By Andy Loigu

For the first time since 2001, the state wrestling finals will take place somewhere other than Atlantic City Convention Hall this year.

Phillipsburg High School was chosen to be the host this year, with the girls finals set for April 10 and the boys scheduled for April 24 and 25.

For this Covid-complicated season, no district tournaments will be held and the road to the finals will feature four regionals instead of the customary eight. The field of qualifiers in each weight class has been trimmed from 32 to 16, which means committees of coaches will make the hard decisions regarding who gets in and who does not. The final four survivors in each class advance to the state championships.

Warren Hills head coach David Sbriscia said he believes five of his veteran wrestlers have seeding criteria that should qualify them for spots in the regionals. “I hope to have six matches before the seeding meeting. That should give our younger wrestlers time to knock someone off and get into the tournament,” he said.

Jared Lee at 138 pounds, Steve Malia at 160, Owen Frizzell at 170, Jarett Pantuso at 182 and Tyler McCatharn at 285 are the Blue Streaks’ most probable selections.

Hackettstown is 4-2 in dual meets thus far and Aiden Scheeringa (106), Austin Zellars (113), Matt Francis (120), Nicholas Belella (132), Joe Bencivengo (138), Anthony Fuentes (170), Tyler Yanoff (182), Bruno Daugherty (195) and Matt Bremner (285) have been consistent performers for the Tigers, worthy of consideration.

“It’s been a difficult year with the restrictions and quarantine process,” Sbriscia (a state qualifier as a Warren Hills wrestler in his day) observed. “We will be on the mat for the first time this week.”

Fans, parents, and guardians will not be permitted at region competitions, but NJSIAA (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association) officials are hopeful they’ll be able to admit two parents/guardians per qualifier when the finals come to Warren County at Phillipsburg.

This year, nearby Mount Olive High School will host the North 1 Region, which combines the former Region One and Region Two fields, on April 17 and 18.

In girls competition, Warren County wrestlers to watch include 100 pounder Isaira Natal of Belvidere (seeded eighth), 121-pound Katrina Kling of Warren Hills (seeded second), and 215-pound Madison Hall of Warren Hills, who is a fourth seed.

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.