Liners Wrestling Wins Big in Season Opener Against Hillsborough

Phillipsburg Wrestling starts their season off at home against Hillsborough. Pburg is coming off of a state championship season last year, winning against Howell to win the Group 5 championship. Even though the Liners lost many key seniors, they still have a lot of potential this season.

This match started at 190 pounds with Caleb Rivera wrestling for Phillipsburg and Joseph Witcoski for Hillsborough. This one was a very close one all throughout but Witcoski ended up winning by a decision of 5-4. Rivera showed lots of effort throughout the round and never gave up.

Next up was 215 pounds with Logan Kries for Phillipsburg and Matt Jones for Hillsborough. This one was uneventful and ended up 1-1 after five. In the sixth period, Matt Jones ended up winning 2-1 after an escape.

On the mat next, at 285 pounds, was John Wargo wrestling for Phillipsburg and Christian Quandt for Hillsborough. Wargo had an impressive season last year, especially in the playoff run getting very important wins and being dominant. This match was not any different with Wargo pinning Quandt in two minutes and 25 seconds. The match was tied 6-6 after three rounds.

Then it went to 106 pounds. Phillipsburg had Freshman Massimo Gonzalez wrestling and Hillsborough had Logan McDermid. Gonzalez was impressive in the match with such little experience in high school. But, McDermid ended up winning the round, 1-0 making the score 6-9 Hillsborough.

Junior Dawson McWilliams was up next for P’burg at 113 pounds going against Thomas Kester. McWilliams came out like a fire and pinned Kester in just 40 seconds. That gave Phillipsburg some motivation. The score was 12-9 Phillipsburg.

Next up was 120, and P’burg brought out Freshman Gavin Geleta to go against Hillsborough’s Anthony Mayo. Geleta dominated the whole match and impressed everyone there because he was a freshman. Geleta ended up winning with a technical fall, 18-1, giving P’burg a bigger lead of 17-9.

A new varsity wrestler, sophomore Anthony Ashford, wrestled for P’burg at 126 pounds against Corey Iannucci. Iannucci won by major decision making the score 17-13 P’burg.

The Stateliners then went on a streak of dominating matches. It started with Gavin Hawk wrestling for Phillipsburg and Christopher Spinelli for Hillsborough at 132 pounds. Hawk had a very commanding season last year as a freshman. This match showed that he is still dominant. He won by Major decision, 12-0, and made the score 21-13 Pburg.

On the mat was 138 pounds next and Luke Geleta was wrestling for P’burg going against Alex Villa. Geleta also contributed a ton to Phillipsburg’s success last year being very influential as a freshman. This match wasn’t much different with Geleta pinning Villa in 58 seconds. The score changed to 27-13.

Junior Johnathon Roth wrestled for P’burg at 144 against Brett Lockburner. Roth, being a new varsity athlete, was unpredictable in this match. He definitely showed that he is a dominating wrestler pinning Lockburner in three minutes and 50 seconds.

Patrick Day wrestled next for Phillipsburg at 150 pounds. Day wrestled even though he had a knee injury from a tournament earlier this season. Even with the injury, Day battled through thick and thin to win the match by decision 5-3. The score was 36-13 Pburg.

Next up at the 157 pound match, was Phillipsburg captain and junior Liam Packer going against Giuseppe Cicciari. Packer is an excellent leader on this team and helps them as much as he possibly can. Packer is another dominant and controlling wrestler on this team winning by technical fall 17-2, making the score 41-13.

Dylan Melsky wrestled next at 165 pounds. Melsky is subbing in for Senior Hunter Cleaver, who will be out next match as well. So, Melsky has not adapted to the varsity environment as much as others are. He went against Jack Miller who won by Major decision 10-2. The score was 41-17 P’burg heading into the last match.

Senior Connor Hille wrapped up the match at 175 pounds going against Peter Quandt. Hille, as an experienced wrestler, was calm wrapping up this match, and leaving it on a good note. He won by decision 7-2. The final score was 44-17 Phillipsburg.

The Phillipsburg Stateliners have definitely shown, even though they lost some important wrestlers, that they are still one of the best wrestling schools in the state. John Wargo, Dawson McWilliams, Luke Geleta, and Jonathon Roth all showed complete control, getting pins and helping P’burg secure the win. The young wrestlers are a force to be reckoned with as well with freshman Massimo Gonzalez and Gavin Geleta being dangerous on the mat.

Pburg’s next match is against a really good Mount Olive team. They won a close Group 4 state championship last year against Brick Memorial 32-29. This will definitely be a match that no one would want to miss because these are two of the best teams in the state of New Jersey.

Final Score: 44-17 Phillipsburg