Jack Delia enters NJSIAA Wrestling Tournament a No. 1 seed

Manchester's James Lawson works to turn North Hunterdon's Jack Delia on his way to his third state championship at heavyweight during the NJSIAA State Wrestling finals

RARITAN TOWNSHIP — Jack Delia's experience with graduated Manchester three-time state champ James Lawson in last year's 285-pound final at the NJSIAA Wrestling Tournament lasted all of 43 seconds.

The loss didn't deter the North Hunterdon senior, who'll wrestle at nearby Lehigh University next year. He went home, played for the Lions' lacrosse team in the spring, attended Bruce Baumgartner's Heavyweight School in Edinboro, Pa., during the summer and was a two-way tackle for North's football team in the fall.

The winter season has gone pretty much like last year's — Hunterdon/Sussex/Warren, District 17 and Region V titles. He's headed back to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City — like last year — unbeaten with a 35-0 record. He was 34-0 at this point last year.

Of course, Delia is not unknown this time around. He's the No. 1 seed in the top bracket. New Providence senior Zach Troutman (35-1), a sixth-place finisher last year, is the second seed up top. High Point senior and Rutgers University-bound William Smith (39-0) a third-place finisher at 215 last year, is No. 1 down below. West Orange senior Emiliano Betancor (26-0) — fourth at 285 last year — is right behind.

The tournament begins at 5 p.m. Friday with quarterfinals starting at 10 a.m. Saturday plus two rounds of wrestlebacks followed by semifinals at 5 p.m. — followed by two more rounds of wrestlebacks. Consolation finals begin Sunday at 10 a.m. with finals at 2 p.m.

Delia will get the winner of Friday night's preliminary round between Caldwell senior Matt Bader and Jackson Memorial senior Joseph Nolan.

"We hope to see Jack in the final, but that road is made made up by a ton of talented kids," North Hunterdon coach Tim Flynn said.

Chances are very, very good that Delia has never heard of either Nolan or Bader. That's the way Delia has always been and Flynn doesn't think its a bad thing.

"It's not an arrogance," Flynn said. "That's just the way Jack is. He's not on the Internet, he's not reading about the kids. We might point out a thing or two to him about what the kid he is wrestling likes to do and we send him out there.

"I wish I had it when I was in high school and I wish more kids had it," not being caught up with an opponent's resume, added Flynn, a fifth/sixth place winner at 130 for Phillipsburg in 1994. Delia's own resume starts with a 4-18 record followed by a sophomore year of 30-7, then 37-1 last year.

Delia opened last year's tournament by beating returning Randolph senior Peter Wolmart 14-6, then topped Betancor 7-5 in the quarters. He earned the final berth with a 4-2 win over Troutman.

"I just remember that he liked to be neutral," said Betancor, who earned his 100th win in taking his second Region IV title Saturday. "He's really strong in neutral. He has a very good stance and it's hard to take him down — and frustrating."

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