One thing has become abundantly clear during the 2024-25 scholastic wrestling season – expect the unexpected when it comes to the second half of the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20.

Last week, madness reigned in that portion of the rankings.

St. Augustine, then ranked No. 13, was defeated soundly by a rapidly-improving Pope John team.

Caldwell, then ranked 16th, survived a major scare from unranked West Essex. It won by one-point on a win in the final bout.

Less than 24 hours later, then unranked Delaware Valley, which had been defeated by one point by North Hunterdon on Jan. 8, defeated Caldwell by two points. Caldwell had to forfeit heavyweight in that match due to an injury sustained in the West Essex match.

Also, on Saturday, North Hunterdon, then ranked No. 18 and having been soundly defeated by No. 12 Rumson-Fair Haven the night before, was in a quad meet at DePaul with High Point and Ocean Township that created a triangle of result. North Hunterdon soundly defeated High Point, was defeated by Ocean on criteria (most first points scored) and Ocean was defeated by High Point.

All of this led to two teams joining the rankings.

Delaware Valley, which had not been ranked all season, moves in and Cranford, which had dropped out last week after a defeat to Brick Memorial re-enters.

Other significant results last week were:

CBA defeated St. John Vianney 30-29 as it ripped off 21 points in the final four bouts. The teams have split two matches. The losing team has not been at full strength in either match.

Delbarton defeated St. John Vianny 44-18 in the Jack Welch Duals final for its second win of the season over the Lancers.

St. John Vianney defeated Delsea 46-17 in the Jack Welch Duals semifinal and Rumson-Fair Haven recorded wins over Brick Memorial, North Hunterdon and Phillipsburg. The Bulldogs’ wins at North Hunterdon and Phillipsburg were impressive as they fielded their best lineup of the season.

Here is this week’s NJWWA Top 20 with first-place votes in parentheses followed by voting points.

The rankings will run each Tuesday during the dual-meet season.

NJWWA voting members in alphabetical order: Donald J. Brower (gardenstatehswrestling.com); Frank D’Esposito (shoreconferencewrestling.com); Steven Falk (Asbury Park Press and app.com); Sean Farrell (The Record and NorthJersey.com); Tom McGurk (Courier Post and courierpostonline.com); Andy Mendlowitz (Home News Tribune, Courier News and MyCentralJersey.com); Michael Weilamann (Open Mike and mikeopen.blogspot.com); Brad Wilson (lehighvalleylive.com/The Express Times).

1. Delbarton (14-1) (8) 160

2. St. Peter’s Prep (7-1) 149

3. CBA (6-3) 142

4. St. John Vianney (10-3) 139

5. St. Joseph (Montvale) (7-3) 134

6. Bergen Catholic (7-2) 119

7. Camden Catholic (10-0) 109

8. Southern (8-1) 108

9. Delsea (13-1) 96

10. Rumson-Fair Haven (13-1) 87

11. Phillpsburg (9-1) 77

12. Mount Olive (9-3) 76

13. Don Bosco Prep (7-3) 62

14. St. Joseph (Metuchen) (9-2) 58

15. Middletown North (12-0) 36

16. Paramus Catholic (3-5) 34

17. Delaware Valley (9-2) 31

18. Brick Memorial (10-2) 23

19. Caldwell (10-1) 19

20. Cranford (11-2) 12

Others receiving votes: North Hunterdon (7-4) 3, Ridge (10-2) 3, Lacey (11-2) 2, St. Augustine (9-5) 1.