Chase Christie, 1:41.
132 -- A.J. DeRosa, DV, md. Jason Tino, 10-0.
138 -- Gage Crater, DV, d. Luke Hardin, 5-4.
Note: Phillipsburg was deducted one team point after 170.

(2018 Pin Cancer results)

PHILLIPSBURG 48, WASHINGTON 6

107 -- Fr. James Day, P, d. Fr. Jared Lee, 5-0.
113 -- So. Logan Maczko, P, d. Fr. Noah DiNapoli, 6-0.
120 -- Fr. Joey Innamorato, P, p. Fr. Max Pagano, :40.
125 -- So. Jason Tino, P, d. Jr. Greg Slivka, 8-6.
130 -- Sr. Bryce Parenti, P, p. Fr. Stephen Malia, 1:53.
135 -- Sr. Travis Jones, P, p. Jr. Logan Nauta, 3:47.
140 -- Jr. Nick Gorab, W, d. Sr. Luke Hardin, 2-1 OT (rideout).
145 -- Sr. Kyle Tino, P, md. Jr. Geir Nemeth, 13-1.
155 -- Sr. Thomas Abode, P, d. Sr. Chris Ostir, 4-3.
167 -- Sr. Cody Harrison, P, md. Jr. Nick Hildebrant, 10-0.
180 -- Jr. Jacob Wicks, P, d. Fr. Tyler McCatharn, 7-0.
200 -- Sr. Austin Roth, P, md. So. Logan Polcari, 8-0.
215 -- Sr. Nick Galka, W, d. So. Gage Horvath, 7-1.
285 -- Jr. Cody Cruts, P, d. Sr. Duro Ajayi, 7-5.

Wrestling: Ungar, P'burg frosh transfer to Pa. power

It's one thing to lose a blue-chip freshman, and quite another to lose a returning high school state champion.

Brett Ungar atop the podium at 106 pounds in AC.

The Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex was dealt a blow on both fronts as Hunterdon Central junior Brett Ungar, who won a New Jersey state title at 106 pounds this past season, and incoming Phillipsburg freshman Holden Garcia have transferred to Notre Dame of Green Pond High School in Easton, Pa., a rising power in Class AA.

Central coach Jon Cantagallo-Rohm and P'burg coach Dave Post confirmed the transfers via text messages on Wednesday afternoon. Several other area wrestlers from the Hunterdon-Warren area, including incoming freshmen at Delaware Valley and North Hunterdon, have also been rumored to be heading to Notre Dame, but according to head coaches Andy Fitz and Chris Hrunka, they have not been informed that any of their wrestlers are leaving those respective Hunterdon County programs.

"It is what is is. I want to coach kids who want to be here and represent our program," said Cantagallo-Rohm, who has guided the Red Devils to Group 5 state final appearances in two of the past three seasons.

Ungar was among 5 HWS wrestlers to win state titles in '19.

Ungar was well on his way to becoming the most decorated wrestler in Hunterdon Central's proud history that spans 63 seasons. The two-time district, region and Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex champion, who also finished sixth in the state as a freshman, went 42-0 and capped an outstanding sophomore campaign by capturing the Hunterdon County school's 13th state title and first since 2010 with an impressive 13-6 decision over Middletown North junior Tyler Klinsky. Ungar and Voorhees ace Lewis Fernandes gave Hunterdon County two champs in a season for the first time since 1993.

"This is huge," Ungar said after his victory in March in Atlantic City. "I knew that I was the most dominant wrestler in the bracket. I have two more years so hopefully, I can be a three-timer."

Ungar, who logged a two-year mark of 83-2, also becomes the second straight sophomore to leave Hunterdon Central after winning a state championship. Alex Shaffer, who won the 119-pound title in 2010, left Central that following fall to pursue an acting career. Shaffer scored a major role in the 2011 film, "Win, Win," whose character was a high school wrestler, ironically, one who transferred into a district.

The loss of Ungar is huge for a Hunterdon Central team that is expected to enter the 2019-20 season as a favorite to win Group 5. The Red Devils, who have won one state team championship (Group 4 in 1989), now have six returning starters from last season's sectional championship and state runner-up squad, including state qualifier Colton Washleski and district champion Tanner Peake.

Phillipsburg, which was hit hard by graduation and will be a young, but talented team in 2019-20, also took a hit with the loss of Garcia, whose father, Jason, was a 100-match winner and a three-time state placewinner, finishing third at 171 pounds as a senior in 1996, for the Stateliners.

Holden Garcia, who was expected to make an immediate impact in the middle of the P'burg lineup, enjoyed quite an accomplished youth career, winning a championship at 130 pounds in the rugged New Jersey Grade School Wrestling League. Phillipsburg, which finished 18-3 this past season and won their sixth straight North 2, Group 4 sectional title (the program's 38th championship overall), also is gaining a very talented freshman in Hunter Cleaver, who is transferring in after winning the 140-pound title in the NJGSWL wrestling for the Washington Y (Warren Hills feeder) middle school team.

Wrestling: Phillipsburg sets schedule for 2019-20

Phillipsburg coach Dave Post confirmed on Wednesday that his team's schedule for 2019-20, which includes 16 single dual meets, is complete.

P'burg celebrated its 38th sectional title in 2019.

The Stateliners, who finished 18-3 this past season and won their sixth straight North 2, Group 4 sectional title (the program's 38th championship overall), will open next season at the 32nd annual Dvorak Tournament at Harlem High School in Rockford, Ill.

Due to a later start date in New Jersey next season on Dec. 21, P'burg was unable to return to the King of the Mountain Tournament in Pennsylvania, which is slated for Dec. 14-15.

"I think it is the closest thing in the country to King of the Mountain -- 32-team tournament," Post said. "The top teams are really tough, but the remainder will give our kids a chance to win some matches."

Nationally ranked Montini Catholic and Mount Carmel of Illinois, along with LaSalle of Ohio, were the top three finishers in last year's Dvorak field. Montini Catholic was the champion -- outscoring 2017 winner LaSalle 280.5 to 256.5.

In another interesting twist, this will be the latest that Phillipsburg opens the home portion of its schedule -- not including hosting the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament on Jan. 11. The 'Liners won't wrestle a home dual meet until Jan. 15 against North Hunterdon in what may be a preview of the sectional final for a second straight season. The last time P'burg opened that late in a season at home was a 46-21 win over Bloomfield on Jan. 9, 2003.

Along with its mandated four dual meets against Skyland Conference Raritan Division opponents, Phillipsburg, which is 147-23 overall in Post's nine seasons, will face High Point, 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 2018-19, as well as Hunterdon Central, which will host P'burg on Jan. 8, 2020 in what's become one of the season's most anticipated matchups, especially in our area.

High Point, the Group 2 runner-up last season, figures to be a contender for its second title in three seasons after falling short against South Plainfield in February. P'burg owns an 18-1 edge all time against the 'Cats, including a 30-27 victory in their last matchup in Wantage. High Point's lone victory was 30-22 on Jan. 31, 2009, at The Pit.

The Newton-P'burg series now stands at 9-9-1 after the Braves dropped a 38-29 decision on the road two seasons ago and a took a 45-12 loss at home on Dec. 22, 2018. P'burg is 271-54-3 against HWS teams in its 73-year history.

P'burg, which returns seven starters, including one state qualifier in Logan Maczko (33-11), a district and region champion as a sophomore, will square off against Ocean Township in its final dual meet of the regular season on Feb. 8. The 'Liners, who are 46-16 all time vs. Shore Conference schools, will also look to avenge a 32-16 loss to Group 5 champion Southern on Jan. 25.

Here's the full schedule for 2019-20:

Dec. 21-22 -- at Dvorak Tournament (Rockford, Ill.)
Dec. 28-29 -- at Bethlehem (Pa.) Holiday Classic (Liberty High School)
Jan. 2 -- at Raritan
Jan. 4 -- at Monroe Township
Jan. 8 -- at Hunterdon Central
Jan. 9 -- at Kittatinny
Jan. 11 -- Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament at Phillipsburg
Jan. 15 -- North Hunterdon
Jan. 16 -- at Warren Hills
Jan. 18 -- High Point
Jan. 22 -- Ridge
Jan. 23 -- at Easton (Pa.)
Jan. 25 -- Southern
Jan. 29 -- at Hanover Park
Jan. 30 -- Hillsborough
Feb. 1 -- Newton
Feb. 5 -- at Montgomery
Feb. 6 -- Delaware Valley
Feb. 8 -- Ocean Township
Feb. 10 -- Sectional first round
Feb. 12 -- Sectional semifinals
Feb. 14 -- Sectional finals
Feb. 16 -- Group championships at Toms River North
Feb. 22 -- District 13 Tournament at Phillipsburg
Feb. 26, 28-29 -- Region 4 Tournament at Union
March 5-7 -- State Tournament at Atlantic City

Notes: Bold indicates Skyland Conference Raritan Division matches.

Wrestling: NH set for dual action at Boresch, Patriot

The high school season just ended three weeks ago, but North Hunterdon is already gearing up for 2019-20.

Newton will host the Boresch Duals on Jan. 4, 2020.

Coach Chris Hrunka has been busy crafting next season's schedule and the Lions, who should again be among New Jersey's top teams, are slated to compete in the rugged Boresch Duals at Newton on Jan. 4, 2020 and they'll appear in the return of the Patriot Duals at North Warren on Jan. 25.

North Hunterdon (20-3), which finished second to Phillipsburg in the Skyland Conference Raritan Division and the North 2, Group 4 sectional final, will return 10 starters, including state qualifiers Frank Diesso (34-8 at 113), Nathaniel Fossett (27-5 at 170) and Ian Gaburo (25-12 at 195), along with Connor Quinn (20-13 at 120-126), Drew Doscher (21-12 at 132), Evan Klimas (27-11 at 138) and James Holder (22-10 at 170-182).

Hrunka also confirmed that next season's schedule will include a dual on Dec. 30 against Brick Memorial, which returns four state qualifiers, including third-place finisher Vincent Santaniello (113), along with the usual staples -- Phillipsburg (Jan. 15), Delaware Valley (Jan. 28), Hunterdon Central (Jan. 31) and Voorhees.

Newton coach Eric Bollette said his Boresch Duals had one opening when Cranford opted out of next year's eight-team event, which has become the state's premiere dual tournament. Three of the five public school state champions competed last season in two-time defending Boresch Duals champ Paulsboro (Group 1), Kingsway (Group 4) and South Plainfield (Group 2). All three teams have agreed to return in 2020, along with Hanover Park, Toms River North and Caldwell.

North Hunterdon was looking to keep a dual meet against Newton, which pulled out of a quad at North Warren that included the Lions and Westfield last season. That quad has morphed into the Patriot Duals for next season, but the Braves declined an invitation with the addition of High Point since both compete against one another in the NJAC Freedom Division and in North 1, Group 2.

Patriot Duals

North Warren showed marked improvement as 2018-19 went on under rookie coach Kellen Bradley, who is looking to take that next step in his second season -- starting with beefing up the schedule.

Bradley immediately began to bring back the once popular Patriot Duals, which were started under former coach Jim Lehman in the mid-1990s, and abruptly ended following the 2015-16 season. After a three-year hiatus, the tournament is back in full force with High Point, North Hunterdon and Warren Hills in the mix, along with Group 3 champion West Essex, Westfield, Bound Brook and Morris Hills, which is coached by former Kittatinny standout Brian Bollette.

High Point and NH should be the top seeds at the Patriot Duals.

"Over the years it's been pretty good," Bradley said. "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."

A dual tournament featuring some of the top teams in the state and Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area is a good place to start. Bradley also dislikes the idea of non-competitive quads, and it seems more of the area coaches are starting to get on board with having more single duals or high-profile events.

"It will be fan friendly," Bradley said of the duals schedule. "My plan is to move it along, maybe stick to set times for the first two rounds. Once things get rolling, to be fair to the teams [that have long commutes], keep it moving. There are six rounds to get in so it's a pretty long day."

North Warren is looking to recapture some of the success it enjoyed under current assistant Chris Jones' tenure as head coach, when the program won its only sectional titles back-to-back in 2006-07. The Patriots took a good first step this past season, finishing 12-11 and reaching the North 1, Group 1 semifinals -- dropping a respectable 45-27 decision to Group 1 runner-up Kittatinny.

"Overall, I was left with a pretty good feeling," said Bradley, who lauded former North Warren wrestlers Nick Barzano and Matt Ritchie for their work as youth coaches and getting the numbers up down below with over 50 kids in the K-6 program. "We expected to be at or right around .500. I'm happy with the way the kids responded. They improved in a lot of areas throughout the year. Our schedule was much tougher than the year before, so maybe the kids didn't notice the improvement as much, but it doesn't go unnoticed by [the coaches]."

The Patriots return 10 starters next season, including junior Ben Lilly (15-13 at 138), who finished fourth in the district but gained entry to the Region 1 Tournament via an injury, and HWS runner-up Rob Fletcher (22-12 at 160).

Back points

Jewel Gonzalez is presented with the OW Award in AC.

There was lots of talk before, during and after the inaugural girls state championships, and some changes may be in the works for next season's tournament, which will be held on March 5-7 at Boardwalk Hall in 2020.

It's already been agreed that the boys semifinals need to run side-by-side on the center two mats with the girls semis to be held during a separate session. Crisscrossing the boys semis this past season was not a popular choice, while having both awards presentations at the same time made the boys finals drag on and the girls having to wait for hours to get their medals. Having separate sessions for the girls and doing their awards earlier is the way to go.

Phillipsburg junior Jewel Gonzalez, who won Warren County's first title at 161 pounds and earned the Outstanding Wrestler Award, was recently honored for her milestone victory by the town, which gave her an escort back into P'burg on the night she won.

Another new addition for next season is a Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament for the girls to be held on Dec. 29 at High Point Regional High School. The 11th annual boys event is set for Jan. 11 at Phillipsburg.

Some changes on the boys side were recently discussed during a meeting of the region presidents, including implementing the college four-point nearfall and wrestlebacks for the district tournaments, which was nixed. I'm not a big fan of either, but wrestlebacks for districts is totally unnecessary. It's hard to believe that there are a lot of No. 6 seeds who could come back for third. Plus, adding those extra rounds to two-mat venues would most likely necessitate a two-day tournament, something that coaches who want one-day events, especially with the travel involved under this moronic realignment, would not be happy about.

The need for wrestlebacks at the region level is understandable, though I can do without that fifth-place bout and those endless consolation rounds in holiday tournaments that constrain match limits so much that wrestlers are forced to sit out the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament.

Wrestling: Streaks out, Terriers in for Pin Cancer

The premiere high school wrestling event of the summer in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area will have a new look in 2019.

Washington (Warren Hills), which competed against Phillipsburg in the previous seven Pin Cancer matches, has withdrawn from the event, and Delaware Valley has stepped in to face P'burg in the eighth annual version on July 25 at Maloney Stadium.

The Pin Cancer match annually draws good crowds.

"We're happy to have the opportunity to get in a fairly visible event," Terriers coach Andy Fitz said on Tuesday. "It fits perfectly into our summer program. It's a local rivalry for a great cause. It was a no-brainer [to enter]."

Blue Streaks coach Dave Sbriscia, who just completed his first season in charge of his alma mater, declined to cite specific reasons for why his team will no longer compete in the Pin Cancer rivalry match.

"It's a decision we made for the program. We thought it was time to move on," Sbriscia said. "We didn't make that decision without speaking to a number of people in the community beforehand. There will be some other charity things that we'll be doing."

P'burg coach Dave Post, who recently reached out to Fitz to come aboard, is looking forward to starting a new chapter in the charity event.

"We're excited. [Del Val] is very similar to us with what we do [in summer wrestling]," said Post, who started the event along with former Blue Streaks coach and P'burg alum Jarrett Hosbach in 2012. "We started the tradition and we want to keep it rolling. The kids look forward to having the match."

Delaware Valley, which will likely go by Frenchtown for the Pin Cancer matchup since it's against NJSIAA rules to use school names and uniforms, will host the 2020 event at Tap Webb Memorial Field -- a grass surface. Maloney Stadium is in the process of being converted from grass to turf.

"They have a good following. We see them at the 1,000 Island Duals [summer tournament] and they have just as many people following them as we do," Post said. "When we wrestle them in dual action [during the season] it's always packed. Andy and his staff put the time and I'm sure they'll make it a special event when it's at their place."

Phillipsburg owns a 37-6 edge in the high school series against Delaware Valley dating to 1975, including a 36-16 victory on the road this past season on Feb. 1 at Hutchins Memorial Gym. Fitz's team also participated in the first "Return to The Pit" match two seasons ago, dropping a 64-6 decision to the Stateliners.

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 the 2017 event at Phillipsburg -- a 54-10 win for the Stateliners -- before the match returned outdoors last season -- a 48-6 rout for the 'Liners at Warren Hills School District Stadium.

(2018 Pin Cancer results)

PHILLIPSBURG 48, WASHINGTON 6
107 -- Fr. James Day, P, d. Fr. Jared Lee, 5-0.
113 -- So. Logan Maczko, P, d. Fr. Noah DiNapoli, 6-0.
120 -- Fr. Joey Innamorato, P, p. Fr. Max Pagano, :40.
125 -- So. Jason Tino, P, d. Jr. Greg Slivka, 8-6.
130 -- Sr. Bryce Parenti, P, p. Fr. Stephen Malia, 1:53.
135 -- Sr. Travis Jones, P, p. Jr. Logan Nauta, 3:47.
140 -- Jr. Nick Gorab, W, d. Sr. Luke Hardin, 2-1 OT (rideout).
145 -- Sr. Kyle Tino, P, md. Jr. Geir Nemeth, 13-1.
155 -- Sr. Thomas Abode, P, d. Sr. Chris Ostir, 4-3.
167 -- Sr. Cody Harrison, P, md. Jr. Nick Hildebrant, 10-0.
180 -- Jr. Jacob Wicks, P, d. Fr. Tyler McCatharn, 7-0.
200 -- Sr. Austin Roth, P, md. So. Logan Polcari, 8-0.
215 -- Sr. Nick Galka, W, d. So. Gage Horvath, 7-1.
285 -- Jr. Cody Cruts, P, d. Sr. Duro Ajayi, 7-5.
Officials -- Chip Castner, Frank Leitner and Joe Benvenuto.

Wrestling: Easton Lions Club Classic matchups, info

The 39th annual Easton Lions Club All-Star Wrestling Classic will be held on Wednesday at Easton Area High School's 25th Street Gymnasium.

The match pits seniors from New Jersey against their counterparts from Pennsylvania's rugged District 11. The high school event, slated for 8 p.m., is preceded by a youth event at 6.

Cody Harrison (3rd from left) is among 4 NJ placewinners.

New Jersey won last year's event, 32-17, to snap a five-match skid against Pennsylvania, which owns a 22-16 edge in the overall series dating to 1981.

Bouts will be three periods of 2 minutes, 1 1/2  and 1 1/2 minutes in length.

Tickets, available at the door, are $6 for adults, $4 for seniors (65 and older) and $3 for students.

Tentative high school matchups (New Jersey listed first):

113 -- Quinn Melofchik (39-3, 147-19, D1, R1, S5), Belvidere, vs. Nick Onea (38-14, 145-44, D4, R4), Pottsville.

120 -- Connor Robinson (32-10, 98-46, D1, R3), North Hunterdon, vs. Sean Pierson (40-3, 144-24, D3, R1, S1), Nazareth.

126 -- Jack Bauer (33-8, 119-37, D1, R2), Hunterdon Central, vs. Matt Maloney (37-6, 137-30, D2, R3), Liberty.

132 -- Travis Jones (37-7, 107-28, D2, R2), Phillipsburg, vs. Travis Brown (31-14, 103-48, D4, R4), Liberty.

138 -- Kyle Tino (33-12, 85-60, D1, R1), Phillipsburg, vs. Marckis Branford (41-6, 113-36, D2, R1, S4), Wilson.

145 -- Pasquale Vizzoni (28-5, 70-22, D1, R2), Hunterdon Central, vs. Ryan Anderson (39-1, 126-13, D1, R1, S1), Bethlehem Catholic.

152 -- Cody Harrison (40-3, 125-24, D1, R1, S3), Phillipsburg, vs. Logan Pagotto (30-9, 66-49, D2, R3), Lehighton.

160 -- Michael Wilson (39-6, 85-34, D2, R1, S7), North Hunterdon, vs. Luca Frinzi (38-10, 103-38, D2, R2, S4), Bethlehem Catholic.

170 -- Shawne Ramsby (31-11, 72-42, D1, R3), Delaware Valley, vs. Gaven Krazer (28-14, 66-43, D3, R4), Easton.

182 -- Zach Mafaro (42-5, 137-30, D1, R3, S5), Kittatinny, vs. Joe Schrader (26-6, 70-24, D4), Bangor.

195 -- Austin Roth (36-7, 69-47, D1, R1), Phillipsburg, vs. Damien Moyer (38-6, 133-39, D2, R1, S6), Liberty.

220 -- Nick Galka (37-6, 109-39, D1, R3), Warren Hills, vs. Nick Nittoli (33-7, 73-41, D1, R2, S6), Bangor.

285 -- Duro Ajayi (36-6, 57-21, D1, R1), Warren Hills, vs. Sami Khamis (34-8, 84-38, D3, R1), Stroudsburg.

Tentative youth matchups (New Jersey listed first):

50 -- Thomas Wade, North Hunterdon, vs. Tanner Milburn, Easton.

55 -- Zach Swingle, Phillipsburg, vs. Nico Emili, Easton.

60 -- Michael Young, Steele Hill, vs. Elijah Heimbach, Liberty.

65 -- Kieran Raley, North Hunterdon, vs. Tyler Mintz, Bangor.

70 -- Charlie Piccione, Washington, vs. Tanner Berkenstock, Easton.

75 -- Owen Kucharski, Delaware Valley, vs. Cooper Feltmann, Notre Dame.

80 -- Tyler Redfield, Washington, vs. Chris Kelly, Easton.

85 -- Josh Lee, Washington, vs. Jesse Scott, Emmaus.

90 -- Gavin Hawk, Phillipsburg, vs. Jack Evans, Liberty.

95 -- Logan Wadle, North Hunterdon, vs. Nolan Krazer, Easton.

100 -- Patrick Day, Phillipsburg, vs. Jayvon Simms, Easton.

108 -- Shawn Redfield, Washington, vs. Cam Simms, Easton.

112 -- Roman Citro, High Point, vs. Oliver Fairchild, Easton.

116 -- Dan Delusant, North Hunterdon, vs. Bryson Vaughn, Easton.

125 -- Caleb Rivera, Phillipsburg, vs. Joey LaPenna, Bangor.

130 -- Holden Garcia, Phillipsburg, vs. Carson Pascoe, Parkland.

135 -- Hunter Cleaver, Washington, vs. Dylan Reed, Easton.

HWT -- Alexander Uryniak, North Hunterdon, vs. Anthony Embardino, Easton.