Last year's Bergen win over Blair was one of the most exciting high school atmosphere's I've been around. This year, they'll run it back at Lehigh's Grace Hall.

Powering Bergen last year was a whole lotta magic. Dylan Weaver pinned Michael Cannon, Chris Foca and Julian Ramirez were in a see-saw battle before Foca got the pin.

This year, both line-ups are once again loaded. And despite a script even the best fiction writer could imagine - two highly ranked wrestlers transferring from one powerhouse to another - Bergen will need to pull more rabbits out of their hat to win this dual.

Anthony Ferrari, who was #4 at 113 will likely be inserted somewhere from 120 to 132. The blow to Blair's line-up in Anthony's absence isn't as pronounced as Ryan Miller is ranked #13 and has plenty of high-pressure matches under his belt.

AJ Ferrari, the #1 195 is, however, a significant swing. The question is, even with Bergen's power up top, will it be too little, too late?

The Narrative of the Dual

This dual could be broken up into three distinct phases. The lightweights will be highly competitive. From a rankings perspective, Blair is slightly favored at every bout from 106 to 126. However, Bergen could win all four of them and it wouldn't be earth-shattering. 106 and 113 are true toss-ups, 120 is #7 vs. #10, and 126 is the current #1 vs. the preseason #1.

Blair has a distinct advantage in the middle, and should get massive bonus points at 160 and 170.

Bergen counters with favorites in the last four weights.

The Bergen Question: What to do with Anthony Ferrari?

The addition of Anthony gives Bergen some options. But where can you really put him? Blair has #1-level talent from 120 through 132.

The Blair Question: To bump or not to bump Julian?

The way I have the dual mapped out below, I have Blair's talent at their regular weights. But if Bergen wins some matches they aren't supposed to, Blair might see the need to flex Julian and Peyton Craft up. And perhaps Mata too, while inserting Rylan Rogers. They did that against Wyoming Seminary, and it may be even more effective here; Rogers would be a favorite at 160. 

Bout-by-bout Preview

#1-Blair Academy vs. #6-Bergen Catholic

106: Danny Wask (Blair Academy) vs. Joey Cangro (Bergen Catholic)

Both are Freshmen. They didn't hit with Wask winning Beast and Cangro losing in quarters before coming back for 3rd. Their one common opponent was Joey Manno, who Wask pinned in the 3rd. Cangro beat Manno 4-0 in the 3rd place bout. 

It's a tight match with Wask a mild favorite.

Willie's Pick:  Wask dec. Congro; Blair 3-0

113: #13-Ryan Miller (Blair Academy) vs. #17-Nick Kayal (Bergen Catholic)

Kayal beat Miller in rideouts last year. Miller was 5th at Ironman and is coming off a win over #14-Spratley last week in rideots. Kayal beat Spratley in OT at Beast.

Kayal was 2-2 at BTS Chicago losing to #5-Rundell and talented Poway Frosh, Brock Bobzien.

At the Beast, Ferrari, then still wrestling for Blair, go the nod. Miller sat. Ferrari took 2nd, Kayal took 3rd - both their losses were to Kurt McHenry.

There's a long list of data that says this is a one-takedown a fair, and likely an overtime one. 

Willie's Pick: Miller dec. Kayal; Blair 6-0

120: #7-Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Blair Academy) vs. #10-Dylan Cedeno or Anthony Ferrari (Bergen Catholic)

Mastro won his second straight Ironman and then went through one of his roughest patches of his high school career. He took 7th at the Beast and dropped another match at WNO Duals to talented freshman Joey Cruz.

That's not the Mastro we're used to but he looked back to his old form in a dominant, 7-point win over #12-McNeil last week.

Cedeno sat out the first semester due to transfer rules. He made his Bergen debut last week in Chicago beating three solid opponents before losing to Nic Bouzakis. 

Whether it's Cedeno or Ferrari, BC puts out a quality opponent. But the pick here is clearly Mastro.

Willie's Pick: Mastrogiovanni dec. Cedeno; Blair 9-0

126: #1-Michael Coliaocco (Blair Academy) vs. #4-Robert Howard / Ferrari (Bergen Catholic)

This will be the match up of the dual, one Bergen needs to have, and (if the dual starts at 106) important to swing momentum. 

This was a 4-3 Howard win a year ago. After winning Akron for the second straight year, Howard has looked a bit more mortal recently, losing to Dylan Shawver at Beast and and Mosha Schwartz at Doc B.

Coliaocco went 2nd at Ironman, 1st at Beast and Geary. His scoring rate has gone way up; he attacks and racks up points. He's become very proficient from front head, but I don't think Robbie gets stuck there. 

I'll go with precedent and take Howard.  

Willie's Pick: Howard dec. Coliaocco; Blair 9-3

132: #2-Shayne Van Ness (Blair Academy) vs. #4-Howard / Ferrari / Richard Halal or Luke DiGiovani (Bergen Catholic)

Van Ness has been the high school wrestler of the year, in my opinion. Sure he was pinned last week by Beau Bartlett, but that doesn't take away from his fantastic season and the number of top ranked wrestlers he's slayed.

If the dual starts at 106, I think we see Anthony Ferrari, who was 2nd at the Beast at 113, in this spot. Van Ness will still be favored but Ferrari gives Bergen a better fight here than their other options.

Willie's Pick: Van Ness dec. Ferrari; Blair 12-3

138 #6-Travis Mastrogiovanni  (Blair Academy) vs. Alex Strashinsky or Nate Camiscioli (Bergen Catholic)

'The Cobra' he's been coined. Travis Mastrogiovanni continues to solidify himself as one of the top Sophomores in the country. He's one of just five soph's ranked 6th or higher at their weight. And it's not just in the results. Mastro wrestles with an upperclassman's assertiveness and confidence.

Like Cedeno, Strashinsky sat in December due to transfer rules. He went 2-1 in his debut last week losing by tech to Fidel Mayora. 

Willie's Pick: Mastrogiovanni major. Strashinskyl Blair 16-3

145: Josh Gobencion (Blair Academy) vs. Strashinsky / Camiscioli / Wade Unger (Bergen Catholic)

Gobencion didn't start the season and he DNP'd at Beast. But he looked good at WNO Duals and posted a key win last week vs. Sem.

Camiscioli had a sneaky good performance in Chicago. He went 3-1 losing only to Ironman runner-up Chris Rivera in OT. I'll take him in low scoring bout.

Willie's Pick: Camiscioli dec. Gobencion; Blair 16-6

152: #15-Nick Incontera Blairstown, NJ (Blair Academy) vs. Unger / Camiscioli (Bergen Catholic)

Incontrera has been very good this year, placing 4th at Ironman and 3rd at Beast.

Unger made Beast quarters but then forfeited out. He was 4th at Doc B losing to Jaden Abas and Cael Valencia. In both of those tournaments, he wrestled 145. But last week he wrestled all his matches at 152 and had a strong performance beating #17-Gandara and losing 3-1 in OT to #4-Jake Stiles.

And Unger had a pivotal 3-0 win over Malcolm Robinson in last year's dual.

Willie's Pick: Unger dec. Incontrera; Blair 16-9

160: #9-Dom Mata / Rylan Rogers (Blair Academy) vs. Joe Zargo or John Fiore (Bergen Catholic)

Mata was 4th at Ironman and won Beast where Zargo was 3-2 at 152. But Zargo didn't wrestle at Doc B or last weekend.

Mata and Blair are looking at bonus points here, especially if Zargo isn't available.

Willie's Pick: Mata fall. Fiore; Blair 25-9

170: #2-Julian Ramirez / Rylan Rogers (Blair Academy) vs. John Fiore or Adrian Pietri (Bergen Catholic)

Julian is one of the nation's premier talents and Bergen has struggled at this weight. Fiore and Pietri wrestled 160 and 170 last week, losing all seven, six of them by bonus.

Willie's Pick: Ramirez fall. Pietri; Blair 31-9

182: #17-Peyton Craft / #2-Julian Ramirez (Blair Academy) vs. #6-Chris Foca (Bergen Catholic)

Yet another talented Sophomore from Blair, Craft is turning in a fine season. He was 7th at Ironman and 5th at Beast.

But Foca won that bracket and has been a Top 10 guy for two seasons now and should be considered the easy pick here.

Willie's Pick: Foca dec. Craft; Blair 31-12

195: Sanoussi Kane / #17-Craft (Blair Academy) vs. #1-AJ Ferrari or #2-Jacob Cardenas (Bergen Catholic)

With the score what I have it, I'm projecting Coach Antonelli goes straight up with who they roll out. If the dual starts at a middle weight, or if Bergen gets some unexpected wins, perhaps they bump.

Here Cardenas picks up the fall.

Willie's Pick: Cardenas fall. Kane; Blair 31-18

220: #5-Owen Trephan (Blair Academy) vs. AJ Ferrari or Jacob Cardenas (Bergen Catholic)

Trephan has had a great year, going 2nd at Ironman and 1st at the Beast. Ferrari, then at Blair, won both tournaments at 195.

Ferrari will be giving up some size here, but he'll make up for it in pace and volume. Something like a 4pt. margin.

Willie's Pick: Ferrari dec. Trephan; Blair 31-21

285: Eli Anthony (Blair Academy) vs. John High (Bergen Catholic)

High was 27-15 last year and a state qualifier. He went 2-1 at BTS last week.

Anthony was 2-2 at Ironman and 1-2 at Beast.

Willie's Pick: High dec. Anthony; Blair 31-24

Summation: 

While I have it at 31-9 at one point, a lot will depend on what weight we start at. 

What's clear is that Blair will have a distinct advantage in the middle. Bergen, up top. Almost every match in the lightweights are very tight, but Blair, on paper, is a mild favorite in all of them.

There is about as much chance of a Blair blowout as there is a Bergen win. Bergen needs to win a few tight wons and then have some magic happen as well.

2018 BOX SCORE | WATCH FULL DUAL

#2 Bergen Catholic (NJ) 33, #1 Blair (NJ) 19

126 Dylan Weaver (Bergen Catholic) F Chris Cannon (Blair), 1:32

132 Travis Mastrogiovanni (Blair) DEC Carmen Ferrante (Bergen Catholic), 6-4

138 Mike Madara (Blair) DEC Joseph Zargo (Bergen Catholic), 6-3

145 Wade Unger (Bergen Catholic) DEC Malcolm Robinson (Blair), 3-0

152 Willy Kaiser (Blair) DEC Gerard Angelo (Bergen Catholic), 4-3

160 Shane Griffith (Bergen Catholic) DEC Andrew Merola (Blair), 5-2

170 Christopher Foca (Bergen Catholic) F Julian Ramirez (Blair), 5:35

182 Jacob Cardendas (Bergen Catholic) DEC Leo Tarantino (Blair), 6-0

195 Josh Mckenzie (Bergen Catholic) DEC Peyton Craft (Blair), 5-2

220 Owen Trephan (Blair) MD Sage Mosco (Bergen Catholic), 10-2

285 John High (Bergen Catholic) DEC Kraig Correll (Blair), 7-2

106 Nick Kayal (Bergen Catholic) DEC Ryan Miller (Blair), 1-1 UTB

113 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Blair) F Enrique Sanchez (Bergen Catholic), 2:36

120 Robert Howard (Bergen Catholic) DEC Mike Coliaocco (Blair), 4-3