It isn’t too often that a Morris-Sussex public school walks out of the Groups with a state championship in wrestling.

High Point, Kittatinny, Mount Olive, Hanover Park and Montville hope to break that trend.

Those five schools have a Group title plaque in their hallway trophy cases and would love to add another.

But it won’t be easy.

Those five are the pick to win their respective sections, but going on and capturing a Group crown is even more difficult than winning a section.

Of the five public schools, Mount Olive stands the best chance of winning a Group (Group 4) – but the Marauders would likely have to topple Ridge and P-Burg to win their section, not an easy assignment. 

And if the Marauders want to bring their second Group title home, they’d have to win not only their bear of a section but then probably run into North Hunterdon, which stunned P-Burg last week.

In Non-Public, meanwhile, Delbarton knocked off Blair last week and the Green Wave have their best-ever team – among a host of great teams at the school – and look to withstand all challengers in a powerful Non-Public Group A.

Pope John, meanwhile, has a star-studded lineup, but do the Lions have enough depth to win Non-Public Group B?

The sectionals begin on Monday night at the top two seeded teams with the quarterfinals at 5 p.m., followed by the semifinals. The sectional finals will be held on Wednesday night at the highest remaining seeded team at 7. Sectional champions will be seeded 1-4 and will compete at the two highest seeds (4 at 1, 3 at 2) on Friday night. The survivors will meet in the Group finals at Rutgers Sunday.

The Non-Public schools, meanwhile, will be held in the same format but on Tuesday and Thursday, with the state championships at Rutgers Sunday.

Then … it’s on to the districts Feb. 22.

Here is a look at the pairings and sections involving local schools. 

North 1, Group 1

The schedule:

at Kittatinny

1-Kittatinny (9-9) vs 8-Boonton (9-4)

5-Kinnelon (9-5) vs. 4-Emerson-Park Ridge (9-10)

at New Milford

3-Pompton Lakes (14-4) vs. 6-Newton (8-11)

7-Butler (9-7) vs 2-New Milford (13-1)

History lesson: Kittatinny is shooting for its 26th sectional title, the last 11 coming in Group I (including the last three).

Thoughts: Interesting quarterfinals matchup on opening night, with former Kittatinny Cougar standout Dave Hughen leading his Boonton Bombers up to Kittatinny. Coach Anthony Colabella led his Kinnelon Colts to the NJAC-Independence title and are 9-5 after having gone 5-15 in his first year. The Colts are the choice to pick off Emerson-Park Ridge.

It would be crazy to pick against Kittatinny and coach John Gill, who is in his 45th season and is coming back for his 46th next year (contrary to a Fake News rumor stating that this would be his final year). This isn’t one of Gill’s better teams but the Cougars are the pick to win it.

Sectional pick: Kittatinny.

Group 1 overall pick: Delaware Valley.

North 1, Group 2

The schedule:

at High Point

1-High Point (15-5) vs. 8-Lakeland (5-7)

5-Jefferson (3-18) vs. 4-Westwood (13-4)

at Pascack Valley

3-Pascack Hills (12-7) vs. 6-West Milford (6-16)

7-Manchester Regional (13-3). vs 2-Pascack Valley (14-6)

History lesson: High Point has won 30 sectional titles overall in Group III and Group II. The Wildcats have had many dynasties during that time, including seven straight in Group III from 1986-91, four in a row from 1994-97, seven of eight from 2001-2008 and nine in 11 years from 2001-2011. They won six straight in Group II from 2017-2023 before losing out to Caldwell last year. They’re the pick to return to the Groups this year.

Thoughts: High Point not only has balance but some pinning power in the upper weights, which comes in handy when it comes to the sectional playoffs. Last year, Jefferson won a sectional title – first at the school since 2000 – and the Falcons went all the way to the Group II finals before losing to Rumson, 60-15. It was Rumson’s first Group crown and the Monmouth County school is in line for its second. 

Sectional pick: High Point.

Group pick: Rumson.

North 1, Group 3

The schedule:

at Old Tappan

1-Old Tappan (14-1) vs. 8-Becton-Wood-Ridge (16-3)

5-River Dell (15-6) vs. 4-Ramapo (8-8)

at Wayne Valley

3-Montville (17-4) vs. 6-Paramus (10-5)

7-Demarest (10-10) vs. 2-Wayne Valley (18-0)

History lesson: Out of this entire section, Montville is the only school to have won a Group championship. The Mustangs won Group III under John Krip in 2020.

Thoughts: Wayne Valley has a good team (18-0 speaks for itself) but the Indians have rarely been pushed. If they are pushed by Montvile in the sectional semifinals, will Valley have enough to fight back? My guess is that battle-tested Montville will leave the enemy gym with a big victory in a battle between two NHC-Skyline foes. Old Tappan hasn’t exactly faced an arduous schedule and that will come back to haunt them in the sectional final against Montville.

Sectional pick: Montville.

Group 3 pick: Delsea.

North 1, Group 4

The schedule:

at Phillipsburg

1-Phillipsburg (12-3) vs. 8-Leonia-Palisades Park 8-3)

5-Northern Highlands (10-8) vs. 4-Morris Knolls (14-4)

at Mount Olive

3-Ridge (16-5) vs. 6-Fair Lawn (13-8)

7-Ridgewood (6-9) vs. 2-Mount Olive (11-3)

History lesson: PBurg has 41 sectional and 23 Group titles, ranging from Group III to Group V. Mount Olive has won four sectional titles in a row, including the Group IV title in 2022.

Thoughts: When the NJSIAA released its groupings for wrestling in the fall, many people thought North 1, Group IV was a misprint. Defending Group IV champion Ridge, P-Burg and mighty Mount Olive were all placed in the same section? The state had to revise it, right? Spread the wealth? Well the state didn’t, so here we are. A funny thing happened last week, however: North Hunterdon stunned P-Burg, so this section has lost some of its luster. The question is: Did that loss deflate P-Burg? Or did it lift them up? Time will tell, though I’m going with the former.

Sectional pick: Mount Olive.

Group 4 pick:Mount Olive.

North 1, Group 5

The schedule:

at Passaic Tech

1-Passaic Tech (17-8) vs. 8-Passaic (13-6)

5-Morristown (12-5) vs. 4-Bloomfield (19-7)

at Livingston

3-Clifton (12-7) vs. 6-North Bergen (12-5)

7-West Orange (9-12) vs. 2-Livingston (13-8)

History lesson: There is a lot of New Jersey high school athletics history here, but none at all in wrestling. Out of all eight schools, there is not a single Group champion among them. That doesn’t figure to change this year. 

Thoughts: Morristown wrestling is a lot like Morristown football: The Colonials are coming alive, but need that signature win. Morristown dropped a 39-34 decision to Bloomfield earlier in the year and beating the Essex County school would be huge for Morristown. Beating PCT in the following round would be a tall order, however. 

Sectional pick: Passaic Tech.

Group 5 pick: Southern.

North 2, Group 1

The schedule:

at Hanover Park

1-Hanover Park (12-5) vs. 8-Roselle Park (8-10)

5-Secaucus (8-12) vs. 4-Whippany Park (9-6)

at Hasbrouck Heights

3-Cedar Grove (13-5) vs. 6-Rutherford (7-11)

7-Belvidere (7-9) vs. 2-Hasbrouck Heights (16-1)

History lesson: Jefferson won six straight North 2, Group II sectional titles from 1991-96 until Hanover toppled the dynasty and won its first sectional championship under the late, great Ernie Eveland. That put the Hornets on the map and they have been one of the best small-school programs in New Jersey ever since with nine sectional crowns in Group II and six more in Group I.

Thoughts: The Hornets lost Santino Danise and that could come back to bite them either in the section or at the Groups. Hanover still has too much firepower to not win this section. We could be looking at a Hanover-Whippany sectional semifinal, which would be great for the sport and the school district.

Sectional pick: Hanover Park.

Group 1 pick: Delaware Valley.

North 2, Group 2

The schedule:

at Caldwell

1-Caldwell (16-1) vs. 8-Madison (3-13)

5-Parsippany Hills (7-10) vs. 4-Hackettstown (12-7)

at West Morris

3-Gov. Livingston (13-6) vs. 6-Bernards (9-9)

7-Elmwood Park (9-10) vs. 2-West Morris (11-6)

History lesson: West Morris has always been a good-not-great program in a sectional sense and have not won a sectional crown since 1988. That was the only one in school history.

Thoughts: It’s mighty strange seeing West Morris down in Group II, but here we are. The Wolfpack have one of their best teams in a long time, and they do have some star power. But is there enough to beat Caldwell, which already has a 48-20 win over West Morris and has spent time in the Top 20 this year? 

Sectional pick: Caldwell.

Group 2 pick: Rumson.

North 2, Group 3

The schedule:

at Cranford

1-Cranford (15-3) vs. 8-Morris Hills (8-12)

5-Roxbury (12-9) vs. 4-West Essex (7-5)

at South Plainfield

3-Warren Hills (10-9) vs. 6-Nutley (13-6)

7-Mendham (14-6) vs. 2-South Plainfield (12-5)

History lesson: There is a ton of history here led by South Plainfield, which has staged a nice comeback season after a few so-so seasons. The Tigers have been a force in either Group II or III with a total of 12 Group championships. Over the years, South Plainfield beat Delsea three years in a row (2016-18) to win Group III. West Essex then beat Delsea the following year to win Group III. Warren Hills, meanwhile, has won two Group III crowns, including the 1990 team that finished No. 1 in the state.

Thoughts: This section is about as deep as it gets. The expected final four teams – Cranford, West Essex, Warren Hills, and South Plainfield – are all Groups worthy. Locally, Morris Hills is better than its 8-12 record under Brian Bollette and is a program on the rise. D.J. Roman has Roxbury bouncing back after some dry seasons. Mendham was 3-24 last year but coach Steve Baig brought the Minutemen back to life this year.

Sectional pick: Cranford.

Group 3 pick: Delsea.

Non-Public Group A

The schedule:

At Delbarton

8-Paramus Catholic (6-7) vs. 9-St. Joseph-Metuchen (11-3), winner to face 1-Delbarton (21-3)

At St. John Vianney

5-Bergen Catholic (10-2) vs. 12-St. Benedict’s (8-15)

4-St. John Vianney (11-4) vs. 13-Pingry (5-10)

At CBA

6-St. Joseph-Montvale (10-3) vs. 11-Seton Hall Prep (8-6), winner to face 3-CBA (9-3)

At St. Peter’s Prep

7-St. Augustine (13-6) vs. 10-Don Bosco Prep (10-5), winner to meet 2-St. Peter’s Prep (15-1)

History lesson: The Green Wave won the state championship last year in a rematch with a St. Joe-Montvale team that won it all two years ago. This Group has been loaded with dynasties, with Paul VI-Haddonfield winning seven in a row from 1984-90), Camden Catholic winning three in a row (1999-2001) and later six in a row (2004-09) and Bergen Catholic eight (2012-2019).

Thoughts: For many, many years, there was Blair wrestling in New Jersey and then there was all the rest. Delbarton knocking off Blair last week showed just how far the Green Wave have come as a program under coach Bryan Stoll, who has taken the program to national heights. 

Sectional pick: Delbarton.

Non-Public A pick: Delbarton

Non-Public Group B

The schedule

8-Holy Cross (3-17) at 1-Camden Catholic (13-0)

5-DePaul (3-14) at 4-Immaculata (9-7)

6-St. Mary’s-Rutherford (5-14) at 3-Red Bank Catholic (8-6)

7-St. Thomas Aquinas (2-16) at 2-Pope John (8-5)

History lesson: Pope John has staged a revival under coach Mark Piotrowsky, whose father Fred was one of the best coaches in Morris County at both Parsippany and Parsippany Hills. The Pope John program won a sectional title in 1995 but then didn’t win one until 2018. The Lions won one again in 2022. 

Thoughts: Pope John and Camden Catholic are miles ahead of the rest of the section. CC has a 43-24 victory over the Lions. Can Piotrowsky figure out a way to close that 19-point gap?

Sectional pick: Camden Catholic.
Non-Public A pick: Camden Catholic.