PHILLIPSBURG, NJ (February 11, 2025) – There is one thing that Phillipsburg High School adores in all of high school sports, wrestling. Their rich tradition and history of wrestling continues to trend as one of the greatest storied wrestling teams in the state of New Jersey. As it was referred to tonight by a couple of wrestlers, the “P-burg Standard,” is to always put on a show for their fans. While a 72-6 stomping against Leonia and a 74-0 shutout against Morris Knolls may not exactly defines as a “show,” to some fans, the team is eyeing up for yet another Group title, and that starts on Wednesday (02/12) night as they will be back at home with a date with the Mount Olive Marauders; whom advanced with extraordinary wins, 65-15 over Ridgewood and a shutout 71-0 over Fair Lawn.
Back on December 21st 2024, the Stateliners hosted the Marauders in a tri-match and won the match 32-30. The Marauders were out some of their hammers, Colin Smyth and Justin Bullock that day. However, in the sport of wrestling, December is a long time ago to most coaches and wrestlers as teams change due to cutting weight out or the injury bug playing a factor. With the Marauders wrestling as hot as they have been these past several weeks, the Stateliners are taking this match with all seriousness as the Stateliners head coach, Tim Longacre, after some tough regular season losses to Rumson Fair Haven, Easton, and most notably, North Hunterdon, those are all in the past and are in the a better mindset than three weeks ago.
“We’ve been training hard these past couple of weeks, we’re finally getting healthy and our practices are getting better and better, ” Longacre said of his team as they look to muscle their way through the North 1 Group 4 finals this coming Wednesday night.
It started tonight with a strong 72-6 quarterfinals win over Leonia as the night on both ends of the gym started at 175lbs as the Stateliners jumped out to a booming 18-0, after they got three straight pins to set the tone for the team from 175l lber Benny Mendoza, 190 lber D’Angelo Hernandez, and 215 lber, Kevin Buonocore. The Lions stopped the bleeding momentarily with the only team to score six points on the Stateliners as 285 lber Gabe Jang got a second period pin over Ben Ellis to cut the deficit to 18-6. It was all the Stateliners the rest of the way with numerous pins sporadically throughout the match, a 11-0 major decision win from Matthew Velez at 120lbs, a 18-3 tech fall win for Anthony Pettenelli at 113 lbs and a 8-3 decision from Kyle Beenders at 144lbs.
Following the win, Northern Highlands and Morris Knolls were just about halfway through the match. The winner of this match went on to face the Stateliners in the Semifinal round. A 37-31 win for the Morris Knolls Golden Eagles over the Northern Highlands Highlanders in dramatic fashion with some key highlights from the match that included wins from 215 lber Anthony Wagner with a 8-4 win, 285 lber Lucas Nagua with a statement third period pin, 126 lber Nate Gomes who won 10-5, 157 lber Caio Tiexiera with a strong third period pin, and 175 lber Luke Shivas with a clinching 18-3 tech fall.
As the Semifinals round started, the Stateliners has once again started out the match with a bang with an early 29-0 with pins from 190 lber Jesus Alfaro, a disqualification win at 215lbs for Kevin Buonocore, 285 lber Ben Ellis, a tech fall win 106 lber Zachary Swingle, and 113 lber Anthony Pettenelli who pinned his opponent. In a pure dominant and to some a bit of a surprise wide margin win for the Stateliners, Matthew Velez took on of the top wrestlers for the Golden Eagles in Nate Gomes at 120 lbs en route to a workmanlike 11-4 decision. Another key matchup to highlight came at 132lbs when Owen Garriques took on the Golden Eagle, Ryder Stambach, in what was a rematch of the District 8 final at 120 lbs last season. Garriques worked to a really tough 8-1 win over a quality wrestler that contributed to the shutout win. Luke Geleta, his brother Gavin, Gavin Hawk, and Derek Stone all contributed wins for the Stateliners.
As his senior year is closer to an end, 144 lber Luke Geleta, is working to end his senior season on a high note as he prepares for the individual tournaments and looks to capture one more team state title. The team losses are what motivates the team to come back stronger and a little bit better than they have previously shown.
“The losses are kind of our motivation to get better and to find out what is going on,” Geleta said of his Stateliner team. “So, over the past week, we’re working on some team bonding activities and getting everyone closer together as a team. So the team became a lot closer and rekindled everything and I feel like how we are now is how we are performing well as a team.”
“[Luke and the seniors] have been leaders inside of the [wrestling room],” Longacre said. “Stuff that I am trying to get across that you can say to peer to peer better than what a coach can to a wrestler, they have been taking the bull by its horns and helping keep the [young wrestlers] up to that [P-burg standard. I am super proud of those guys for what they do on and off the mat.”
With all of the positive outcomes that are coming out of this team, it goes without saying that comradery of the team aspect will eventually translate to bigger successes on the mat. Coach Longacre, Luke Geleta, and the rest of the senior class are having the time of their lives and that comradery and positive team atmosphere will live on forever in the Phillipsburg community.
