The dual meet wrestling regular season is coming to a close and most of the league titles have already been decided. But what hasn’t been decided is who is in, who is out, and who is seeded where in the state tournament.
At least not yet.
The state cutoff is this Saturday (Jan. 28) and there is still time for teams jockeying for position to move around. Some could get in at the last second. Others could be knocked out.
Remember last year when Glen Rock/Saddle Brook got knocked out of the state tournament because it imputed wins to low-quality teams, fell to the sixth spot, and then flipped spots with Wayne Valley, which was in seventh, because the Indians beat them in the regular season? That could happen again. So this week is very important.
For important matches to watch and how the seeds are stacking up, read on.
Before getting into the matches this weekend, check out the North Jersey Top 25 rankings by clicking here, check out news and notes from around North Jersey by clicking here, for honor role click here and check out the lead note on Clifton by clicking here.
Now, back to states.
Big matches
Pascack Valley wrestles at River Dell tonight (7) and if it wants to get into the state tournament, it better win this match and its match against Old Tappan on Friday (7). The Indians are currently seventh (only the top six qualify) in the deep and talented North 1, Group 3 standings just behind Bergenfield, but only slightly, and would need to win both of those matches to get in.
Bergenfield, meanwhile, has a quad this weekend against Emerson/Park Ridge, Becton/Wallington, and Watchung Hills and probably needs to win 2-of-3 to hold on to its spot.
Also in N1, G3, Wayne Valley, currently fifth, wrestles St. Joes today (at home, 7) in an interesting match. I don’t see the Indians dropping out of the state tournament – they have such a tough schedule and the power points seem to reward that as much as anything – but they could potentially move up with a win.
Hackensack wrestles Clifton at Clifton tonight (6) in a match that could determine who gets a home match in the first round of the North 1, Group 4 state tournament. Clifton is currently fourth, Hackensack is fifth, and whoever wins this match will likely earn a home match in the first round. That’s huge.
Ridgewood is barley holding onto its sixth spot in N1, G4 and wrestles Ramapo tonight (they should win, but a non-quality win could actually lower their power points) and North Bergenon Friday. If it beats North Bergen, which would be tough, I don’t see anyway they’re not in. If they loose, it’s nail biting time.
Garfield is currently tied with Lenape Valley for the final spot in the N1, G2 state tournament and has to win out to have a chance to snatch it.
Pascack Hills is right behind both teams hoping that they slip up. It hosts Queen of Peace on Friday, (again, expected to be a non-quality win) before a make-or-break quad on Saturday. Pascack Hills faces Mahwah, St. Joes and Old Tappan on Saturday and will hope to go 2-1 and see where it ends up.
Most of the other teams have essentially locked up their spots. But for the teams above, it’s make or break time.