NJSIAA approves realignment of districts, regions for wrestling
Although the sites have not yet been announced, it can be reported the realignment for the NJSIAA’s wrestling districts and regions was approved earlier this week.
According to a list first published in the highly-respected and much-followed Open Mike blog, Colonial Valley teams are now in five different districts. This is less than in the previous years when they were in as many as seven.
There was the thought the NJSIAA would go back to the “old days’’ and try to align the districts more by geography than power points, and to a slight extent it is a little better for the Colonial Valley contingent. Still, there is going to be significant travel time for some of the local teams to the district sites.
In terms of switching regions, the only change for a CVC team involved West Windsor South moving from Region V to Region VI.
District 24 has the most CVC teams with six. They are Ewing, Hightstown, Lawrence, Notre Dame, Nottingham and West Windsor South. This district will have additional area representation with Northern Burlington and Burlington City also in the field.
Mercer County kingpin Hopewell Valley has moved from District 19 to District 18. For the first time in a long time, the Bull- dogs are not in the same district as Delaware Valley, which has moved to Region IV. It is the first time DelVal is not in Region V since 2001.
Teams that are also now in Region IV are North Hunterdon and Voorhees. This leaves Hunterdon Central as the only remaining Hunterdon County team in Region V.
Considered one of the weakest regions in the state the previous two years, Region VI has been strengthened with the return of Howell.
All the remaining Burlington County teams that are not in Region VI are now in Region VII. Delran is among the Burlco teams that have switched to Region VII.
REGION V DISTRICT 17
Hunterdon Central, Franklin, Hillsborough, Manville, Montgomery, Princeton, Rutgers Prep, St. John Vianney, Sayreville, West Windsor North.
DISTRICT 18
East Brunswick, Holmdel, Hopewell Valley, Manalapan, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, South Brunswick, South River, Spotswood.
REGION VI DISTRICT 21
Christian Brothers, Hamilton, Jackson Liberty, Lakewood, Manasquan, Ocean Township, Point Pleasant Boro, St. Rose, Steinert, Toms River North.
DISTRICT 22
Allentown, Bordentown-Florence, Colts Neck, Freehold Boro, Howell, New Egypt, Robbinsville, Trenton, Wall.
DISTRICT 24
Burlington City, Ewing, Hightstown, Jackson Memorial, Lawrence, Monroe Township, Northern Burlington, Notre Dame, Nottingham, West Windsor South.