33=14=7

We started with 33 wrestlers in contention for a state title, was reduced to 14 for the state prequarters and now just seven remain for Saturday' NJSIAA State Wrestling Tournamnt quarterfinals. We had 12 the past two years and 15 in 05.

Pete Terrezza (New Providence, 112), Jimmy Kirchner (Somerville, 125), Rich Gebert (Delaware Valley, 135), Nick LaFevre (Delaware Valley, 140), Mike Dessino (Middlesex, 152), Brendan Ard (Watchung Hills, 171) and Andrew Campolattano (Bound Brook, 189)....

Who has the best chance of advancing to Saturday evening's semifinal?

Terrezza has to wrestle top seed Joey Langel of Howell in quarterfinals. Kirchner, who surprised previously unbeaten Colton Chalkley of Lakeland in the pre-quarters, gets returning state champ Joe Trause of Bergen Catholic. Gebert wrestles Highland Regional junior Matt Catalano and LaFevre gets returning state champ Trevor Melde of DePaul in a 140-pound quarterfinal. Dessino draws Pennsville's Dustin Deckard. Dessino was eighth at 152 last year.

Campolattano will wrestle Belvider's Tyler Smith, who was the state runnerup at 189 last year. Ard, a third-place finisher last year at 160, will meet Cinnaminson's Kyle Hess in the quarters.

Wrestleback wrestlers number (9):

Erik Biago (Montgomery, 103), Bobby Stevely (Delaware Valley, 112), Nick Heilmann (South Plainfield, 119), Kevin Catullo (North Hunterdon, 130), Colin Hewitt (Franklin, 135), Nick Vallone (South Plainfield, 145), Mike Hafke (Voorhees, 145), Wayne Hampton (Bridgewater-Raritan, 160), Jeramie Powell (Piscataway, 285).

Stevely, Hewitt, Hafke, Hampton and Powell were Region 5 champs. Vallone won the Region 3 tile.