N.J. Advance Media Wrestling Staff
Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
Another huge week
You though there was some good wrestling last week? Check out this week. Two, all-Top 20 matches on Thursday, county and conference tournaments on Friday and Saturday, huge quads over the weekend. NJ.com tells you all the can't-miss, must-see wrestling events betwen Jan. 15-20. Share the information with your wrestling-loving friends.
Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Tuesday: South River at Middlesex, 6pm
There will be one less unbeaten team in the Greater Middlesex Conference Blue Division standings after this dual. South River and Middlesex are both 4-0 in the division. South River is looking to sneak past New Egypt and into the No. 2 seed in the Central Jersey Group 1 playoff race. The outcome of this match could also impact seeding for this weekend’s GMC Tournament at South Brunswick. South River has three wrestlers off to 12-1 starts: Dan Conlon (160), Brandon Szersen (182) and Kyle Baszak (195).
MORE: Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex wrestling champions, medal winners and more
Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
Wednesday: Piscataway at No. 16 South Plainfield, 6pm
Wednesday: Piscataway at No. 16 South Plainfield, 6pm After losses to No. 7 Hanover Park and No. 8 Seton Hall Prep, South Plainfield has tumbled in the NJ.com Top 20 rankings. But are the Tigers vulnerable in the Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division, too? Piscataway has the talent between 145 and 195 pounds to challenge the tigers. This dual also sets the stage for the team-race in the GMC Tournament on Friday and Saturday at South Brunswick.
Tim Wynkoop | leighvalleylive.com
Wednesday: Cranford at Roselle Park, 7pm
Cranford outpointed Roselle Park to win the team title at the Union County Tournament last Saturday so this Union County Conference Mountain Division dual should be a dandy. Roselle Park is led by the talented, lower-weight trio of Gabriel Leo, Matthew Armamento and Mark Montgomery. Cranford, which won its fourth straight UCT team title, counters with Dean Smith and Luke DiGiovanni in the middle and Dylan Budnik and Rob Schork up top.
Jesse Bair | For NJ Advance Medi
Wednesday: Highland at Williamstown, 7pm
Highland is a contender in South Jersey Group 4, though was dealing last week with the unexplained absence of coach Mike Davidson. Williamstown, meanwhile, has quietly put together a very strong season and looks like it will qualify for the South Jersey Group 5 playoff field. The Braves are 10-1 after sweeping a quad at Seneca Saturday. Senior 132-pounder Shamun Smith and 195-pounder Bryan Martin lead the way.
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Wednesday: Delaware Valley at North Hunterdon, 7pm
Another in the always entertaining Hunterdon County dual meets, the two rivals meet looking to enhance their seeding position in Central Jersey Group 2 and North 2, Group 4. North Hunted has been a match-up nightmare for opponents all season. North Hunterdon has received a spark from Hunter Iannozzi, a freshman 120-pounder, who is 10-1. North Hunterdon also has the undefeated middleweight tandem of Michael Wilson and Andrew Gapas followed by once-beaten Tucker Kirchberger at 152. AJ DeRosa is 10-1 for Delaware Valley.
MORE: Wrestling: SJV, DePaul, Bosco win two titles each at Sam Cali Invitational
Tim Wynkoop | lehighvalleylive.com
Wednesday: Manville at Belvidere, Wednesday, 7pm
It’s always a battle and usually a league title is on the line when these two foes from the Skyland Conference-Valley Division square off. The last three meetings have been decided by a total of 15 points. Belvidere has won the last two meetings — and league titles - since Manville came out on top with a 36-30 win in 2015.
Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
Thursday: Thursday: No. 6 Phillipsburg at No. 7 Hanover Park
Could Phillipsburg lose a dual meet in New Jersey for the second week in a row? We will find out when a pair of Top 20 teams collide. State champion Nick Raimo, coming off a title-winning effort at Escape The Rock over the weekend, leads a Hanover Park team that could make a statement with a victory at home. Phillipsburg, still the team to beat in Group 4, needs a better effort from it’s upper weights, which were exposed in last week’s loss to Hunterdon Central.
Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Medi
Thursday: No. 16 South Plainfield at No. 3 Howell, 6:30pm
A big match for Howell, which is trying to settle on a lineup for another post-season run and catch Hunterdon Central for the home-gym advantage in the Central Jersey Group 5 sectionals. There could also be a tremendous match-up in if state place winners Joe Heilmann (15-0) and Howell’s Kyle Slender (15-0) at both at 132 pounds. There could also be meetings between South Plainfield’s Joe Sacco (13-2) and Evan Richard (12-2) at 160 and Howell’s Shane Reistma (15-0) and Mike Marrero (10-2) at 170 pounds.
George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
Thursday, Friday: Essex County Tournament
Thursday, Friday: Essex County Tournament No. 8 Seton Hall Prep is the favorite to win the team title at the Essex County Tournament, which will be held Thursday and Friday at Richard J. Cody Arena, West Orange. Seton Hall Prep, which already has upset, dual-meet wins over No. 11 Raritan and No. 16 South Plainfield, is the defending team champion.
MORE: Bergen Catholic leaves no doubt at Who's No. 1 Duals, defeats national No. 1 Blair
Tim Hawk | For NJ.com
Friday: No. 4 Paulsboro at Haddonfield, 7pm
Paulsboro’s most competitive match was a 28-point victory over No. 7 Hanover Park, so Haddonfield’s best hope might be to keep this close. The Bulldawgs just went 3-2 at the Virginia Duals and are the favorite to win South Jersey Group 1, so they stand as probably Paulsboro’s toughest competition in the Colonial Conference. Still it’s going to take a lot for any team to keep it close against the Red Raiders, who seem destined for another undefeated season.
Lori M. Nichols | For NJ.com
Friday: Woodstown at Pennsville, 7pm
Salem County bragging rights are on the line for these two teams. Pennsville has put together a nice season under first-year coach Jason Land, while Woodstown is looking to get back to the South Jersey Group 1 final.
Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
Friday: St. Peter's Prep at St. Joseph (Mont.), 4pm
Two teams on the rise meet in a Big North United matinee that will have an impact on seeding in the rapidly approaching Non-Public North A sectional seeding. St. Peter’s Prep is building around a talented freshman class and St. Joseph (Mont.) is headed in the right direction under head coach Damion Logan. Garrett Beam (182) and Brian Sidle (285) were first at the high-powered Sam Cali Invitational over the weekend and Joe Napoleone took second. St. Peter’s Prep received a second-place finishes from Nate Camiscoli (132) at the Cali.
Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
Friday, Saturday: Jack Welch Duals at Moorestown
One of the bigger dual-meet tournaments in the state, this is a two-day event that brings teams from around South Jersey but also some top competition from up north. No. 2 Delbarton is the reigning champion and will return to defend its crown. Cherokee, Kingsway and Newton are among the other teams scheduled to appear.
MORE: Delsea's Billy Janzer returns to action, wins 182-pound Escape the Rock title in utlimate tiebreaker
Larry Murphy | For NJ Advance Media
Friday, Saturday: Mercer County Tournament
While it’s pretty much a given that Hopewell Valley will win the team title at the Mercer County Tournament, Friday and Saturday, at Robbinsville, it will be interesting to see if an improved Trenton team can overtake Robbinsville for runner-up honors. Wrestlers to watch in this tournament are: Joe Lamparelli (113) of Allentown; Lavinsky Collins (Ewing); Garrett Bilgrav (Robbinsville); Johnny Andre of Hightstown and Ben Markulec of Hopewell Valley.
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Saturday: No. 10 High Point, Donovan Catholic, Delsea at No. 4 Paulsboro, 10 a.m.
Delsea and Paulsboro won’t face off – they have a dual meet the following Wednesday – but this should be an interesting quad. Delsea is finally putting the pieces back together and will have state champion Billy Janzer back in the lineup and Donovan Catholic is a strong South Jersey Non-Public B contender. Can High Point go 2-1 and at minimum and give the Red Raiders a run?
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
Saturday: Eastern, Gateway, St. Augustine at Clearview, 10 a.m.
What makes a good quad? When every match has a chance to be competitive. These four teams are all among South Jersey’s best and host Clearview has a chance to make another statement in what has been a big year for the Pioneers already.
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Saturday: No. 13 Watchung Hills, Woodstown, Hillsborough at North Hunterdon, 9am
Watchung Hills, coming off a team-title winning effort at the Somerset County Tournament last Saturday, looks to avenge a loss to Woodstown last season. The big match in the quad, however, matches Watching Hills and a dangerous North Hunterdon team, which could make a case for a Top 20 spot with an upset.
MORE: Wrestling: Watchung Hills ends Bound Brook's 6-year hold on Somerset County title
Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
Saturday: Pompton Lakes at Sparta, 9 a.m.
Pompton Lakes will get a big out-of-conference test against a Sparta team that continues to look like its on a path back to Toms River for the second year in a row. Sparta is coming into this dual with wins over DePaul, Voorhees and Hackettstown while Pompton Lakes is undefeated against teams within in the NJIC. There are a number of upperweights to watch including Sparta’s HWS champion Robbert Gennat (220) and Frank Negrini (195) and Drew Flynn (285) from Pompton Lakes. Will any of them square off?
More H.S. wrestling on NJ.com
•
Wrestling: South Brunswick takes team title at Buc Classic
•
Camden Catholic wrestling rolls to Virginia Duals title
•
Hopewell Valley sweeps quad as teams gear up for MCT
Bill Evans can be reached at [email protected] or by leaving a note in the comments below. Follow him on Twitter @BEvansSports. Like our NJ.com High School Wrestling Facebook Page.
Ad Choices