Phillipsburg Wrestlers Shine at State Championships

Ellie Kisselbach medals again, while Geleta and Garriques fall just short of the podium.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 7:38pm

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Phillipsburg High School had a strong showing at the NJSIAA wrestling championships, with sophomore Ellie Kisselbach medaling for the second straight season. Kisselbach finished fourth in the 114-pound division, while junior Gabrielle Santos also qualified for the tournament. On the boys' side, seniors Gavin Geleta and Owen Garriques narrowly missed out on medals, each falling one win shy of the podium.

Why it matters

Phillipsburg has a proud wrestling tradition, and the performance of its athletes at the state championships is a source of community pride. While Kisselbach and Santos continue to build on their success, the near-misses for Geleta and Garriques highlight the competitive nature of the tournament and the fine line between medaling and falling short.

The details

Kisselbach, seeded fourth, cruised through her first two matches with major decisions before falling to the top-seeded and eventual champion in the semifinals. She bounced back to pin her next opponent in the wrestleback semifinals before losing a close 1-0 decision in the third-place bout. Geleta and Garriques both won their opening matches, but Geleta fell in the pre-quarterfinals while Garriques lost in the quarterfinals. Both wrestlers won their first two wrestleback matches before being eliminated in the fourth round.

  • The NJSIAA wrestling championships were contested over the weekend of March 14-15, 2026 at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall.

The players

Ellie Kisselbach

A sophomore wrestler at Phillipsburg High School who medaled for the second straight season, finishing fourth in the 114-pound division.

Gabrielle Santos

A junior wrestler at Phillipsburg High School who qualified for the state championships for the first time, competing in the 145-pound division.

Gavin Geleta

A senior wrestler at Phillipsburg High School who was one win away from medaling in the 175-pound division, falling in the fourth round of wrestlebacks.

Owen Garriques

A junior wrestler at Phillipsburg High School who was also one win away from medaling, competing in the 150-pound division.

Brett Hyland

The head coach of the Phillipsburg High School wrestling team.

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What they’re saying

“That girl was the number one seed for a reason. She was impressive. Ellie just had a hard time scoring points against her.”

— Brett Hyland, Head Coach

“Another great season for Ellie. She didn't end up where she wanted to but it's a tough tournament with a lot of good wrestlers. I thought she wrestled well. Just didn't work out her way. I think it's going to push her to get to the next level and be on top of that podium next year.”

— Brett Hyland, Head Coach

“We were hoping he'd be healthy by the time we got here but he kept reinjuring it. It's an injury that needs time to heal and unfortunately the season was running out before that happened.”

— Tim Longacre, Head Coach

“Yes, it's frustrating to get that close. Both of them were battling and we were doing a ton of the work, but we just couldn't get in our finishes. At this level it's tough. You have to be perfect.”

— Tim Longacre, Head Coach

“It's a shame Massimo came up one win short of 100. Especially considering we had two matches cancelled early in the year and then he sat out three more matches later in the season because he was in concussion protocol. We talked about it and falling short of that milestone does not define his career at Phillipsburg.”

— Tim Longacre, Head Coach

What’s next

The Phillipsburg wrestlers will look to build on their performances at the state championships, with Kisselbach and Garriques aiming to reach the top of the podium next season.

The takeaway

Phillipsburg's wrestling program continues to produce talented athletes who compete at the highest levels, showcasing the town's rich wrestling tradition. While some narrowly missed out on medals this year, the experience gained will undoubtedly motivate them to come back stronger and reach new heights in the future.