By Andy Loigu

With five champions, the Warren Hills wrestling team won the John Goles Tournament for the second year in a row on December 27 in Washington.

The tournament, which has been an annual event at Warren Hills for 64 years, honors legendary longtime coach John Goles, now posthumously honored in the Warren County Hall of Fame both for numerous championships on the mats and for his positive impact on many students he guided and inspired as a teacher in the classrooms.

Warren Hills needed all five of its individual titles to edge second place Delaware Valley for the team championship by a slim 235 to 232.5 score in the points totals.

Sophomore Charlie Piccione (at 120 pounds) and senior Shawn Redfield (at 138) now are second-time champions in the tourney. Also in the winners’ circle from Warren Hills were seniors Cody Miller at 165, Mike Drazek at 175 and Jarett Pantuso at 215 pounds.

Also wrestling in a highly competitive field were West Morris, Newton, Montgomery, Colts Neck, East Stroudsburg North, Ewing. Hopewell Valley, Secaucus and Verona.

Last year the Warren Hills Blue Streaks had the program’s best season in 30 years and barely missed winning the Group 3 state final.

This year’s dual meet season got off to a flying start with a 32-26 win over a scrappy Raritan team. You can’t win them all if you don’t win the first one. The Rockets are the defending Group 2 state champions which made this win even nicer.

The match was tied at 23-23 with three bouts remaining when 113 pounder Dave Rhinehart faced Raritan’s Aidan Davis, who had beaten him in a summer tournament. This time, after working hard at conditioning and improving his techniques, Rhinehart needed only 45 seconds to win by fall.

“We’re proud of the work he’s done and the results he’s getting, particularly when the team needed a win,” said Blue Streaks’ head coach Dave Sbriscia, a former star on the mats in his high school days at Warren Hills. The team win was his 63rd as he begins his fifth season as the Blue Streaks’ mentor.

HACKETTSTOWN GIRLS BASKETBALL

Hackettstown’s girls basketball season got off to a roaring start as the Tigers won their first three games. In a big meeting of local rivals, the Tigers defeated North Warren 53-29, led in scoring by Rylie Grant, who registered 19 points. Angelene Mattingly and Kim Curcio each contributed eight points and Courtney Keane scored six in the winning effort.

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Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building. 

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