Wrestling: Final Morris/Sussex Top 10 team rankings of the 2023-24 season
It was another banner year for area wrestling teams.
Four Morris/Sussex public school teams claimed sectional titles, three advanced to state finals and one captured its first title in four years and finished No. 1 in the state.
Before the individual portion of the season gets underway starting with this week's district tournaments, let's take a look at the final Morris/Sussex team rankings:
10. Montville (18-8)
Previous ranking: Unranked
Montville turned it up in the final month of the season by winning nine of its final 10 duals. The Mustangs reached the North 1, Group 3 final, falling to Wayne Valley, 32-24, after becoming the first No. 8 seed to win a match or reach a sectional final since the brackets were expanded to eight teams in 2017. Along the way, Montville upset top-seeded Old Tappan and No. 4 seed Wayne Hills in the opening two rounds.
9. West Morris (14-10)
Previous ranking: 9
Following a shaky start when they dropped eight of their first 10 duals, the Wolfpack righted the ship and won 12 of their final 14 to turn in another winning campaign.
8. Sparta (19-4)
Previous ranking: 10
Under first-year coach Dan Trappe, the Spartans captured the NJAC National with a 5-0 mark and reached the semifinal round of the state tournament in North 1, Group 3. Sparta won nine of its first 10 duals of the season and closed out the campaign by the same margin.
7. Pope John (11-8)
Previous ranking: 6
The Sparta parochial school managed to hold its own against top-level teams throughout the state. The young Lions finished sixth as a team at the Sam Cali Invitational and three underclassmen won titles at the competitive Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament in January.
6. High Point (10-9)
Previous ranking: 7
In legendary coach John Gardner’s final season, the Sussex County school reached another sectional final, falling to rival Jefferson, 32-29, in North 1, Group 2.
5. Hanover Park (14-10)
Previous ranking: 5
The East Hanover school claimed its third straight state sectional title in a drama-filled 34-33 win over Hasbrouck Heights in North 2, Group 1 that was decided on criteria. Hanover Park was battle-tested, competing against some of the top teams in the state. The Hornets have now won 10 sectional titles in the last 13 years.
4. Jefferson (17-6
Previous ranking: 4
The Falcons marched to their eighth state sectional title and first since 2000 with a 32-29 win over High Point in the North 1, Group 2 final. Under first-year coach Chris Lantz, Jefferson advanced to its first group final since 1996, won 17 matches and put together a 10-match win streak in January.
3. Kittatinny (19-4)
Previous ranking: 3
The Cougars turned in another banner campaign and continued their standard of excellence among small-school programs. The Newton school won another NJAC division title and captured its third straight NJSIAA sectional crown and 10th in the last 13 years.
2. Mount Olive (16-5)
Previous ranking: 2
The Flanders school stamped itself as one of the top public programs in the state again by winning a fourth straight state sectional title and reaching a second NJSIAA final in as many years. The Marauders dropped a tight 35-33 match to Ridge in the Group 4 state final that came down to the final bout. Mount Olive backed down to no one along the way, taking on the state’s top programs, including Delsea, Phillipsburg, Southern, Hunterdon Central and No. 1 Delbarton.
1. Delbarton (17-4)
Previous ranking: 1
The No. 1 team in New Jersey put the finishing touches on another remarkable season by defeating parochial rival St. Joseph, 30-22 in the NJSIAA Non-Public A final on Sunday. The win avenged a four-point loss to the Montvale school in last year’s state title match and delivered the Morris Township school its third state team title and first since 2020.
From the start, coach Bryan Stoll’s crew competed in some of the top tournaments in the nation and went head-to-head with the country’s best, including Blair Academy and Wyoming Seminary. The amped-up schedule prepared the Green Wave down the stretch with the state individual tournament next.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ wrestling: Final Morris/Sussex Top 10 team rankings
