A familiar face resides at the top of the first New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association Top 20 of the season.

Delbarton, which concluded last season ranked No. 1 and is the defending NJSIAA Non-Public A champion, is ranked No. 1.

The Green Wave are led by two-time returning NJSIAA champion and Cornell University-recruit Alessio Perentin, returning NJSIAA champions Cameron Sontz and Ryan DeGeorge and returning state runner-up Jayden James.

St. Joseph (Montvale), which has split the last two Non-Public A state championship matches against Delbarton, is ranked No. 2, even though defending state heavyweight champion Rocco Dellagatta transferred to St. John Vianney and two-time state fourth-place finisher Donny Almeyda transferred to Pope John.

The Green Knights do return three state champions in two-timer Adrian DeJesus, Zach Ballante and Ryan Burton. They also return state runner-up Jonathan McGinty.

St. Peter’s Prep, led by returning state champion Caedyn Ricciardi, St. John Vianney, led by three-time state champion and Cornell-recruit Anthony Knox and Dellagatta, also a Cornell-recruit, and last season’s Non-Public B runner-up Camden Catholic, led by returning state runner-up Kage Jones, round out the top five.

Two-time defending Group 5 state champion Southern, which returns four state medal winners, is top public school. The Rams are ranked seventh.

Six of last season’s seven group champions – Delbarton; St. John Vianney, which moves up to Non-Public A from Non-Public B; Southern; Ridge; Delsea and Rumson-Fair Haven, are ranked.

The poll will run each Tuesday during the dual-meet season beginning Jan. 7.

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 Weilaman (Open Mike and mikeopen.blogspot.com); Brad Wilson (lehighvalleylive.com/The Express Times).

1. Delbarton (0-0)
2. St. Joseph (Montvale) (0-0)
3. St. Peter’s Prep (1-0)
4. St. John Vianney (1-0)
5. Camden Catholic (0-0)
6. CBA (1-1)
7. Southern (0-0)
8. Don Bosco Prep (0-0)
9. Delsea (0-0)
10. Phillipsburg (0-0)
11. Rumson-Fair Haven (2-0)
12. Bergen Catholic (0-0)
13. Paramus Catholic (1-0)
14. Mount Olive (0-0)
15. Ridge (2-0)
16. Seton Hall Prep (0-0)
17. St. Augustine (0-0)
18. St. Joseph (Metuchen) (2-1)
19. Caldwell (1-0)
20. Washington Township (0-0)