The state wrestling Top 20 as the team tournament gets underway
Last week was the calm before the storm in New Jersey scholastic wrestling.
The NJSIAA Team Tournament began Monday night with the public school sectional quarterfinal and semifinal matches. The non-public portion of the tournament begins Tuesday with quarterfinal and semifinal matches in the two state-wide groups.
The tournament concludes Sunday with the seven group championship matches at Rutgers University's Jersey Mike's Arena.
If form holds, three of the finals will be highly anticipated.
St. Joseph (Montvale) and Delbarton, the Nos. 1 and 2 ranked teams in the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20, are expected to meet in the Non Public A final in a rematch of last year's final, won by St. Joseph 28-24. Southern and Phillipsburg are likely to meet in the Group 5 final in a rematch of last year's final, won by Southern 41-14 and Camden Catholic and St. John Vianney are heavily favored to meet in Non Public B. Camden Catholic won last year's final 33-29.
There was one result last week that changed the rankings near the bottom. Caldwell knocked off then-No. 15 West Essex 27-26.
Here is this week's NJWWA Top 20 through the matches of Feb. 4 with first place votes in parentheses followed by voting points. Monday night's results are not reflected in the rankings.
NJWWA voting members in alphabetical order: Donald J. Brower (gardenstatehswrestling.com); Frank D'Esposito (shoreconferencewrestling.com); Steven Falk (Asbury Park Press and app.com); Sean Farrell (The Record and NorthJersey.com); Tom McGurk (Courier Post and courierpostonline.com); Andy Mendlowitz (Home News Tribune, Courier News and MyCentralJersey.com); Michael Weilaman (Open Mike and mikeopen.blogspot.com); Brad Wilson (lehighvalleylive.com/The Express Times).
Through Feb. 4.
1. St. Joseph (Montvale) (10-0) (7) 159
2. Delbarton (14-4) (1) 153
3. St. Peter's Prep (12-4) 144
4. Christian Brothers Academy (13-1) 136
5. Southern (13-2) 128
6. Camden Catholic (12-1) 120
7. Don Bosco Prep (13-4) 109
8. Paramus Catholic (9-2) 102
9. Phillipsburg (14-0) 94
10. St. John Vianney (11-1) 92
11. Bergen Catholic (6-6) 73
12. Delaware Valley (16-1) 72
13. Hunterdon Central (18-2) 67
14. Mount Olive (12-4) 62
15. Kingsway (12-1) 42
16. Delsea (14-4) 33
17. Rumson-Fair Haven (13-1) 23
18. St. Joseph (Metuchen) (16-4) 16
19. Seton Hall Prep (7-3) 14
20. Caldwell (21-1) 12.
Others receiving votes: West Essex (13-1) 11, Cranford (15-2) 8, Kittatinny (15-3) 7, Ridge (16-2) 2
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ wrestling: State top 20 with the team tournament underway
