South Plainfield wrestling title run through Voorhees and likely state rival Delsea

Other than mugging for some cameras while hoisting the program’s 15th sectional championship trophy, there essentially  was no celebration inside the Anthony J. Cotoia gymnasium following the South Plainfield High School wrestling program’s 54-6 rout of Ocean on Friday night.  

The Tigers, whose preseason goal is always to win a state title, already had  started to shift their focus to yet another trip down the Garden State Parkway in quest of the school’s third consecutive state title and 11th overall.

South Plainfield will face Voorhees in the Group III semifinal at 2 p.m. Sunday with the winner meeting the victor of the other semifinal between Pascack Valley and Delsea for the title at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, Watchung Hills will face Southern in the Group V semifinal at 9 a.m. Sunday  with the winner facing the victor of the other semifinal between Howell and West Orange for the championship at 2 p.m. All of the action will be at RWJBarnabus Health Arena on the campus of Toms River High School North.

Voorhees won its third sectional title since 2013 with a 33-27 comeback victory over Cranford in the North 2 Group III final, while Watchung Hills won its first sectional crown with a 39-23 win over Westfield in the North 2 Group V final.

“The chemistry between our team is just unbelievable,” Watchung Hills 126-pounder Danny Miller said. “We’ve been working so hard towards this. Going 0-3 the last three years in the (sectional) finals – just finally getting it my senior year means the world to me. Just to be a part of that is incredible.”

Southern (18-2) and Watchung Hills (23-2) are ranked No. 12 and No. 13, respectively, in the latest New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association statewide poll, so the Group V semifinal between the schools is obviously a tossup. The winner, however, will be a prohibitive underdog against No. 3 Howell (28-0), which is expected to steamroll past West Orange on its way to the final.

As the lone remaining Group III school ranked in the NJWWA Top 20, No. 14 South Plainfield (18-7) is favored to win a state championship. The Tigers are expected to face Delsea (14-7), a longtime rival on this stage, which just won its eighth consecutive sectional crown.

South Plainfield defeated Delsea to win its last two state championships, handing previously undefeated Delsea its only loss of the year in the 2016 state final and rolling to a 38-23 win over Delsea in last year’s Group III championship. In 2015, Delsea knocked South Plainfield out of the tournament in the state semifinals.

The Tigers must, of course first get past Voorhees (22-8), a storied program which earlier this year recorded its 600th all-time win and whose lineup matches well with South Plainfield’s upperweights.

Voorhees’ uppweweights – Scott Fernandes (28-3 at 195), Lewis Fernandes (29-0 at 220 and 285) and Sam Huff (25-6 at 220 and 285) – are outstanding. South Plainfield counters with Luke Niemeyer (30-2 at 195), Zach DelVecchio (31-0 at 220 and 285) and Julian Medina (15-7 at 220 and 285). Niemyer is ranked in the state, DelVecchio is ranked in the nation and Lewis Fernandes is ranked in the state.

With the exception of 113 pounds, Voorhees is not essentially favored to win any other bouts.

South Plainfield, meanwhile, is heavily favored at 106, 126 and 145 pounds and slightly favored virtually everywhere else throughout the lineup with the possible exception of 120 pounds where incumbent state qualifiers Dave Loniewski (South Plainfield) and Aidan Taylor could meet.

“All we want is our goal,” said South Plainfield 145-pounder Joe Sacco, “and that’s a group title.”

POSSIBLE SOUTH PLAINFIELD LINUEP

106: Anthony White (30-1); 113: Frank Mannino (3-22); 120: David Loniewski (15-3); 126: Thomas Fierro (22-7); 132: Joe Heilmann (32-0); 138: Alex Amato (18-12); 145: Joe Sacco (27-5); 152: Mike Marrero (18-12); 160: Marc Giordano (19-13); 170: Thomas Renna (1-0); 182: Brenden Hedden (20-11); 195: Luke Niemeyer (29-2); 220: Julian Medina (15-7); 285: Zach DelVecchio (31-0).

POSSIBLE VOORHEES LINEUP

106: Josh Rich (14-17); 113: Colby Koshinski (20-11); 120: Aidan Taylor (22-9); 126: Hunter Rinehart (20-8); 132: Joe Swiston (10-21); 138: Will Peterson (2-9); 145: Garrett Loescher (9-21); 152: Jacob Baytoff (11-20); 160: Brad Kalinchak (14-17); 170: Matt Brandner (16-15); 182: Charlie Eberle (8-14); 195: Scott Fernandes (28-3); 220: Lewis Fernandes (29-0); 285: Sam Huff (25-6).

POSSIBLE DELSEA LINEUP

106: Asa Walton (23-8); 113: Chris Recinto (18-13); 120: CJ Mazzarelli (1-4); 126: Justin Dougherty (8-16); 132: John Patterson (17-8); 138: Jon Stokes (7-13); 145: Tim Spatola (25-7); 152: Phillip Pierson (10-12); 160: Nick Bennett (25-6); 170: Mason Maxwell (23-7); 182: Bill Janzer (20-0); 195: Tommy Maxwell (28-5); 220: Matthew Kratzer (7-7); 285: Phillip Green (17-14).

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

The NJSIAA wrestling state semifinals and championships will be contested Sunday at RWJBarnabas Health Arena on the campus of Toms River High School North. Following is the full slate of matchups.

Group I semifinals: (1) Emerson-Park Ridge vs. (4) Point Pleasant Beach and (3) Roselle Park vs. (2) Paulsboro, 9 a.m.

Group V semifinals: (1) Howell vs. (4) West Orange and (3) Watchung Hills vs. (2) Southern, 9 a.m.

Group IV semifinals: (1) Long Branch vs. (4) Highland and (3) Roxbury vs. (2) Phillipsburg, 11:30 a.m.

Group II semifinals: (1) Raritan vs. (4) Hanover Park and (3) Point Boro vs. (2) High Point, 11:30 a.m.

Group III semifinals: (1) South Plainfield vs. (4) Voorhees and (3) Pascack Valley vs. (2) Delsea, 2 p.m.

Group V final: Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.

Group I final: Semifinal winners meet, 2 p.m.

Non-Public B final: Holy Spirit vs. Pope John, 5 p.m.

Group IV final: Semifinal winners meet, 5 p.m.

Group II final: Semifinal winners meet, 5 p.m.

Non-Public A final: Camden Catholic vs. Bergen Catholic, 7 p.m.

Group III final: Semifinal winners meet, 7 p.m.