By Andy Loigu

You can’t win them all, if you don’t win the first one. In wrestling, winning them all would result in a state title down the shore in Toms River in February. The Warren Hills wrestling team, coming off a 17-5 season in dual meets last year, is ready to do big things and make a splash in the Skyland Conference Valley Division, District 12 (at Becton), Region 3 (at West Orange) and North 2 Group 3 in the team sectionals.

Coach Dave Sbriscia, a state qualifier in his wrestling days with the Blue Streaks, saw his second year as the head coach start off with a bang on Dec. 20, as Warren Hills won seven bouts by fall in a 60-12 rout of visiting Hillsborough.

The pin parade featured freshman Shawn Redfield (44 seconds at 113 pounds), senior Logan Nauta (4:38 at 132 pounds), senior Geir Nemeth (56 seconds at 138), sophomore Steve Malia (3:20 at 152), sophomore Owen Frizzell (49 seconds at 160), senior Nick Hildebrant (2:39 at 170), and sophomore Tyler McCatham (51 seconds at 285).

Sbriscia, a Warren County Athlete of the Year nominee when he played football and wrestled for the Blue Streaks, has four returnees who won over 20 bouts last season. Sophomore Jared Lee (120) was 26-11, Hildebrant was 24-12, senior Greg Slivka (126) was 27-12 and Nauta was 23-12.

While basketball was going on at the high school, the wrestling opener took place at the Warren Hills Middle School. For those with memories from the days when that building along Carlton Avenue was Washington High, and the Blue Streaks were doing legendary things in that gym for Coach John Goles (now posthumously in the Warren County Hall of Fame and other halls, including the Region One Hall of Fame), it was a special night, as the tradition continues.

Burke, Castro, Bremner Lead Tigers

The Hackettstown Tigers are getting ready for their 23rd season under Frank Rodgers, who has 242 dual match wins in a career which has included district and sectional titles and coach of the year honors. The Tigers compete in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom  Division, North 2 Group 2 in sectionals, District 11 (at Morristown), and Region 3 at West Orange.

For goodness sake, I can’t figure why Hackettstown and Warren Hills would not be placed in the same district.

Leading the Tigers’ charge will be senior 170 pounder Zeb Burke, who was 27-10 last year. Also, senior Alejandro Castro (160) was 23-11 last year and junior Matt Bremner (195) was 23-13 last winter. Freshman 132 pounder Joey Bencivengo is regarded as a prospect to watch.

Hackettstown wins hoops opener

In their 10th season under Mike McDonagh (who applies the same methods as Coach K at Duke) the Hackettstown Tigers are looking for another winning season. With a veteran group featuring experience, versatility, and talent, the Tigers won at Jefferson on December 20 by a 54-49 score in a game they trailed 42-32.

Comebacks are won by playing defense. Trading baskets does not get it done. With the same kind of helping man to man defense that won for the Hickory Huskers in Indiana back in the early 50s, the Tigers won in a hostile environment. Senior Tyler Kirkpatrick led the Hackettstown scorers with 14 points and Mike Daconti put eight points onto the scoreboard.

Senior All-NJAC first team guard Tyler Gorczyca returns to lead the team, along with seniors Ryan O’Melia, P.J. O’Hara, and Jalen Baptiste.

Bamford Debuts As Warren Hills Coach

Former Warren Hills star point guard Joe Bamford, another former Warren County Athlete of the Year nominee (he went on to play baseball at Monmouth University), hopes to get a title as the team’s new basketball coach. The first game was a 69-45 loss to Somerville, but he’ll get that defense shaped up and we look forward to a good run. James Jordan, a 1,000-point scorer, has graduated and will be missed on offense, so the defense has to improve and we are confident that it will.

Meanwhile, the Warren Hills girls lost 42-38 in their opener, as Somerville slowed the pace down with a patient offense and stifled the Streaks.

….Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.