After a rare year in which the Panthers did not reach a sectional final, Roselle Park’s wrestling team will compete at Bound Brook Friday night at 7 for the Central Jersey, Group 1 championship.
After receiving first round byes Monday night, second-seeded Roselle Park and top-seeded Bound Brook won semifinal matches at home Wednesday night.
Roselle Park defeated sixth-seeded South River 45-21, while Bound Brook bested fourth-seeded Burlington City 69-4.
The group semifinals and finals are Sunday at Toms River East.
Roselle Park won sectional championships four years in a row before last year, including the CJ, G1 title in 2008, 2009 and 2011 and the North 2, Group 1 championship in 2010.
Roselle Park has captured 20 sectional championships, including 16 in N2, G1 and four in Central Jersey, Group 1, its first in that section coming in 2004.
Roselle Park has also won Group 1 twice, including in the first year in 1982 outright and then in 1997 shared with Paulsboro.