The story in Region 5 this week is simple: Will the team that has dominated the New Jersey public school wrestling ranks since the first whistle, do what it has done all winter long ... win big.

With North Hunterdons team values carry over to the very individualistic regional tournament? Will that I got your back, you got my back mentality help push North Hunterdon wrestlers to Atlantic City?

How many Lions will finish in the top four and head for the state tournament next week?

NJ.com will be at Franklin High School on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday to get the answers to those questions and many more. Stick with us for bracket updates, photos, video and coverage of all the storylines as they happen.

REGION 5 SCHEDULE

Region 5 Brackets

106 | 113 | 120 | 126 | 132 | 138 | 145

152 | 160 | 170 | 182 | 195 | 220 | 285

RETURNING CHAMPIONS

OUR PICKS

1-Jack Zaleski, Middletown South

2-Logan Wadle, North Hunterdon

3-Harrison Gordon, Marlboro

4-Vincent Nadera, Old Bridge

BRACKET | PAIRINGS

THE SKINNY

The bottom bracket at 106 has far more pitfalls than the top. Middletown South freshman Jack Zaleski has been a force all season and is clearly the wrestler to beat at this weight. In the bottom half, Vincent Nadera of Old Bridge, Joseph Giordano of SJV, Anthony Vitola of Manalapan, Logan Wadle of North Hunterdon and No. 2 Harrison Gordon are all worthy contenders.

OUR PICKS

1-Jacob Venezia, Hopewell Valley

2-Nick DeLorenzo, North Hunterdon

3-Robert Grogan, Delaware Valley

4-David Rubin, Matawan

BRACKET | PAIRINGS

THE SKINNY

Another highly competitive weight class. There is no easy path to the title at 113. Top-seeded Jacob Venezia runs into Julian Irizarry of South Plainfield right off the bat and then could face scrappy Aiden Shaughnessy of Rumson. In the bottom bracket No. 3 Justin Schifter will have his hands full with the winner of the bout featuring Robert Grogan of Delaware Valley and Desmond Pleasant of Piscataway. We like Venezia coming out of the top bracket and Nick DeLorenzo of North Hunterdon coming out of the bottom half.

OUR PICKS

1-Dean Peterson, St. John Vianney

2-Jack Maida, Shore

3-Frank DiEsso, North Hunterdon

4-Jacob DelVecchio, South Plainfield

BRACKET | PAIRINGS

THE SKINNY

Nobody will pick against Peterson -- the two-time state champion -- here. What makes any Peterson bout interesting is his state of mind -- will be try to scored 15 takedowns in the first period (hes already done it), or might he decide to show he can ride an opponent for three-plus minutes (hes done that, too). Maida is the favorite to meet Peterson in the final. Maida is a two-time state tournament qualifier was sixth in the state lat season at 106.

OUR PICKS

1-Tyler Sagi, Old Bridge

2-Nick Diaz, SJ Vianney

3-Gage Crater, Delaware Valley

4-Kendall Jordan, Piscataway

BRACKET | PAIRINGS

THE SKINNY

Fans have the opportunity to see of of New Jerseys fabulous freshman at this weight. Old Bridge ninth-grader Tyler Sagi set the Greater Middlesex Conference on its ear in 2019-2020. He already has wins over South Plainfields Andrew Loniewski, Nick Diaz of SJV and Kendall Jordan of Piscataway. We like Sagi to go to the final, however, he needs to be wary of a Delaware Valley veteran with a great resume, Gage Crater in the the semifinals.

OUR PICKS

1-Al DeSantis, Shore

2-James Rodriguez, Perth Amboy

3-Tanner Peake, Hunterdon Central

4-Drew Doscher, North Hunterdon

BRACKET | PAIRINGS

THE SKINNY

A fabulous, deep and unpredictable weight class that has intriguing possibilities from top to bottom. Rodriguez is just starting to return to form and is the top seed. He could collide with Drew Doscher of North Hunterdon in the semifinals. In the bottom bracket, DeSantis will have to navigate his way through a bracket with Peak and Corey Crater from Delaware Valley.

OUR PICKS

1-Max Brignola, Rumson-Fair Have

2-Colton Washleski, Hunterdon Central

3-Evan Klimas, North Hunterdon

4-Hunter Konstantoulas, North Hunterdon

BRACKET | PAIRINGS

THE SKINNY

Another talent-laden weight class where the top four finishers could end up on the podium in Atlantic City. Brignola has been outstanding all season, He would see Konstantoulas in the quarterfinals. That would be a rematch of a Shore Conference Tournament final won by Brigloa, 19-7. Washlewski already has two wins over Klimas -- by fall and a 6-1 decision. Brignola defeated Washleski, 3-1, in sudden victory last week in the districts.

OUR PICKS

1-Michael McGhee, Shore

2-Anthony Romaniello, Hunterdon Central

3-Kyle Anderson, North Hunterdon

4-James Romaine, Princeton

BRACKET | PAIRINGS

THE SKINNY

There little reason not to believe McGhee and Romaniello will make their way to the title bout. If there is a potential upset, we think it will come in the upper bracket quarters where McGhee would mix it up with North Hunterdons Kyle Anderson.

OUR PICKS

1-Michael McGhee, Shore

2-Anthony Romaniello, Hunterdon Central

3-Kyle Anderson, North Hunterdon

4-James Romaine, Princeton

BRACKET | PAIRINGS

THE SKINNY

There little reason not to believe McGhee and Romaniello will make their way to the title bout. If there is a potential upset, we think it will come in the upper bracket quarters where McGhee would mix it up with North Hunterdons Kyle Anderson.

OUR PICKS

1-Jack Kelly, Rumson-Fair Haven

2-James Holder, North Hunterdon

3-Marcus Petite, Piscataway

4-Dylan Waller, Manalapan

BRACKET | PAIRINGS

THE SKINNY

To start with, look for Holder to push his way through to the semifinals where he will tangle with Kelly. The Holder-Waller match on Friday night should be a terrific bout. Petite will not have an easy time of it in the bottom half. Keep and eye on third-seeded Victor Wladika for a possible upset in the semifinals.

OUR PICKS

1-Liam Horan, Rumson-Fair Haven

2-Alex Uryniak, North Hunterdon

3-Gavin Claro, Manalapan

4-Brian LaCross, Hopewell Valley

BRACKET | PAIRINGS

THE SKINNY

This class is so good there is a 35-win and a 27-win wrestler in the pigtails. We like one of those wrestlers -- North Hunterdons Alex Uryniak to muscle his way past LaCross in the quarters, past Clark in the semis and reach the final. We also think theyll be an upset of sorts in the lower bracket, where No. 3 Horan gets past No. 2 Renna.

OUR PICKS

1-Christian Cacciabaudo, Hopewell Valley

2-Ian Gaburo, North Hunterdon

3-Mike Pavlinetz, Holmdel

4-Nnamdi James, Franklin

BRACKET | PAIRINGS

THE SKINNY

Gaburo looks like he has a good chance of getting to the finals out of the top bracket. The lower half is a little more tricky with some experienced wrestlers looking for upsets. One upset were calling for is for Hopewell Valleys Cacciabaudo to true up No. 2 NNamdi James of Franklin in the semifinals.

OUR PICKS

1-Marcus Estevez, Franklin

2-Liam Akers, North Hunterdon

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Region 5 wrestling preview and predictions for every weight, 2020 - nj.com