When it comes to high school wrestling, New Jersey stands unmatched. This season, NJ.com introduces "Weighing In," a weekly podcast 🎙️ dedicated to all things wrestling in the Garden State. Join our expert team of reporters — Ryan Patti, Bill Evans, Joe Zedalis, and Jake Aferiat — as they dive into the latest upsets, analyze dual matches, and preview the must-see tournaments of the weekend.
Tune in for top-notch analysis and insider opinions from the reporters who know New Jersey wrestling best. "Weighing In" is your ultimate source for everything happening on the mats across the state. Don't miss an episode!
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Weighing In, S2, Ep14: Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs talks career, N.J. wrestling & 20-year state title anniversary
Thursday, March 5, 2026 • Duration 56:36
In this special episode of Weighing In, NJ.com's high school wrestling podcast, Olympic and world champion Jordan Burroughs joins NJ.com reporters Jake Aferiat, Bill Evans and Ryan Patti to discuss his high school career, his Olympic and world triumphs and more. Burroughs discusses his thoughts on the New Jersey high school wrestling scene and if he's thinking about competing at the high level once again.
0:00: Olympian Jordan Burroughs joins the show. He updates what he's been doing with his life lately.
2:30: It's been 20 years since he won his lone state title at Winslow High School. Burroughs talks about how that helped his trajectory to become an NCAA Champion, an Olympic Champion, and a World Champion.
7:55: Is the 2006 class of state champions the best in New Jersey history? Jordan discusses what made that class so special, including living the lifestyle of wanting to be great.
10:20: Jordan only won one state title in high school before going on and having one of the most decorated wrestling careers in American history. Wrestling in New Jersey helped mold him and push him to become better and better.
17:50: He hasn't wrestled in a year and a half. What's next? He's 37 years old, and he still wrestles a few times a week. He's still competitive and still loves it, but trying to be the best starts to wane on you as you get older.
21:00: Jordan's academy is up and running with athletes across the youth level to the high school level. Over 100 wrestlers are currently enrolled in the academy. It's humming.
24:30: How does South Jersey get more out of wrestling on the stage statewide and start getting back on the map? The tagline of the academy is "Where character meets competition," and they are trying to mold the future wrestlers coming up.
29:10: Can you still be a public school wrestler and be a standout with all the Non-Public programs out there right now, especially when all of the top talent seems to be funneled to the Non-Public schools?
32:00: Kids are starting to wrestle at younger and younger ages with hiring private coaches or joining academies. Jordan said that's a huge change compared to when he was growing up, when he was playing different sports before falling in love with wrestling.
37:20: Jordan said he's had some interest in coaching at the college level and beyond, but he's in a great spot right now, molding the next generation of wrestlers.
42:50: How important is remembering the past wrestlers who helped pave the way for him and the future generation?
48:30: Jordan took a photo with Anthony Knox at Rutgers. Can Rutgers become a national power if it keeps its best talent in-state?
52:50: Jordan has five kids. How many of them will wrestle, and when will we see them on the mat?
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Weighing In, S2, Ep13: A seismic shift in N.J. wrestling, Chase Hansen chases history & more
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 • Duration 01:14:23
In this episode of Weighing In, NJ.com's high school wrestling podcast, NJ.com reporters Jake Aferiat, Bob Badders, Bill Evans, Ryan Patti and Joe Zedalis break down District Saturday last weekend, which included teams and wrestlers from around the state that caught their attention, including one of the best in the state moving up to 215 pounds. Lower Cape May's Chase Hansen joins the show to discuss his run at history, and the reporters also break down this weekend with Region Championships on the line, as we're over a week away from the individual finals at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
0:00: Recapping District Saturday as the first leg to Atlantic City is complete. There were plenty of teams and wrestlers that caught our reporters' eyes, including Brick Memorial's Michael Napolitano, Middletown North's Jackson Fearon and Barnegat's Gerald Miller.
4:45: District 9 had plenty of intrigue and plenty of storylines with different wrestlers.
7:00: Matt McCann at Bridgewater-Raritan was named District 14's Most Outstanding wrestler, while North Hunterdon sent 12 wrestlers through to Regions. Bound Brook had two champs, Bernards had two champs as well. Manville, which went 32-1 during the season, qualified nine for Regions.
11:05: District 27 down in South Jersey had some outstanding performances. And while District 25 was dominated by Camden Catholic, there were still some wrestlers who made some major waves.
16:00: Lower Cape May's Chase Hansen joins the show as he chases history.
33:30: There was one seismic shift at 215 as Tanner Hodgins moved up from 190 pounds to 215 for the individual tournament. It changes the landscape of both 190 and 215, and Hodgins joins a loaded weight class.
40:00: Previewing Region Championship weekend, there are plenty of intriguing Regions, including Region 5 and Region 6, with some really tough weight classes.
49:25: It's not just the Shore or North Jersey with a stacked Region as Region 7 in South Jersey is loaded as always with strong weight classes throughout.
52:00: Region 3 features the state's No. 1 team in Delbarton, who will have plenty of qualifiers for Atlantic City. But there are a couple of weight classes that could see public school wrestlers come away as Region champs, including at 138 pounds with Caldwell's Solomon Soriente.
55:00: Region 1 has some top Non-Public schools like Don Bosco Prep, St. Joseph (Mont.), Bergen Catholic and Paramus Catholic. One hundred fifty and 157 are two of the strongest weights at Region 1.
59:00: Region 8 down in Williamstown is always good and 106 is probably the best and deepest weight class at the Region. Chase Hansen and Delsea's Amari Vann at 138 will be the best final on Saturday at Region 8.
1:01:00: There could also be some wrestlers across the state that could end up winning Region titles this weekend that many people might not expect to win. Those wrestlers include Bergen Catholic's Ralphie Barca, Lawrence's Steven Ham, Keansburg's Shawn Retta, Neptune's Jarairya Jean, Rahway's Andrew Avent, New Providence's Braeden Valley, and Lower Cape May duo David Douglass and Gabe Tosto.
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Weighing In, S2, Ep12: Wrestling state champs crowned, can N.J. fix team tourney? & more
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 • Duration 01:25:08
In this episode of Weighing In, NJ.com's high school wrestling podcast, reporters Jake Aferiat, Bob Badders, Bill Evans, Ryan Patti and Joe Zedalis recap the team wrestling state finals that happened over the weekend at Jersey Mike's Arena at Rutgers University. The reporters discuss if the team wrestling state tournament has a competitive-balance issue after seven of the eight state finals ended up being lopsided, and what the state could do to make it a more competitive field for the public school programs. Rumson-Fair Haven's Sonny Amato joins the show after he helped his team win the Group 2 state championship as he gets ready for the individual season, which starts this weekend. The reporters also preview District Saturday.
0:00: Recapping the state championship matches at Rutgers, which featured eight championship matches, including the first girls team state championship match, which Jackson Township won. There was only one matchup that was close, and that was the Group 2 final between Rumson-Fair Haven and Lower Cape May. Rumson ended up winning 35-33.
8:00: Top-ranked Delbarton beat Christian Brothers in the Non-Public A final, exorcising its demons from last year after losing to St. Joseph (Mont.). Delbarton left no question as to who the No. 1 team in the state this year is. Sean Kenny returned for CBA during the Non-Public semifinals, which should be a springboard for him next season when he’s a junior.
14:05: Southern won its fourth straight Group 5 state championship, dominating Old Bridge by winning 11 of the 14 bouts and getting bonus points in 10 bouts. Southern has a young group of wrestlers and people should expect the Group 5 dynasty to continue.
17:20: Delsea won its fifth straight Group 3 state title and Camden Catholic won the Non-Public B title with a win over Pope John. Expect Delsea to continue to build on its tradition moving forward.
20:40: Delaware Valley won its second straight Group 1 championship by beating Emerson Boro. They’ve been dominant in Group 1 the last two years. They are the first public school to finish undefeated since North Hunterdon in 2020.
24:50: Camden Catholic was the other team that finished undefeated in the state. This year’s Irish team is in the conversation as the best team in program history.
28:00: Mount Olive captured the Group 4 title with a win over Toms River East by winning nine bouts. The Marauders’ run might’ve had the toughest run of any public school going into Rutgers.
30:20: Jackson Township’s girls team made history, finishing 19-0 this season and winning the first-ever girls state final by winning nine bouts against Morris Hills.
33:00: Is there a team-tournament issue with so many blowouts during the state finals, especially this season? How do you fix it? Is there a power point issue? Are there too many groups and what kind of solution(s) could there be?
41:30: The final Top 20 team rankings are out. There were some questions as to where teams could be slotted, but the reporters feel the final 20 are the best 20 teams in the state for this season.
46:25: Rumson-Fair Haven's Sonny Amato joins the show to discuss Rumson’s Group 2 title, his Iowa commitment and more.
1:05.20: There was a massive upset during a quad before the district’s, which led to a major shakeup in the individual ranks.
1:10.45: The road to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City begins this weekend with District Saturday. There are plenty of really good matchups throughout the state in one of the 32 districts.
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Weighing In, S2, Ep11: Chaos reigns in wrestling state tournament with upsets galore & more
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 • Duration 01:04:16
In this episode of Weighing In, NJ.com's high school wrestling podcast, NJ.com reporters Jake Aferiat, Bob Badders, Bill Evans and Ryan Patti recap the first day of the state tournament, which saw plenty of chaos around the Garden State, and other teams making statements. They also take a look at Wednesday's public-school sectional finals and project which teams we will see at the team wrestling state finals at Rutgers on Sunday.
0:00: Recapping the first day of the state tournament on Monday, where public schools wrestled their quarterfinal and semifinal matchups, including the South, Group 5 section, as Southern beat Howell and Kingsway beat Washington Township. Those two teams will meet in the South, Group 5 final on Wednesday.
7:10: Kingsway got a boost to its lineup on Monday when Cole DeNick returned and wrestled for the first time in two years, winning his quarterfinal and semifinal bouts via pins. Kingsway also avenged an early-season loss to its rival in Washington Township in the semis.
10:40: There was plenty of chaos in North Jersey with seventh-seeded Passaic upsetting second-seeded North Bergen. Pompton Lakes beat Kittatinny, which had wrestled a very good schedule. River Dell had a dramatic 18-point comeback.
14:00: North Hunterdon made a statement with a dominant win over Middletown North. Morris Hills upset top-seeded Cranford on Criteria F (most forfeits) in North 2, Group 3. And Caldwell battled back against Hackettstown in North 2, Group 2.
19:55: Northern Burlington beat Central Regional in South, Group 4 after going on the road. You never know what might happen when the state wrestling tournament begins. Toms River East got revenge on Toms River South. And don't write off Brick Memorial, who is back in a familiar place.
26:00: Previewing the public sectional finals on Wednesday. What are the keys in the South, Group 5 final between Southern and Kingsway?
29:55: There are plenty of North sections to keep an eye on, including Pascack Valley and High Point meeting in the North 1, Group 2 final. Ramapo and River Dell meet in the North 1, Group 3 final, where history will be made. And Phillipsburg meets Mount Olive in one of the marquee matchups on Wednesday.
38:15: Delaware Valley and Manville are two of the lone undefeated teams left, and they will meet in the Central, Group 1 sectional final. Delaware Valley is 21-0, while Manville is 29-0.
42:15: In Central, Group 2, sixth-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven takes on Point Pleasant Boro in the sectional final. Rumson is the two-time defending Group 2 champion.
44:50: Paulsboro continues to make statements in South, Group 1, and has won 44 of the 45 sectional titles. Paulsboro faces Audubon in the sectional final on Wednesday night to win its 45th sectional title.
48:55: Projecting who we could see at Rutgers on Sunday for the team wrestling state tournament finals. Can we pencil in Delbarton and Camden Catholic to win titles in Non-Public A and Non-Public B, respectively? Lower Cape May and Rumson-Fair Haven could be on a collision course on Friday in the Group 2 state semifinals. Mount Olive and Phillipsburg is a toss-up, while North Hunterdon, Delaware Valley and Delsea are favorites to get to Rutgers as well.
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Weighing In, S2, Ep10: N.J. state wrestling tournament seeding reactions, surprises & more
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 • Duration 01:11:41
In this episode of Weighing In, NJ.com's high school wrestling podcast, reporters Jake Aferiat, Bob Badders, Bill Evans, Ryan Patti and Joe Zedalis give their reactions to the state wrestling team tournament being seeded, including if teams are being overlooked and if there are any surprises. The reporters also give their thoughts on last week's action, which included Christian Brothers beating St. Peter's Prep and Southern staking its claim as the best public school in the state after beating Delsea.
0:00: Recapping last week, which had some massive matchups, including Christian Brothers beating St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City. They could meet again during the state tournament next week.5:00: Southern beat Delsea in a thrilling dual between the highest-ranked public school programs in the state. It came down to the last bout at 106. Delsea fought back after Southern opened up a big lead early.9:40: Weight class movement as wrestlers start to drop and change weights. Camden Catholic's Sammy Spaulding dropped to 132, and he will be the top wrestler wherever he goes. It's a really deep weight class. Southern's Levi Foote is down to 190. It's all about having options and flexibility in your lineup.19:35: The state tournament was seeded on Tuesday. Paulsboro is the No. 1 seed in South, Group 1, even though this might be a little bit of a down year for the historic program. They've won a sectional title every year other than in 2008. Lower Cape May in South, Group 2 might be the overall favorite in Group 2.27:05: A rematch between Washington Township and Kingsway is on the horizon after the two teams met during the season in a thrilling dual that Washington Township won. Howell vs. Southern is going to be a semifinal when it should've been a final.32:55: North 2, Group 4 is an intriguing section. Is North Hunterdon being overlooked in the section? A lot of talk about Middletown North and Middletown South, meanwhile, North Hunterdon has wrestled a challenging schedule. A North Hunterdon and Middletown North semifinal would be fascinating.40:30: North 2, Group 1 is another strong section with teams like Cedar Grove, Hasbrouck Heights and Hanover Park, which are the top three seeds. And Central, Group 2 is another interesting section with Rumson-Fair Haven as the No. 6 seed, who should be considered the favorite.50:25: The Non-Public seeds were released during the show. Not many surprises in both Non-Public A and B. There will be plenty of drama before the finals at Jersey Mike's Arena at Rutgers.57:35: There are some dark horses, but Kittatinny is a team that has history and could make a run in the state tournament as a No. 3 seed. Bayonne in North 2, Group 5 could be a dark horse as a No. 3 seed. And some great opening-round matches include Bergen Catholic at St. Joseph (Mont.)., Montville at River Dell and Phillipsburg at Ridge.
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Weighing In, S2, Ep9: N.J. wrestling oddities, whose stock is rising? & ‘The golden arches’
Thursday, February 5, 2026 • Duration 01:10:31
In this episode of Weighing In, NJ.com's high school wrestling podcast, reporters Jake Aferiat, Bob Badders, Bill Evans, Ryan Patti and Joe Zedalis discuss the action last week, which included a scary situation at Old Bridge, some wrestling oddities, big duals this weekend with the power point cutoff looming and more. Blair got revenge on Delbarton, and each of the reporters also tells you which wrestlers you should buy stock in now.
0:00: An update from Old Bridge, where girls wrestler Adriana Maria sustained a serious spinal injury last Saturday, reporting severe neck pain. A GoFundMe has been set up to help with medical expenses and her recovery.
4:15: Recapping last week's action, including the top two teams in the Shore Conference going at it as Christian Brothers dominated Southern. CBA is at a different level compared to everyone else in the Shore Conference. And is the gap getting larger between Non-Public schools and public schools?
8:50: Delbarton and Blair went at it, and Blair got its revenge after losing to Delbarton last season. Does this end Delbarton's quest to finish No. 1 in the country, and if Blair was an NJSIAA school, would they get all 14 weight classes to Boardwalk Hall?
12:35: South Jersey had a strong week, with standout performances by Kingsway, Lower Cape May and St. Augustine. LCM is really good and is only getting better. Delsea is still the favorite in Group 3 and LCM can win a state title this year. There's belief they can give South Jersey two state champs.
17:30: The power points cutoff is this weekend, and right now, there could be some interesting matchups, including Southern and Howell meeting in a sectional semifinal in South, Group 5. And South, Group 1 is open and Central, Group 1 is another potentially intriguing section and North 1, Group 3 is pound-for-pound one of the top sections to keep an eye on. Kittatinny extended its season in North 1, Group 1.
31:10: There were a couple of wrestling oddities that happened last week, including one match going to criteria nine, which was Lenape Valley and Mountain Lakes. Colts Neck won two matches via penalty points.
36:05: Updated individual ranks are out. Not many changes, but there are some significant returners, including Jojo Burke from St. Joseph (Mont.), who comes in at No. 2 at 120. St. Peter's Prep's Laudan Henry is also back from injury at 144.
44:15: There are a handful of wrestlers that you should buy stock in now, including Bergen Catholic's Anthony Riotto, St. Augustine's Casey Pekula, Caldwell's Solomon Sorriente, Seton Hall Prep's Rocco Salerno and Rumson-Fair Haven's Wyatt Fry.
54:35: It's a big week coming up because of the power points cutoff, but some other top matchups on deck, including CBA taking on St. Peter's Prep in a matchup between the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the state. On Saturday, the top two public schools in the state meet as Southern hosts Delsea, which NJ.com is broadcasting live.
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Weighing In, S2, Ep8: UFC legend Frankie Edgar details 1st gruesome fight, discusses Hall of Fame career, N.J. wrestling
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 • Duration 36:56
In this episode of Weighing In, NJ.com's high school wrestling podcast, UFC legend and Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar joins reporters Bob Badders and Joe Zedalis to discuss his Hall of Fame career, wrestling at Toms River East High School, watching his kids wrestle and what's different about how high school wrestling is now. Edgar gives details about his first MMA fight and the gruesome injury that came with it and why he wanted to keep his MMA career going after that. He talks about the rise of his UFC career, where he eventually became a champion. He also discusses wrestling for Warren Reid at Toms River East High School, watching his kids wrestle at Toms River East and CBA, and his daughter, who is a fifth grader.
0:00: UFC legend and Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar joins the show. He discusses what it's like watching your kids wrestle now, and was it always the plan to have your kids wrestle, and what he's like as a dad watching both of his sons and daughters.5:00: Edgar touches on how he got into MMA and if it was a legitimate option after he wrapped up his collegiate wrestling career.7:30: Edgar speaks on how his wrestling career gave him the drive to become a UFC Hall of Famer and an MMA legend. He also remembers his first MMA fight, which happened after working all day as a plumber and he details his gruesome injury.11:30: The rise of Edgar's career coincided with the rise of the UFC, and how beating BJ Penn in Abu Dhabi to become the UFC Lightweight Champion validated his career choice.14:00: The influence trainer Mark Henry had on Edgar, and what would Edgar tell his kids if they came up to him and decided they wanted to pursue an MMA career?18:45: Edgar talks about going about his career and flipping the switch on being a fighter compared to a wrestler. And there's no bad blood. It's all a business, and how he's a true mixed martial artist.21:15: Edgar talks about what it was like for wrestling Warren Reid, his high school wrestling coach at Toms River East. It wasn't always easy, but it was rewarding in the end, and it helped springboard his collegiate and MMA career.25:00: Watching his sons wrestle and bounce back after tough losses, and what was his stepfather like when he was coaching him up a little bit growing up? And wrestling during the prime of the Shore Conference when he was in high school.28:00: What does he remember most about finishing second in the state tournament, and does he think about making a move that made sure he won then? And what does he think about wrestling now in high school, compared to when he was in high school?29:30: When did he start thinking about his MMA career wrapped up? And did he ever imagine it would change his life?34:30: Edgar reveals what he would have done if his MMA career didn't pan out.
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Weighing In, S2, Ep7: Howell’s Tanner Hodgins joins, plus ‘an all-time moment’ & more
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 • Duration 01:14:44
In this episode of the Weighing In podcast, NJ.com high school wrestling reporters Jake Aferiat, Bob Badders, Bill Evans, Ryan Patti and Joe Zedalis break down all the storylines from last week, including Delbarton's massive win over Faith Christian (PA), and Howell wrestler Tanner Hodgins joined the show to give his take on his season so far. County Tournaments took centerstage last week, and our reporters give their takeaways from those events, and they preview the upcoming week.
0:00: Recapping last week's action, which was led by Delbarton's win over Faith Christian (PA), the No. 2 team in the country. It will be interesting to see where Delbarton will be ranked when the next national rankings come out. St. Joseph (Mont.)'s Ryan Mitchell and Mikey Bautista had a great week.
6:35: The Shore Conference Tournament didn't have a lot of its top talent there, but Tanner Hodgins was one of the standouts during the event. Sonny Amato from Rumson-Fair Haven rolled to a title and won his 100th career bout. Julian Zargo from St. John Vianney was on top of his game as a three seed.
14:35: South Jersey had the Pine Barrens dual, which had a stacked schedule with plenty of Top 20 teams there. St. Peter's Prep won the dual, but it was closer this time around than in recent years. Overall, it was an entertaining dual meet with good teams. Washington Township beat Kingsway in one of the top South Jersey duals this season.
19:10: Up in Essex County, Seton Hall Prep dominated the Essex County Tournament on the way to another county title, including Rocco Salerno winning his fourth county title. There was some controversy there as far as who was named Most Outstanding Wrestler after the event.
23:40: Old Bridge won its first-ever Greater Middlesex County Tournament title, with the school opening in 1995. Old Bridge had over 240 points.
26:00: There were plenty of surprises last week, including Passaic Tech winning the Passaic County Tournament. The Shore Conference Tournament did have a surprise in Keansburg's Shawn Retta, who won his 100th match.
30:30: Updated individual ranks are out, and 120 pounds is super intriguing. JoJo Burke is close to returning from injury, which will make it even tougher for everyone at that weight class. Will everyone try to avoid Paul Kenny from CBA at 126? And 106 continues to be volatile.
39:50: Interview with Howell's Tanner Hodgins, who breaks down his commitment to Oklahoma State, his Shore Conference title and much more.
59:40: Previewing the upcoming week, which is headlined by Delbarton traveling to take on Blair. Delbarton might be the underdog heading into the dual, even though they just put Faith Christian last week. The top two teams in the Shore Conference will meet when Southern takes on CBA. South Jersey has a really good schedule, including a couple of tris and quads. Colts Neck takes on Middletown South for a division championship and then Jackson Township at Howell, which NJ.com will be broadcasting live on Wednesday evening.
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Weighing In, S2, Ep6: Interview with No. 1 heavyweight Cristian Alvarez, girls wrestling & more
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 • Duration 01:10:10
In this episode of Weighing In, NJ.com reporters Jake Aferiat, Bob Badders, Bill Evans, Ryan Patti and Joe Zedalis break down an action-packed and storyline-filled week of wrestling last week, which included four wrestlers capturing titles at Escape the Rock. One of those, St. Joseph (Mont.) heavyweight Cristian Alvarez, the No. 1-ranked wrestler at 285, joins the show to talk about his title and St. Joe's. NJ.com girls wrestling reporter Mike Holcombe also joins the show to break down the girls wrestling scene as it is picking up around the state. The reporters then discuss the updated individual weight rankings and preview the upcoming week.
0:00: Last week was another action-packed and storyline-filled one, highlighted by the Escape the Rock Tournament with four winners, including Cristian Alvarez from St. Joseph (Mont.) and Paul Kenny from CBA. Two Blair wrestlers also won titles at Escape the Rock.
7:25: The Bergen County Tournament was also last week, which was filled with plenty of storylines, while Bergen Catholic beat Paramus Catholic in a thrilling dual. Matt Mulligan had a great week for Bergen Catholic. Ramapo had two champions at the Bergen County Tournament, the first time that Ramapo had two champions in the county tournament since 2004. Pascack Valley also had a great showing at the Bergen County Tournament with two champions.
14:50: Cranford continued its dominant run in the Union County Tournament, winning its 11th straight county tournament title.
19:45: Meanwhile, Jackson Township is making a ton of noise in the Shore Conference and in the state, including beating No. 12 Rumson-Fair Haven. Jackson does have a huge dual coming up when it takes on No. 7 Southern.
23:00: Delaware Valley continues to have a strong season, even though the team might not have a superstar wrestler this year. Delaware Valley just finds a way to win, and the team knows its identity and is wrestling as good as anybody right now.
26:30: Interview with St. Joseph (Mont.) wrestler Cristian Alvarez, who won an Escape the Rock title this past weekend. He had to rally for his title after being down early. St. Joe's has a huge week ahead when it takes on Paramus Catholic and Bergen Catholic.
34:30: Girls wrestling is picking up steam this season, and NJ.com girls wrestling reporter Mike Holcombe joined the show to talk all things girls wrestling as Jackson Township continues its dominance, while Central Regional is getting healthy. High Point's Ella Poalillo, who might be the best girls wrestler in the state, got tested last week but found a way to get a win.
47:00 Updated individual ranks are out, and 144 is starting to become the weight class that is capturing the attention of our NJ.com reporters. Are there some standout wrestlers like Sonny Amato and Sammy Spaulding going to drop in weight, which could shake up weight classes? One volatile weight class is 106, which saw the rankings change.
56:30: County Tournaments take centerstage this weekend, including Morris, Passaic, Shore, Essex, GMC and CVC Tournaments. Meanwhile, Delbarton takes on two out-of-state powers. Bergen Catholic takes on St. Joseph (Mont.) and St. Peter's Prep takes on Blair. Washington Township travels to Kingsway on Wednesday in a dual between two rivals.
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Weighing In, S2, Ep5: Weighing In, S2, Ep5: A wrestling powerhouse proves us wrong, impressive standouts & more
Thursday, January 15, 2026 • Duration 01:03:13
In this episode of Weighing In, NJ.com reporters Jake Aferiat, Bob Badders, Ryan Patti and Joe Zedalis recap another action-packed week of wrestling, including a state powerhouse proving us wrong. The reporters discuss the latest Top 20 rankings, as well as the new individual rankings and the deepest weight classes in the state. They also pick one impressive wrestler and preview the coming week.
0:00: It was an action-packed schedule last week, including the H/W/S Tournament at Phillipsburg. North Hunterdon won its first team title at H/W/S since 2020, with plenty of wrestlers standing out for coach Dave Bell's squad. Delaware Valley also had an impressive run at the H/W/S Tournament, finishing in third place behind North Hunterdon and Phillipsburg. Paramus Catholic swept a quad that had some stacked teams. DePaul also had a strong showing in that quad, along with Delsea.
11:35: Lower Cape May swept the Cinnaminson Duals and improved to 10-0. Lower Cape May is a contender in Group 2 and could be a foil to Rumson-Fair Haven. Rumson does have five hammers who can put up bonus against anyone in Group 2.
15:30: An updated Top 20 is out, and Phillipsburg proved several people wrong, including some of our reporters. Seton Hall Prep, Old Bridge and Delaware Valley are three teams knocking on the door, while Middletown North had a tough week, while Don Bosco Prep stayed in the Top 20, even though it had four losses, all of which came against Top 20 teams. RBC is a dark horse, and two teams from South Jersey are on the bubble as well are Washington Township and Kingsway.
30:15: Updated individual rankings are out. A loaded weight class, and the deepest is 215. Don Bosco's Dante DeLuca has been so strong this year after wrapping up the football season. Another deep weight class is 106, with an impressive list of underclassmen, and so is 190.
39:35: There are a bunch of wrestlers that have impressed us over the last couple of weeks, including Toms River East's Ricky DeLorenzo, who is a championship contender. Joe Rowinski from Hackettstown won his second H/W/S Tournament title last weekend at 120 pounds. Southern's Levi Foote continues his impressive season, being a versatile wrestler and doing whatever his team needs him to do. Caldwell's Teagan McOmish has come out of nowhere and won his first bout of the season.
50:00: This week and weekend features another jam-packed schedule with Escape The Rock as the headliner in Pennsylvania, with a lot of potential intriguing matchups. The Bergen Catholic Tournament is this weekend at Garfield Middle School. The Somerset County Tournament is also this weekend, and Immaculata is a team to watch. Meanwhile, Cranford has won 10 straight Union County Tournament titles and will be looking to make it 11 in a row. And we can't forget about girls wrestling, which has Queen of Hills at Morris Hill, the GMC Tournament on Sunday, and the Shore Conference Tournament on Monday.
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