New Jersey Mat Chat

043: Bigger & Better with Thomas Blewett

22 min · 13 de may de 2026
Portada del episodio 043: Bigger & Better with Thomas Blewett

Descripción

From 95 pounds as a freshman… to standing on top of New Jersey. Middletown North state champion Tommy Blewett joins New Jersey Mat Chat to break down his journey to becoming one of the best wrestlers in the state at 106 pounds. In this episode, Tommy talks about: • Growing up undersized • Finally putting on weight • Cutting weight for the first time • Wrestling alongside his brother • Going 50-1 and winning a state title • Beating nationally ranked opponents • Recruiting interest from Harvard, Brown & UVA • Shore Conference rivalries and trash talk This episode is about patience, growth, confidence, and trusting the process. 🤼‍♂️ Middletown North Wrestling 🏆 NJ State Champion 📍 Shore Conference Wrestling 00:00 – NJ Wrestling Officials PSA 00:46 – Meet Tommy Blewett (106 State Champion) 00:58 – Growing Up Undersized in Wrestling 01:35 – “I Thought I Was Never Going to Grow” 02:20 – Eating Everything to Gain Weight 02:55 – Cutting Weight for the First Time 03:23 – Wrestling the Same Weight as His Brother 04:02 – Team Goals vs Individual Goals 04:40 – Winning 50 Matches in a Season 05:58 – Realizing a State Title Was Possible 07:00 – Tough Matches at 106 & Ranked Opponents 07:44 – The Only Loss of the Season 08:54 – State Tournament Mindset & Preparation 10:11 – Semifinal Match vs Bogosius 11:04 – State Finals vs Will Cruz 11:59 – Realizing He Won a State Title 12:40 – Celebrating With McDonald’s in Atlantic City 13:57 – Family Support & His Dad’s Sacrifices 15:00 – College Recruiting Begins 15:44 – Harvard, Brown & Virginia Recruiting Interest 16:44 – School, SATs & Future Plans 17:10 – Virginia Beach & Triumph Wrestling Trips 17:40 – Working at Proving Ground Restaurant 18:14 – What Tommy Wants to Do in Life 18:48 – Coaching Wrestling Someday? 19:03 – Shore Conference Rivalries & Trash Talk 20:00 – Middletown North vs South Rivalry 20:53 – Team Outlook for Next Season 21:32 – Final Thoughts & Outro

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episode 047: Jonas Lusker artwork

047: Jonas Lusker

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episode 046: Michael Barikian artwork

046: Michael Barikian

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episode 045: Owen Boyle artwork

045: Owen Boyle

“I hated wrestling for two years.” Lenape standout Owen Boyle joins New Jersey Mat Chat for one of the most honest conversations yet — opening up about burnout, confidence, weight cuts, and eventually learning how to enjoy wrestling again. In this episode, Owen talks about: • Feeling unfulfilled despite success • Why he wishes he trained in tougher rooms earlier • The mental side of wrestling • Creekside Wrestling & Immortals • Choosing Elizabethtown College • Family support and wrestling culture • Learning that having fun actually made him better This episode is a reminder that wrestling isn’t just about wins and losses — it’s about growth, mindset, and finding joy in the grind. 🤼‍♂️ Lenape Wrestling 🎓 Elizabethtown College Commit 🧠 Mindset • Burnout • Development ••Premier Sports Nutrition - Champion Athletes - https://champion-athletes.com [https://champion-athletes.com] 00:00 – Champion Athletes Nutrition Sponsor Segment 01:25 – Meet Owen Boyle (Lenape Wrestling) 01:49 – Was His Wrestling Career a Success? 03:01 – Realizing What It Takes to Be Great 03:09 – What He’d Tell His 7th Grade Self 03:36 – “I Hated Wrestling for Two Years” 04:15 – Freshman Year Expectations 04:32 – Most Influential Coaches Growing Up 05:18 – Always Smiling on the Mat 06:09 – Self Doubt vs Having Fun Wrestling 06:57 – Why He Wishes He Wrestled Better Rooms Earlier 07:34 – Why Convenience Isn’t Always the Answer 08:34 – Training at Immortals & Lamb Wrestling 09:09 – Balancing Different Wrestling Rooms 09:56 – Giving Up Lacrosse for Wrestling 10:15 – Family Support & Wrestling Parents 11:33 – Which Coach Is Most Like His Dad? 12:20 – Creekside Wrestling Garage Practices 13:02 – Traveling to Michigan for Wrestling 13:43 – Choosing Elizabethtown College 14:14 – Schools He Considered Before Elizabethtown 15:03 – Feeling “At Home” on His Visit 15:41 – Elizabethtown Wrestling Program Breakdown 16:12 – Rooming With Howell’s Will Stapleton 17:35 – Accounting Major & Future Plans 18:10 – GPA, Academics & Choosing a Career 19:02 – Respect, Reputation & Wrestling Brotherhood 19:41 – Thanking Coaches, Parents & Supporters 20:32 – Favorite Atlantic City Memory 20:53 – Outro

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episode 044: Mike Ahearn artwork

044: Mike Ahearn

Coach Mike Ahern joins New Jersey Mat Chat for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had yet. From wrestling under legendary coach Gary Papa at Paul VI… to coaching state champions… to stepping away from wrestling after personal tragedy… Coach Ahern opens up about everything that shaped him. This episode covers: • Old-school South Jersey wrestling culture • Coaching legends like Mark Manchio • Building Audubon into a sectional champion • Mental health, anxiety & loss • Wrestling’s evolution over the decades • The transfer portal mentality hitting high school sports • Why relationships matter more than wins This isn’t just a wrestling episode. It’s a conversation about life, purpose, toughness, and finding your way back. 🤼‍♂️ South Jersey Wrestling 🏆 Audubon Wrestling 🧠 Legacy • Leadership • Perspective ••Premier Sports Nutrition - Champion Athletes - https://champion-athletes.com [https://champion-athletes.com] 00:00 – Champion Athletes Nutrition Sponsor Segment 01:26 – Meet Coach Mike Ahern 01:46 – Growing Up in a Family of 12 Kids 02:26 – Starting Wrestling Late (7th Grade) 03:05 – Gary Papa & Old School Wrestling Culture 04:38 – Why He Ended Up at Paul VI 05:24 – Tiny Freshman Wrestling Varsity 06:25 – State Medals, Tough Losses & Expectations 07:20 – Region Finals Battle With Che Santo 08:11 – Wrestling Left-Handed & Match Strategy 09:20 – Learning From State Tournament Failure 10:05 – Paul VI Robes & Wrestling Traditions 11:09 – Choosing Elizabethtown Over Rider 12:23 – Wrestling in College & Brotherhood 13:15 – Wanting to Join the Marines After 9/11 14:09 – Coaching With Legendary Coach John Sanders 15:20 – Early Coaching Years & Penns Grove 16:18 – Taking Over Sterling Wrestling 17:20 – Coaching State Champ Mark Manchio 18:15 – Mark Manchio’s Competitive Edge 19:05 – Other State Champs & Loaded Teams 20:05 – Taking Over Audubon Wrestling 20:33 – Personal Tragedy, Anxiety & Mental Health 22:42 – Returning to Coaching After 5 Years Away 24:10 – Building the Audubon Wrestling Culture 25:24 – Learning the Modern Version of Wrestling 26:18 – Creating a Family Atmosphere 27:15 – Leadership, Staff & Team Buy-In 28:08 – Winning Audubon’s First Sectional Title 29:09 – Why Relationships Matter More Than Wins 30:24 – Building Wrestling Programs the Right Way 31:20 – Paulsboro, Toughness & Team Culture 32:53 – The Pressure of the State Tournament Run 34:05 – Tough Losses Before the Playoffs 35:05 – Turning the Team Around Mentally 36:05 – Community Support & Booster Club Impact 37:06 – Winning South Jersey Coach of the Year 38:00 – Still Coaching at 54 Years Old 39:00 – Wrestling’s Evolution & Modern Scrambling 40:00 – Coaching Girls Wrestling & Growing the Sport 41:20 – Why JV Wrestling Is Dying 42:05 – Why He Hates the Current PowerPoint System 44:03 – Public vs Private School Wrestling Debate 46:05 – Recruiting, Transfers & Loyalty in Sports 47:25 – Parents, Clubs & The Future of Wrestling 49:05 – Financial Challenges in High School Sports 50:05 – Becoming a Wrestling Official 51:20 – Understanding Referees From the Other Side 52:14 – Learning Positioning & Making Calls 53:22 – Youth Wrestling Parents & Crazy Pressure 54:15 – Final Thoughts & Wrestling Perspective 55:01 – Outro00:00 – Champion Athletes Nutrition Sponsor Segment

17 de may de 202655 min
episode 043: Bigger & Better with Thomas Blewett artwork

043: Bigger & Better with Thomas Blewett

From 95 pounds as a freshman… to standing on top of New Jersey. Middletown North state champion Tommy Blewett joins New Jersey Mat Chat to break down his journey to becoming one of the best wrestlers in the state at 106 pounds. In this episode, Tommy talks about: • Growing up undersized • Finally putting on weight • Cutting weight for the first time • Wrestling alongside his brother • Going 50-1 and winning a state title • Beating nationally ranked opponents • Recruiting interest from Harvard, Brown & UVA • Shore Conference rivalries and trash talk This episode is about patience, growth, confidence, and trusting the process. 🤼‍♂️ Middletown North Wrestling 🏆 NJ State Champion 📍 Shore Conference Wrestling 00:00 – NJ Wrestling Officials PSA 00:46 – Meet Tommy Blewett (106 State Champion) 00:58 – Growing Up Undersized in Wrestling 01:35 – “I Thought I Was Never Going to Grow” 02:20 – Eating Everything to Gain Weight 02:55 – Cutting Weight for the First Time 03:23 – Wrestling the Same Weight as His Brother 04:02 – Team Goals vs Individual Goals 04:40 – Winning 50 Matches in a Season 05:58 – Realizing a State Title Was Possible 07:00 – Tough Matches at 106 & Ranked Opponents 07:44 – The Only Loss of the Season 08:54 – State Tournament Mindset & Preparation 10:11 – Semifinal Match vs Bogosius 11:04 – State Finals vs Will Cruz 11:59 – Realizing He Won a State Title 12:40 – Celebrating With McDonald’s in Atlantic City 13:57 – Family Support & His Dad’s Sacrifices 15:00 – College Recruiting Begins 15:44 – Harvard, Brown & Virginia Recruiting Interest 16:44 – School, SATs & Future Plans 17:10 – Virginia Beach & Triumph Wrestling Trips 17:40 – Working at Proving Ground Restaurant 18:14 – What Tommy Wants to Do in Life 18:48 – Coaching Wrestling Someday? 19:03 – Shore Conference Rivalries & Trash Talk 20:00 – Middletown North vs South Rivalry 20:53 – Team Outlook for Next Season 21:32 – Final Thoughts & Outro

13 de may de 202622 min