Weighing In: N.J.'s ultimate high school wrestling podcast

Weighing In, S2, Ep15: Recap of NJSIAA wrestling state championships in Atlantic City

NJ.com high school wrestling reporters Jake Aferiat, Bob Badders, Bill Evans, Ryan Patti and Joe Zedalis break down all 14 weight classes and what happened at the NJSIAA wrestling state championships in Atlantic City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Weighing In, S2, Ep14: Previews for N.J. wrestling state championships in Atlantic City

NJ.com's wrestling reporters reporters Jake Aferiat, Bob Badders, Bill Evans, Ryan Patti and Joe Zedalis break down all 14 weight classes ahead of the wrestling state championships in Atlantic City at Boardwalk Hall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Weighing In, S2, Ep14: Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs talks career, N.J. wrestling & 20-year state title anniversary

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? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Weighing In, S2, Ep13: A seismic shift in N.J. wrestling, Chase Hansen chases history & more

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Weighing In, S2, Ep12: Wrestling state champs crowned, can N.J. fix team tourney? & more

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]