S. Jersey wrestling teams to watch

The Chiefs have a deep, balanced squad led by junior middleweight Jake Maxwell, senior middleweight Mason Brestle, and senior heavyweight Antonio Rodriguez.

Don't sleep on the Irish under new coach John Denuto and behind star senior middleweight Mark McCormick and highly touted lightweight freshman Lucas Revano.

Junior upperweight Keith Swartley leads the way for the Pirates.

Defending Region 8 champions Zack Firestone and Mike Van Brill lead the way for a deep and talented team that could stage epic battles with Gloucester County rivals Paulsboro and Delsea.

The Panthers have a deep, experienced team that features senior middleweights Colin Lex and Christian Dolan, top juniors in Zach Irwin and Mike Taulane, and a transfer to watch in upperweight Xavier Brown.

The defending Group 3 state champions will be led by top middleweights Lorenzo Ruggiero, Dom DeMarco, and Brad Dobzanski. This team should get a big boost from the return of sophomore Billy Janzer, who missed the end of his breakout freshman season with an injury.

Senior Brandon Barbella leads a Vikings program that is pushing back into the conversation among the best teams in South Jersey.

Sophomore lightweights Dante and Antonio Minnino lead the way for a program that burst into prominence in 2015.

This is a deep program with a solid wrestler at nearly every weight and a leader in senior upperweight Frank Fortino.

The Tartans are loaded at the lightweights with wrestlers such as junior Seth Henry and senior Lucas Siefried and a top middleweight in senior Josh Clark.

Brothers Trace and Quinn Kinner, a pair of Region 8 champions, lead the way for the Dragons along with senior middleweight Rory Bushby.

The Red Raiders were undefeated before falling to four-time Group 1 champion Bound Brook in the state final last season. Paulsboro should contend for a state crown again with a loaded lineup featuring cousins Nick and Anthony Duca at the lightweights and a heralded freshman class led by light-middleweight George Worthy.

Defending Region 8 champions Nick Clark (170) and Jim Brady (220) along with top lightweight Reid White lead the way for the Hermits.

The Eagles should be in the thick of some great Colonial Conference action with a strong squad led by junior lightweight Dylan Fischer.

- Phil Anastasia