Saturday, January 31, 2009
By BRIAN FORTNER
The Express-Times
The
word showdown is batted around a lot in the course of a high school wrestling
season.
There's no other way,
however, to describe the scene that'll unfold when High Point Regional High
School comes to battle Phillipsburg today at The Pit.
The Stateliners, ranked No.
1 in New Jersey by The Star-Ledger, host the third-ranked Wildcats in the most
anticipated New Jersey dual meet of the season.
"There's going to be a
lot of adrenaline, a lot of excitement in the air," Phillipsburg coach
Jason Magditch said. "Both teams are very talented. You're going to have
to show up and be ready to strap 'em on to win this match."
Action begins at 1 p.m. and
the match is sold out. Doors open at 11 a.m. with the JV match to start at
11:30.
High Point (17-4) held the
state's No. 1 ranking since the beginning of the 2007-08 season before dropping
a 28-27 criteria nail-biter to Long Branch last Saturday at Rutgers University.
It was the Wildcats' first loss to a New Jersey opponent since 2007.
The Stateliners (16-0), who
defeated Long Branch 28-21 a week earlier at the NHSCA Final Four at Easton's
Shawnee Middle School, replaced the Wildcats at the top of the Garden State
rankings.
"It should be a great
atmosphere," High Point coach John Gardner said. "Obviously, both
programs are doing fairly well. And being from the same region adds a little
bit to the rivalry. We're looking forward to the challenge."
Gardner knows all about the
rivalry.
A 1990 High Point graduate,
Gardner competed against the Stateliners at The Pit in the 1989 Group 3
championship match and again in the group semifinals the following season.
Phillipsburg won both matches handily.
Gardner won the 189-pound
state title as a senior.
"I'm a long-time High
Point guy and I've been a part of this series as a wrestler and a coach,"
said Gardner, whose Wildcats went 30-1 last season. "I think both teams
have a lot of respect for each other. It's good to have this match back on the
schedule."
The two schools haven't met
since Phillipsburg's 45-22 victory in the 2003 Group 3 semifinals.
Bragging right could be
short-lived for today's winner. A rematch could come in two weeks at the group
championships in Toms River.
"The reality is however
today's match turns out the importance is lessened because of what may happen
down the road," Gardner said. "Right now, we'll approach (Saturday)
as another high-level match on our schedule."
Magditch, while echoing
Gardner to an extent, has slightly different feelings about the showdown.
"We're ranked No. 1,
but none of that stuff counts at this point," Magditch said. "It's
not even February yet. You lose (today) and in two weeks everyone forgets that
you were No. 1 on January 31. But we're greedy. We want to win every single
match. Our goal is to go undefeated. There's a lot of wrestling left in order
to get to that point."
Both coaches have plenty of
options to create favorable match-ups. Like most high-profile dual meets, the
coin toss could go a long way toward deciding the outcome.
Gardner's options improved
on Jan. 22 when sophomore 152-pounder John Guzzo became eligible. Guzzo, who
placed third at the Beast of The East Tournament as a freshman, had to sit a
mandatory 30 days after transferring to High Point from Blair Academy.
Guzzo fortifies an already
solid Wildcats lineup that includes state place-winners Nick Francavilla (103)
and Tyler Forbeck (135) and state qualifiers Billy Gould (112), Griffin
Panicucci (119), Joe Gaccione (140) and Joe Donohue (189).
"We're ranked No. 1
right now, but we've said all along that High Point is the team to beat,"
Magditch said. "They're the most balanced team with the most depth that
we've faced. Long Branch is a good team, but High Point looks like a far better
team on paper. Everyone realizes this is our biggest test."
Brian Fortner can be reached
by e-mail at sports@express-times.com.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
When:
1 p.m. today.
Where: The Pit, Phillipsburg
High School.
Records: High Point, 18-4;
Phillipsburg, 16-0.
Express-Times ranking:
Phillipsburg No. 2.
Star-Ledger New Jersey state
rankings: High Point, No. 3; Phillipsburg, No. 1.
Coaches: High Point, John
Gardner (11th season); Phillipsburg, Jason Magditch (third season, 58-8).
Probable lineups: High Point
wrestlers are listed first (records and Express-Times individual rankings in
parentheses):
103 -- So. Nick Francavilla
(24-0) or So. Justin Bellis (8-3) vs. Fr. Matt Silva (6-12).
112 -- Jr. Billy Gould
(18-3) or Francavilla vs. So. Rylan Watson (15-7) or Fr. Mike Barna (2-3).
119 -- Sr. Griffin Panicucci
(16-7) or Gould vs. So. Dan Brockerhoff (6-12) or Watson.
125 -- So. Drew Wagenhoffer
(22-3) or Panicucci vs. Jr. John Horak (21-5, No. 3 at 130) or So. Matt Lane
(23-3, No. 2).
130 -- Jr. Tom DiVitantonio
(16-8) vs. Horak or Lane.
135 -- Sr. Tyler Forbeck
(14-8) vs. Sr. Bob Moyer (17-8, No. 4) or Jr. Adam Simon (12-1).
140 -- So. Joe Gaccione
(21-5) vs. Jr. Oliver Brukardt (20-6, No. 5) or Moyer or Simon.
145 -- So. Ethan Orr (20-5)
vs. Sr. Nick Pare (18-7, No. 3) or Brukardt.
152 -- So. John Guzzo (2-0)
or Sr. Matt Blecker (8-12) vs. Sr. Cliff Tinsman (8-8) or Pare.
160 -- Sr. Mike Blecker
(7-10) or So. John "Buddy" Mallon (5-9) vs. Sr. Mike Simon (17-7).
171 -- So. Billy Smith
(18-8) or Jr. Gavin Donahue (7-11) vs. Sr. Eric Bohem (15-10).
189 -- Sr. Joe Donahue
(14-6) vs. Sr. Jared Crouse (19-6, No. 2).
215 -- Jr. Trevor
Pappenmeier (12-10) vs. Sr. Matt Santini (19-6, No. 3).
285 -- Sr. Anthony Luciano
(8-6) vs. Sr. Jim Tersigni (15-10).
Brian Fortner's prediction:
The renewal of a once-bitter rivalry that ended with Phillipsburg's 35-21
victory over the Wildcats in the 1996 Group 3 semifinal match at The Pit has
all the makings of an instant classic. High Point dropped its first dual meet
since 2007 to a New Jersey opponent last Saturday 28-27 to Long Branch
surrendering the state's No. 1 ranking in the process. P'burg, which knocked
off Long Branch 28-21 at The NHSCA Final Four a week earlier, takes over as the
Garden State's new No. 1. It may, however, be tougher for the 'Liners to stay
at the top than it was clawing their way there. High Point is deep and balanced
and presents a number of matchup problems for coach Jason Magditch's squad. And
that was before standout sophomore John Guzzo, a transfer from Blair Academy,
became eligible just over a week ago. From here, High Point still looks like
the best team in New Jersey. High Point 27-21.