SJ Sports: HS Wrestling

This will be the last week of team competition in wrestling, but it’s just the beginning of the best time of the season. District championships will take place this weekend throughout the state. In South Jersey, there will be champions crowned in Districts 25 through 32.

The districts are good in the fact that they provide teams with the chance to win one final title. After that, the wrestlers will be competing for individual glory.

The top three individual finishers in each district advance to the regionals. There are two regions in South Jersey, Region 7 at Eastern and Region 8 at Absegami. Team scoring is not kept at the regionals which is a good idea because so much is placed on individual performance.

That’s because the top three wrestlers from the regionals advance to the state tournament. And from there, a state champion will be crowned in each of the 14 weight classes.

Some sports fans have suggested that the most difficult thing to do is win an individual wrestling title.

There’s no argument here. There are so many talented wrestlers in New Jersey, which is considered among the best wrestling states in the country. To be the best in a single weight class takes considerable skill.

Here’s how the district tournaments could shape up from a team perspective. Rancocas Valley and Pemberton, two rivals from the Burlington County Liberty Division, should battle for the District 25 crown.

In District 26, Delran (17-5) is favored, but watch out for Eastern. Even thought the Vikings finished 10-8, they faced a difficult schedule. Eastern sophomore Nick Orio, who is 22-1 at 119 pounds, is the favorite to win the 119-pound district title.

Bishop Eustace (18-6) has the best record in District 27, but Lenape (13-6) is the favorite.

In District 28, Camden Catholic is the favorite. The Irish are not as powerful as last year, but still advanced to the state Parochial A final before falling to Bergen Catholic, 40-30.

District 29 annually has among the top competition in South Jersey. Paulsboro is usually the prohibitive favorite and this year is no different. The Red Raiders (19-3) won the Group 1 state title convincingly last week, their 21st straight state championship. Zach Garren, who is 24-3 at 189 pounds, leads the Paulsboro charge.

Hammonton (18-1) has the best record in District 30, but watch out for Washington Township (10-6) which recently won the difficult Olympic Conference American Division title.

District 31 should provide the best drama. In this district are Delsea and Kingsway and both are viable contenders. Kingsway beat Delsea, 37-27, last week to win the South Jersey Group 3 title. Delsea is paced by one of the best wrestlers Don Fisch, who won the state title at 130 pounds last year and is wrestling at 135 this season. Fisch is 26-0 this year and has won 57 bouts in a row.

Finally there should be no contest in District 32, where nationally ranked Absegami is expected to rule. The Braves won their third straight Group 4 title. Led by defending state champion Jeff Black (28-0) at 189-pounds, the Braves showed why they are the No. 1 ranked team in the state. Absegami beat Livingston, 67-0 in the state Group 4 semifinals and followed that up with a 53-12 win in the final to improve to 23-0.

This year’s team will rank among the best in South Jersey history and the Braves will like to make one final statement in the last team competition of the season.

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Author: Marc Narducci