CBA moves back to Region 6 in NJSIAA wrestling realignment for 2024-25 season
The power-packed region that was Region 7 in the 2023-24 scholastic wrestling season will be broken up for the 2024-25 season in the NJSIAA’s annual district and region realignment.
The NJSIAA released the district/region alignment for the 2024-25 in an email sent to athletic directors on Thursday.
In the email, the NJSIAA said they don't anticipate any changes to the new alignment, but the NJSIAA does reserve the right to "make changes as necessary in order to secure host sites for either the districts or regions."
The 32 district tournaments will be on Feb. 22. The eight region tournaments are Feb. 28-March 1. The state tournament will be wrestled from March 6-7-8 at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City.
The big change for the Shore Conference
The major change for the Shore Conference as far as Region 7 is concerned will have Christian Brothers Academy moving to Region 6.
Two-time defending NJSIAA Group 5 champion Southern and defending Non-Public B champion St. John Vianney will remain in Region 7.
Last season, CBA, Southern and St. John Vianney combined for nine of the 14 champions in Region 7 and 31 of the 56 state qualifiers from that region. CBA led the way with four region champions and 11 state qualifiers.
Southern and St. John Vianney will still be formidable for everyone else in Region 7.
Southern returns six state qualifiers, including two-time medal winners Hayden Hochstrasser and Wyatt Stout and state runner-up Anthony Mason.
St. John Vianney will have two returning state champions in its lineup in three-timer Anthony Knox and heavyweight Rocco Dellagatta, who has transferred from St. Joseph (Montvale). The Lancers also return three-time state medalist Patrick O’Keefe, two-time eighth-place finisher Matthew Gould and returning seventh-place finisher Jake Zaltsman.
There was another significant move in Region 7 as Kingsway replaces Paulsboro. Kingswas in Region 8 last season. Paulsboro moves to Region 8.
Other significant changes
CBA’s move to Region 6 as the top-ranked power team in that regionr results in St. Peter’s Prep, which was in Region 6 last season, moving to Region 5 and powerful Delbarton moving from Region 5 to Region 3.
Other significant changes involving Shore Conference teams see: Howell move back into Region 6 after it was in Region 5 last season; Red Bank Catholic move from Region 5 to Region 7 and Donovan Catholic move from Region 6 to Region 7.
Other significant state wide changes see Phillipsburg move to Region 1 from Region 2; Bergen Catholic move to Region 1 from Region 3; Delaware Valley move to Region 4 from Region 3; Hunterdon Central and St. Joseph (Metuchen) move back to Region 5 from Region 4.
Districts geographically aligned
The realignment placed an emphasis on geography:
Eight of the nine teams in District 21, which CBA will host, are from the Shore. Jackson Memorial is also in that district.
District 23, which Point Pleasant Borough will host, is an all-Shore district. Jackson Liberty, Ocean and Point Pleasant Beach are among the other teams in that district.
District 26 is a facsimile of what before the 2016-17 season, was District 24, when Region 6 was an all-Shore Conference region.
In that district are Southern, Barnegat, Central, Donovan Catholic, Lacey, Manchester, Pinelands, Toms River East, Toms River North and Toms River South.
The Shore will have 11 teams in Region 5; 21 in Region 6 and 12 in Region 7.
District realignment for Shore Conference teams:
Region 5
Franklin will host the region
District hosts in bold
District 17: Middletown North, Middletown South, Monmouth, East Brunswick, North Brunswick, Old Bridge, St. Peter’s Prep, South Brunswick, South River, Spotswood.
District 18: Rumson-Fair Haven, Franklin, Hopewell Valley, Manville, Monroe, Montgomery, Princeton, Rumson-Fair Haven, West Windsor-Plainsboro North, West Windsor-Plainsboro South.
District 19: Raritan, Edison, Highland Park, Metuchen, New Brunswick, Perth Amboy, St. Joseph(Metuchen), Sayreville, Woodbridge
District 20: Hunterdon Central, Hillsborough, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Marlboro, Matawan, Red Bank, Rutgers Prep.
Region 6
Host to be determined
District hosts in bold
District 21: CBA, Colts Neck, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Jackson Memorial, Lakewood, Manalapan, New Egypt.
District 22: Brick Memorial, Long Branch, Hamilton East, Hamilton North, Lawrence, Northern Burlington, Notre Dame, Riverside, Robbinsville, Trenton.
District 23: Point Pleasant Borough, Jackson Liberty, Ocean, Brick, Manasquan, Neptune, Point Pleasant Beach, Shore, Asbury Park.
District 24: Howell, Wall, Allentown, Bordentown, Burlington City, Burlington Township, Ewing, Hamilton West, Hightstown, St. Thomas Aquinas.
Region 7
Host to be determined
District hosts in bold
District 25: St. John Vianney, Audubon, Camden, Collingswood, Haddon Heights, Haddon Township, Paul VI, Pennsauken, Sterling, West Deptford.
District 26: Southern, Lacey, Barnegat, Central, Donovan Catholic, Manchester. Pinelands, Toms River East, Toms River North, Toms River South.
District 27: Red Bank Catholic, Westampton Tech, Cinnaminson, Delran, Gloucester City, Kingsway, Moorestown, Palmyra, Rancocas Valley, Willingboro.
District 28: Cherokee, Cherry Hill East, Cherry Hill West, Gloucester Catholic; Haddonfield, Lenape, Maple Shade, Pemberton, Seneca, Shawnee.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ Wrestling: CBA, Howell move back to Region 6 under NJSIAA realignment
