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🏆 ONE GOAL. ONE FINAL SEASON. AN NJ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. Gavin Young has one goal for his senior wrestling season: Become a New Jersey State Champion. 🤼 The Old Bridge wrestler was practically born into the sport. His father coached at South River, his family has a history of wrestling success, and Gavin started competing through the Old Bridge Mat Rats as a young kid. But his high school career hasn't gone exactly as planned. 🚑 Freshman Year: A serious concussion just days before regions ended his postseason. 🔥 Sophomore Year: Gavin returned, placed at regions, and accomplished his childhood dream of wrestling at the NJ State Championships in Atlantic City. 🥇 Junior Year: After winning his first district championship, Gavin suffered a devastating loss in the regional quarterfinals. The disappointment carried into the wrestlebacks, and he admits he wasn't mentally prepared to keep competing. 🎯 Senior Year: He's determined to make sure that doesn't happen again. In this episode of New Jersey Mat Chat, Gavin opens up about the setbacks, lessons, and motivation driving his final high school season. --- 💬 “There's only one thing on my mind. It's just being a state champ.” Gavin knows what it's like to have a season end before he's ready. He knows what it's like to lose when everything is on the line. And he knows that the only person who can change the outcome is himself. Now he's entering his final season at Old Bridge with something to prove. One more season. One more opportunity. One very clear goal. 🏆 --- 🎙️ Guest: Gavin Young 🏫 School: Old Bridge High School 🤼 Series: New Jersey Mat Chat 🎬 Episode: 89 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to New Jersey Mat Chat for interviews with the wrestlers, coaches, and legends shaping New Jersey wrestling. 💬 COMMENT BELOW: What's harder in wrestling — preparing to win or bouncing back after a devastating loss? Watch 'The Godfather of MMA' Now available now on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0HHCGGT6S 00:00 The Godfather of MMA 01:06 Meet Gavin Young of Old Bridge 04:43 The Concussion That Ended His Freshman Season 05:15 Bouncing Back and Reaching Atlantic City 06:49 Managing Weight and Ignoring Opponents 08:51 Learning From a Devastating Regional Loss 11:06 One Goal: Become a State Champion 12:33 Why Gavin Added Football 14:27 Taking Responsibility on the Wrestling Mat 15:20 Training at Ryze and Old Bridge 16:26 Coach Post and the Old Bridge Wrestling Culture 17:53 College, Careers and Coaching Ambitions 19:04 How Nutrition Changed His Wrestling 20:05 College Decisions and Future Plans 20:40 Greatest NJ High School Wrestler Ever? 22:09 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

🤼 What does it take to build a championship wrestling program — and help change the sport itself? Legendary Brick Memorial and Point Pleasant Beach coach Dan O'Cone joins New Jersey Mat Chat's Coach's Corner to discuss his coaching career, the powerhouse Shore Conference, and his role in developing NJ wrestling's prestige-point seeding system. 🏆 From winning back-to-back Group 4 championships at Brick Memorial to helping make tournament seeding fairer, O'Cone has seen New Jersey wrestling from nearly every angle. 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE: 🏆 Building championship teams at Brick Memorial 🤼 Learning from legendary Trenton State coach Dave Icenhower 🔥 The rivalries that made the Shore Conference a powerhouse 📊 How prestige points changed NJ wrestling seeding 🐐 The Damion Hahn problem that exposed flaws in the old system ⚖️ District realignment: fairness vs. tradition 🏟️ The forgotten controversy of Super Regions 🤝 Why coaches must respect wrestling officials 👧 Coaching his daughter Cecilia and growing girls wrestling 💪 Why the future of NJ wrestling is brighter than ever 💬 Do you think NJ wrestling's current district and seeding systems are fair, or should we bring back the old rivalries? 🔔 Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches, and legends who built New Jersey wrestling. Watch 'The Godfather of MMA' Now available now on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0HHCGGT6S 00:00 The Godfather of MMA 01:06 Meet Coach Dan O'Cone 18:32 Shore Conference Rivalries & Coaching Philosophy 33:41 Debating Prestige Points and Tournament Seeding 34:58 District Realignment: Fairness vs. Tradition 37:17 What's Best for Wrestlers vs. Fans? 38:05 Could NJ Bring Back Traditional Districts? 41:18 The Wrestlers Who Missed Atlantic City 41:47 The Super Regions Controversy 45:12 A Lesson in Respecting Officials 47:42 Why Coaches Shouldn't Blame Referees 49:23 The Future of Wrestling and the Growth of Girls Wrestling 51:32 Coaching His Daughter and Staying in the Sport 53:23 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

🏆 WHO ARE NEW JERSEY'S 50 GREATEST HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLERS OF ALL TIME? After releasing our Top 50 rankings, Pete and Doug sit down to explain how the list was created, why certain wrestlers made the cut, and what it takes to compare greatness across generations. 🤼 From the legends of the 1970s and 1980s to modern-day champions, ranking NJ wrestling history is anything but simple. 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE: 📊 How our panel developed the Top 50 rankings 🏆 State titles vs. strength of competition ⏳ Comparing wrestlers across different eras 🥇 Why Damion Hahn earned the #1 spot 🔥 The toughest decisions and biggest omissions 🤼 Why one head-to-head result doesn't tell the whole story 📚 Preserving NJ wrestling history for future generations 👀 Current wrestlers who could eventually crack the list 💬 Do you agree with our rankings? Who belongs in the Top 50, and who would you put at #1? This list is about more than rankings. It's about recognizing the wrestlers who built New Jersey's incredible wrestling tradition. 🔔 Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for interviews, wrestling history, and conversations with NJ's greatest athletes and coaches. Watch 'The Godfather of MMA' Now available now on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0HHCGGT6S 00:00 The Godfather of MMA 01:06 Why We Created NJ's Top 50 02:43 How the Rankings Were Calculated 04:09 Comparing Wrestling Legends Across Generations 06:58 National Tournaments and Different Eras 07:55 Keeping Wrestling History Alive 08:51 Why One Match Doesn't Determine Greatness 09:23 Learning From the Wrestling Community 12:49 How Wrestling Rules Have Changed 13:16 Current Wrestlers Who Could Make the List 14:16 The Oldest Wrestler on the List 15:33 Why Damion Hahn Is #1 17:19 The Original NJ Wrestling Superstars 18:00 Honorable Mentions and Near Misses 19:40 Jimmy Conroy, Mike Gray and Strength of Competition 21:58 Three-Time vs. Four-Time State Champions 22:56 The Hardest Part of Making the Rankings 23:43 Why We Wish We'd Ranked 100 26:50 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

What defines a great wrestling coach? Championships? Career wins? State titles? For legendary Raritan wrestling coach Rob Nucci, the answer goes much deeper. Nucci became a high school head coach at just 22 years old, taking over Pinelands before eventually building Raritan into one of the Shore Conference's most respected small-school wrestling programs. Over his coaching career at Raritan, he helped deliver five sectional championships, created one of New Jersey's most intimidating home wrestling environments — The Launch Pad — and built a culture that turned local wrestlers into hometown heroes. But in this Coach's Corner episode of New Jersey Mat Chat, Nucci opens up about something far more important than his wrestling record. He discusses losing seven former wrestlers to overdoses, the dozens more he says are in recovery, and how those experiences changed his understanding of coaching, mental health, and the responsibility coaches carry long after athletes graduate. One of the most memorable moments comes when Nucci is asked whether he'd still be considered a great coach without his hundreds of career victories. His answer changes the entire conversation. He talks about seven former wrestlers he lost — and the many others whose lives continue beyond the wrestling room. Because a coach's impact isn't always measured on a scoreboard. Sometimes it's measured in the lives they help change. Guest: Rob Nucci Programs: Pinelands Regional / Raritan High School Series: Coach's Corner — New Jersey Mat Chat Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat as we document the wrestlers, coaches, and legends who shaped New Jersey wrestling. Watch 'The Godfather of MMA' Now available now on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0HHCGGT6S 00:00 The Godfather of MMA 01:06 Meet Coach Rob Nucci 03:29 Growing Up in Toms River Wrestling 05:13 From Trenton State to Coaching at 22 06:19 How He Got the Pinelands Job 07:50 The Legendary Coaches Who Shaped Him 09:24 Coaching Was Always His Calling 11:02 Leaving Pinelands for Raritan 12:35 Rich Dunnels: A Coach Who Never Quit 14:05 Why Youth Wrestling Programs Matter 16:00 The Commitment to Keeping Kids at Raritan 17:52 The Personal Cost of Coaching 18:00 The Former Wrestler Who Said You Saved My Life 20:34 Why Parents Must Focus on Effort, Not Wins 21:06 Seven Losses That Still Haunt Him 23:57 How Mental Health Changed His Coaching 26:03 The Launch Pad: Raritan's Legendary Gym 28:00 The DelVal Rivalry and Five Sectional Titles 30:25 The Home-Mat Advantage 32:20 Why NJ Needs More Dual Meets 36:23 Creating Hometown Wrestling Heroes 37:21 Team Championships vs. Individual Success 41:27 How Nucci Developed State-Level Wrestlers 42:40 Is NJ Too Quick to Call Top Stalling? 46:00 Should Coaches Learn to Officiate? 55:00 The Crisis Facing Public School Wrestling 58:26 Why Schools Are Losing Coaches 01:01:00 The Greatest NJ Wrestling Legends 01:03:13 The Coaches Who Built the Shore Conference 01:05:32 The Challenges Facing Small Schools 01:06:40 Nucci's Greatest NJ Wrestler Ever 01:08:09 Final Thoughts and the Value of Small Programs 01:09:15 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

Three high schools. Three very different experiences. And Sonny DiMatteo says he wouldn't change the path. The Point Pleasant Borough senior has already experienced more change during his high school wrestling career than most athletes ever will. He started at Brick Memorial — the program he had dreamed about wrestling for since elementary school. As a freshman, he reached the blood round in Atlantic City. As a sophomore, he placed 4th in New Jersey. Then he made a major decision. He transferred to CBA. One year later, he made another one. He left CBA and transferred to Point Pleasant Borough for his senior season. In this episode of New Jersey Mat Chat, Sonny gives an honest look at what went into those decisions and what he's learned along the way. One of the most interesting things about Sonny's story is that he doesn't pretend every decision worked exactly the way he expected. CBA wasn't ultimately the right fit. His wrestling career hasn't followed a straight line. There were losses. There were moments he questioned wrestling. There were transfers. But when we asked Sonny what he would change if he could do it all again, his answer was basically: Nothing. Brick Memorial. CBA. Point Pleasant Borough. That's the path that got him here. And as Sonny says in this episode: “Everything happens for a reason.” Now there's one chapter left. 🤼 Sonny DiMatteo 🏫 Point Pleasant Borough 🥉 NJ State 4th Place 🎟️ 3X NJ State Tournament Competitor 🔥 Shore Thing Wrestling Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches and legends shaping New Jersey wrestling. Watch 'The Godfather of MMA' Now available now on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0HHCGGT6S 00:00 The Godfather of MMA 01:06 Meet Sonny DiMatteo 01:41 Growing Up at Shore Thing Wrestling 03:03 Why Sonny Took a Holdback Year 05:33 Why He Always Wanted to Wrestle at Brick Memorial 07:55 Creating His Own Wrestling Season 09:52 Why Sonny Never Bounced Between Wrestling Clubs 13:04 His Freshman & Sophomore Years at Brick Memorial 13:34 Why Sonny Left Brick Memorial for CBA 16:57 Adjusting to Life at CBA 20:12 A Rocky Start to His Junior Wrestling Season 21:23 The Time Sonny Almost Quit Wrestling 22:18 Why March Matters More Than Your Record 23:25 Looking Back at His First Season at CBA 25:23 Why Sonny Left CBA for Point Pleasant Borough 26:31 Choosing to Wrestle With His Brother 28:07 Starting Over at a Third High School 29:17 Becoming a Leader at Point Borough 30:33 Point Borough’s Team Goals 32:14 Sonny’s College Wrestling Recruitment 35:04 His Goals for His Senior Season 36:08 Why Sonny Signed Up for a Marathon 37:54 Advice to His 7-Year-Old Self 38:37 Public vs. Non-Public: What Sonny Learned 40:56 Why He Loves the Small-Town Feel 41:48 Would He Change His High School Path? 42:21 Greatest NJ High School Wrestler Ever? 42:59 Why Wrestling History Matters 44:15 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

Orlando Cáceres didn't grow up expecting to become an Olympian. Born in Puerto Rico to an Air Force family, Orlando eventually landed in Pemberton, New Jersey and started wrestling in seventh grade. He considers himself an average young wrestler. Then he got tired of losing. What followed became one of the great — and often overlooked — stories in New Jersey wrestling history. Orlando became: 🏆 2X New Jersey State Champion 🐝 Pemberton wrestling legend 🎓 Trenton State wrestler 🇵🇷 Puerto Rican National Team member 🔥 1984 Olympian 🥉 Two points away from an Olympic bronze medal In this New Jersey Mat Chat Legends episode, Orlando takes us back to a completely different era of wrestling. 🤼 Orlando Cáceres 🏫 Pemberton High School 🏆 2X NJ State Champion 🎓 Trenton State 🇵🇷 1984 Puerto Rican Olympic Team Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat as we document the wrestlers, coaches and legends who built New Jersey wrestling. Watch 'The Godfather of MMA' Now available now on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0HHCGGT6S 00:00 The Godfather of MMA 01:06 Meet NJ Legend Orlando Cáceres 01:52 From Puerto Rico to Pemberton 02:48 How Orlando Started Wrestling 03:06 Why His Parents Wouldn’t Let Him Wrestle Varsity 04:35 Going From Average to Obsessed 05:17 Running Two Miles Before Practice 06:08 Wrestling in the 1970s 06:21 “Go Wrestle Every Bearded Man You See” 07:05 The Pemberton Wrestling Powerhouse 07:42 Becoming a Dark Horse NJ State Champion 08:32 State Final vs. Dale Mills 09:59 The Jump From Junior to Senior Year 10:14 Wrestling Grown Men in Open Tournaments 10:37 Training at Fort Dix With NJ Champions 11:13 Darryl Burley’s Influence 11:39 The 1980 State Final vs. Joe Duca 12:46 The Weight Cutting Mistake 13:09 Getting Recruited by Wrestling Powers 15:14 Becoming Pemberton’s First 2X State Champion 15:51 Why He Backed Out of Iowa 17:09 Choosing Arizona 17:30 Arizona Drops Its Wrestling Program 17:42 Coming Home to Trenton State 18:42 Struggling at Arizona 19:46 Why He Hated Collegiate Wrestling 20:18 Falling in Love With Freestyle 21:25 Coach Milt Schisler’s “Computer Match” 22:44 Why Wrestling Kept Him in College 23:04 Chasing Team USA & Puerto Rico 23:33 Missing the Plane to the USA Trials 24:23 Going Toe-to-Toe With Barry Davis 25:05 Wrestling in the 1984 Olympics 25:48 Orlando’s Olympic Run 26:34 Facing a World Champion From Japan 26:52 Two Points From an Olympic Bronze Medal 27:53 Life After the Olympics 28:36 The NJ Legends Orlando Helped Develop 29:09 Coaching Pat Lynch 29:46 Coaching at Peddie 31:39 Walking Away From Wrestling 32:28 Does an Olympian Have an Obligation to Give Back? 33:03 Gary Remembers Wrestling Orlando 34:07 Why Orlando Stepped Away From Coaching 35:20 Would He Have Made His Son Wrestle? 36:21 Greatest NJ High School Wrestler Ever? 37:38 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

At just 26 years old, Chris Bolletino is taking over the wrestling program he once competed for. The Haddonfield alum is the new head wrestling coach at Haddonfield High School — making him one of the youngest head coaches in New Jersey wrestling. But Bolletino isn't walking into the job without experience. He grew up wrestling in South Jersey, trained under coaches including Johnny Johnson and Mark Grey, became a three-time NJ State qualifier at Haddonfield, wrestled Division I at Franklin & Marshall, and spent last season coaching at Ramapo. Now he's coming home. 🤼 Guest: Chris Bolletino 🏫 Haddonfield Memorial High School 🎓 Haddonfield Alum 🤼 Franklin & Marshall Wrestling 📣 Head Wrestling Coach — Haddonfield Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches and legends shaping New Jersey wrestling. Watch 'The Godfather of MMA' available now on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0HHCGGT6S?ref_=atv_dp_share_cu_r 00:00 The Godfather of MMA 01:06 Meet Haddonfield’s New Head Coach Chris Bolletino 01:53 Becoming a Head Coach at 26 03:04 Building His Coaching Staff 04:21 Choosing Wrestling Over Football 05:02 His Haddonfield Wrestling Career 05:27 Wrestling at Franklin & Marshall 05:40 Learning From Mark Grey & Johnny Johnson 06:08 His Vision for Haddonfield Wrestling 07:18 Building Mental Toughness 08:03 Wrestling Tougher Competition 09:14 Training vs. Competing 10:11 Why the Number of Weigh-Ins Matters 11:40 The Shortened NJ Wrestling Season 13:00 Haddonfield’s Legendary Wrestling Gyms 14:59 Coaching at Ramapo 16:51 Can a 26-Year-Old Connect Better With Wrestlers? 18:02 What Older Coaches Can Still Teach Young Coaches 19:02 The Biggest Challenge of Coaching at 26 20:52 Why Multi-Sport Athletes Still Matter 21:36 Building Haddonfield Wrestling From the Youth Level 22:26 Is Haddonfield a Wrestling Town? 22:56 Understanding NJ Wrestling Power Points 23:35 What Happened to the Old District Rivalries? 25:21 Why Coaches Need to Understand the Rulebook 27:26 Wrestling’s Most Confusing Rules 28:17 Should Head Coaches Have to Pass a Referee Test? 30:14 Greatest NJ High School Wrestler Ever? 30:59 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

Are we developing better wrestlers — or just creating more opportunities to win matches? Johnny “J-Rock” Johnson has spent more than three decades thinking about that question. A Moorestown graduate, 3X NCAA All-American at Trenton State and founder of RAW 241, Johnson has coached generations of wrestlers and developed a philosophy built around takedowns, conditioning, international wrestling and preparing athletes for the highest levels of the sport. And he has some strong opinions about where NJ wrestling is today. 🤼 Guest: Johnny “J-Rock” Johnson 🏫 Moorestown 🎓 Trenton State / TCNJ 🥇 3X NCAA All-American 🔥 Founder: RAW 241 Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches and legends who built — and continue to build — New Jersey wrestling. 'The Godfather of MMA'. Now on Amazon Prime. https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detai... 00:00 The Godfather of MMA 01:06 Meet Johnny “J-Rock” Johnson 02:19 Growing Up in Baltimore & Moving to Moorestown 03:34 How Basketball Accidentally Led Him to Wrestling 04:29 Winning His First-Ever Wrestling Match 05:34 Becoming One of NJ’s Best Wrestlers 06:43 Why He Chose Trenton State 08:19 Getting a D1 Experience at a D3 Program 10:09 Wrestling Training in the Offseason 11:05 Learning Directly From John Smith 12:49 The Iowa State Opportunity 14:22 What Would J-Rock Change About His Career? 15:29 “If You’re That Guy, You’re That Guy” 16:40 Becoming a 3X NCAA All-American 17:02 Discovering Freestyle Wrestling 19:03 How Starting Late Made Him a Better Coach 19:49 The Birth of RAW 241 20:09 Brett Matter: J-Rock’s First Student 22:40 How RAW 241 Got Its Name 24:32 The Philosophy Behind “Two For One” 25:03 Building the Human Takedown Machine 26:21 The Wrestler Who Validated His Style 28:22 Why Conditioning Is Everything 29:20 The Early NJ Wrestling Club Scene 31:12 How RAW 241 Exploded 32:55 What Happened to South Jersey Wrestling? 33:56 Have South Jersey’s Standards Dropped? 34:45 Why 100 Career Wins Means Nothing 36:12 What Actually Matters in Atlantic City 37:04 Can You Still Play Three Sports? 37:39 Wrestling 365 Days — But Are You Improving? 39:19 Are Wrestling Clubs Actually Developing Kids? 40:06 Why Some NJ State Champs Struggle in College 41:13 Why Wrestlers Need to Learn How to Lose 43:25 What College Coaches Should Really Recruit 44:15 J-Rock Defines Wrestling Greatness 46:53 Who Is America’s Freestyle GOAT? 47:45 John Smith vs. Jordan Burroughs 50:53 How to Build a Successful Wrestling Club 51:54 Every Wrestling Club Needs an Identity 52:30 Development vs. Making Money 54:14 J-Rock’s Biggest Problem With NJ Wrestling 56:32 King for a Day: How He’d Fix Wrestling 57:56 Is It Time to Get Rid of Stalling? 59:22 Greatest NJ High School Wrestler Ever? 01:00:00 Andrew Campolattano’s Incredible Career 01:01:07 The Case for Damien Hahn 01:05:17 Final Thoughts 01:05:21 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

Liam Suydam didn't wrestle a single match his freshman year. Before his first high school season even got started, the Moorestown wrestler suffered an injury that put him in a metal cast and ended his entire season. At the time, it was a huge setback. Looking back? It may have changed the direction of his wrestling career. Unable to compete, Liam started watching wrestling. A LOT of wrestling. College matches. Technique videos. Wrestling clips online. He'd study moves and even shadow wrestle them in his basement. More importantly, sitting on the sidelines made him realize how badly he actually wanted to wrestle. By his sophomore year, Liam was a District placer. As a junior, he made another jump: 🏆 District Champion 🥉 4th at Regions 🎟️ First trip to the NJ State Championships in Atlantic City Now he's entering his senior season believing there's another big jump coming. 🤼 Guest: Liam Suydam 🏫 Moorestown High School 🏆 District Champion 🎟️ NJ State Qualifier 🎯 Class of 2027 Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches and legends shaping New Jersey wrestling. #LiamSuydam #NJWrestling #NewJerseyMatChat #MoorestownWrestling #NJHighSchoolWrestling #HighSchoolWrestling Watch 'The Godfather of MMA'. Now on Amazon Prime. https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detai... 00:00 The Godfather of MMA 01:06 Meet Moorestown’s Liam Suydam 01:35 Missing His Entire Freshman Season 02:17 From Injury to Districts & Atlantic City 03:09 How Liam Got Into Wrestling 04:11 Why He Chose Wrestling Over Other Sports 05:01 How the Injury Changed His Wrestling Career 05:47 Fixing His Training & Weight Cut 06:21 Training at Different NJ Wrestling Clubs 07:03 The Partners Who Helped Him Improve 07:24 Liam’s “Unexpected” Wrestling Style 07:48 Competing at the NJ Wrestling Showcase 08:34 Inside Moorestown Wrestling 09:40 Why Club Training Became So Important 10:15 How Nutrition Changed His Wrestling 11:55 Wrestling Friends in Big Matches 13:00 Wrestling Owen Boyle 13:36 College Wrestling Plans 14:04 Liam Wants to Become a Pilot 15:57 Preparing for His Senior Season 16:30 Neutral vs. Top Wrestling 17:02 Expectations for Moorestown 17:32 Coaching the Next Generation 18:25 Advice for Young Wrestlers 19:35 The Wrestlers Liam Studies 20:25 The Positive Side of Missing a Season 21:18 The People Behind His Success 21:52 What Weight Will He Wrestle? 22:04 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

Eric Morley didn't grow up as a wrestling phenom. In fact, he didn't start wrestling until high school. His freshman record? 0-8. Today, he's the head wrestling coach at Middletown North and has helped build a program producing state champions, state qualifiers and wrestlers who have gone on to succeed at the Division I level. But Morley's definition of successful coaching goes well beyond wins. In this episode of New Jersey Mat Chat: Coach's Corner, Morley gets into the realities of building a high school wrestling program in one of the toughest wrestling areas in the country. 00:00 The Godfather of MMA 01:07 Meet Middletown North Coach Eric Morley 01:20 How He Became Middletown North’s Head Coach 02:18 Going 0-8 in His First Year Wrestling 03:28 Coaching Soccer AND Wrestling 04:07 Why Wrestling Never Really Turns Off 05:12 Coaching Soccer Players vs. Wrestlers 06:05 Why Wrestling Builds Something Bigger 07:05 The Middletown North Wrestling Culture 08:12 Coach Morley’s Wrestling Philosophy 09:18 Breaking Opponents Mentally 09:50 Are High School Wrestlers Competing Too Much? 11:02 Why Kids Need More Time in the Wrestling Room 12:26 What Makes the Shore Conference Different 13:21 Building an Atmosphere at Middletown North 14:14 Why Teams Avoid Wrestling Each Other 14:37 Taking Middletown North to Beast of the East 15:14 The Brotherhood Between Wrestling Coaches 16:03 When Should Coaches Start Thinking About Weight? 17:38 Team Season vs. Individual Season 18:24 Developing State Champions — and Everyone Else 19:42 Wrestling Has Very Little to Do With Wrestling 20:42 Tyler Klinsky’s Journey to NCAA All-American 23:20 The Problems With NJ Wrestling’s Constant Changes 25:00 Scheduling Around Districts & Regions 26:32 Why Coaches Avoid Tough Competition 26:41 Are 100 Career Wins What They Used to Be? 27:02 Why Middletown North Schedules Tough 28:31 Sometimes You Need to Get Your Butt Kicked 29:17 Coaching Two Sports With a Growing Family 31:12 The Best Wrestling Gyms in New Jersey 32:15 How Many Weight Classes Should Wrestling Have? 33:52 Stop Avoiding the Big Matchups 34:36 Why Losing Before States Can Make You Better 36:44 Finding Tough Matches Within Dual Meets 38:13 Why Eric Morley Wouldn’t Let Jackson Fearon Quit 40:18 The Victories Nobody Sees 42:07 Could Eric Morley Become a Wrestling Official? 44:05 Greatest NJ High School Wrestler Ever? 45:03 What Actually Makes a Wrestler Great? 46:33 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

Jackson Fearon almost quit wrestling. As a sophomore at Middletown North, he was trying to maintain 120 pounds. His routine? Wake up at 4 AM. Run. Sauna. School. Practice. Go home. Nap. Then go to another practice. Eventually, he'd had enough. Jackson stopped showing up to practice. Coach Morley wasn't having it. He sent Jackson's brother and teammates to his HOUSE to get him and bring him back to the wrestling room. Jackson stayed. He moved up in weight. And everything changed. As a junior, Jackson exploded to a 43-7 season, won Districts, won Region 5 and made his first trip to the NJ State Championships in Atlantic City. Now he's entering his senior year with one goal: 🏆 Become an NJ State Champion. In this episode of New Jersey Mat Chat, Jackson talks about: 🤼 Nearly walking away from wrestling ⚖️ The brutal weight cut that almost ended his career 🚗 His teammates showing up at his house to bring him to practice 📈 His breakout 43-7 junior season 🏆 Winning Districts and Region 5 🥋 Growing up around MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 👊 His father's background as a professional MMA fighter 🤼 Growing up in the Middletown North wrestling system 🔥 The mentality inside the Middletown North room 🏟️ His first experience wrestling in Atlantic City 💔 The heartbreaking match that ended his state tournament 🎯 Why that loss changed his goals for senior year 💪 Improving his diet, conditioning and training 🔄 Changing his wrestling arsenal during the offseason 🤼 Training with different wrestlers and clubs around New Jersey 🎓 His thoughts on wrestling in college 🏈 Walking away from football to focus on wrestling At the end, we asked Jackson a simple question: When your Middletown North career is over, what do you want people to say about Jackson Fearon? His answer: “I did it.” That's it. State Champion. One season left to make it happen. 🤼 Guest: Jackson Fearon 🏫 Middletown North 🏆 District Champion 🏆 Region 5 Champion 📈 43-7 Junior Season 🎯 Goal: NJ State Champion Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches and legends shaping New Jersey wrestling. ••Premier Sports Nutrition - Champion Athletes - https://champion-athletes.com 00:00 Intro / Champion Athletes Nutrition 01:26 Meet Middletown North’s Jackson Fearon 01:36 The Jump to a 43-7 Junior Season 02:31 The Weight Cut That Made Him Want to Quit 03:55 Growing Up Around MMA & Jiu-Jitsu 05:40 His Rough Start in Wrestling 06:45 When Jackson Realized He Was Good 07:03 Why He Almost Left Middletown North 07:43 Inside the Middletown North Wrestling Room 09:01 His First Trip to Atlantic City 10:12 The Match He Wants Back 11:30 Senior Year Goal: NJ State Champion 11:48 Will He Wrestle in College? 12:12 Building a Better Version for Senior Year 12:42 Changing His Wrestling Style 13:18 Training at Different NJ Wrestling Clubs 14:12 Middletown North’s 2027 Team 14:22 Walking Away From Football 14:56 “I Did It.” 15:09 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

Pat Glory knows what it feels like to come up one match short. Before becoming an NCAA National Champion at Princeton, Glory lost three youth state finals. Then he reached the New Jersey high school state final as a freshman — and lost. He came back as a sophomore. Made the final again. And lost again. But those losses became part of the reason Pat Glory eventually reached the top of college wrestling. In this episode of the New Jersey Mat Chat Legends Series, Pat takes us through the entire journey — from a 50-pound youth wrestler in Randolph, NJ to Delbarton, Princeton University and ultimately the top of the NCAA podium. One of the most powerful things Pat says in this conversation is that he doesn't know if he ever becomes an NCAA Champion without losing those first two New Jersey state finals. Pat Glory's career is proof that coming up short doesn't have to be the end of the story. Sometimes it's what builds the champion. 🤼 Guest: Pat Glory 🏫 Delbarton School 🐯 Princeton University 🏆 2X NJ State Champion 🥈 4X NJ State Finalist 🥈 NCAA Finalist 🏆 2023 NCAA National Champion Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches and legends who built — and continue to shape — New Jersey wrestling. ••Premier Sports Nutrition - Champion Athletes - https://champion-athletes.com 00:00 Champion Athletes Nutrition 01:22 Meet NCAA Champion Pat Glory 02:10 Growing Up in Randolph, NJ 03:05 How Wrestling Became His Sport 04:35 Choosing Delbarton Over Randolph 05:50 Why Delbarton Was the Right Choice 07:28 Entering High School at 14 Years Old 08:11 His Early Wrestling Struggles 09:33 Three Youth State Finals — Zero Titles 09:52 The Pressure to Become a 4X State Champion 10:57 Learning to Separate Results From the Process 12:25 Losing the NJ State Final as a Freshman 13:00 The Sophomore State Final vs. Sebastian Rivera 14:20 Two State Finals. Two Losses. 15:31 Turning to a Sports Psychologist 18:39 How Mental Training Changed His Wrestling 19:22 Why Pat Wouldn’t Change His High School Losses 21:06 Looking Back at His Delbarton Career 22:18 Why Princeton Became the Choice 23:48 Princeton’s Search for Its First NCAA Champion 25:39 Balancing Princeton Academics & Division I Wrestling 27:13 NCAA Final vs. Nick Suriano 31:08 The Injury That Changed the Suriano Final 34:02 Wrestling Through the Final Seconds 36:06 Cutting From 150 to 125 Pounds 37:44 Why He Stayed at 125 38:45 Preparing for Spencer Lee 40:25 Finding Out Spencer Lee Lost 41:29 Preparing for Matt Ramos Instead 43:30 Becoming an NCAA Champion 45:43 Celebrating the National Championship 47:20 Why Pat Walked Away From Wrestling 49:12 Life After Wrestling in Manhattan 50:46 Greatest NJ High School Wrestler Ever? 52:09 Could Pat Glory Become a Coach? 53:07 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

Second in New Jersey isn't good enough for Joey Monticello. The Hanover Park senior came within one match of an NJ State Championship last season. Now he's coming back with bigger expectations. Joey joins New Jersey Mat Chat to talk about growing up in one of North Jersey's traditional wrestling communities, his journey through high school wrestling, his state-final loss—and why his entire senior season is being built around finishing the job. And Joey isn't hiding what he expects: 🏆 Win Beast of the East 🏆 Win Escape the Rock 🏆 Win an NJ State Championship 🔥 Go undefeated In this episode, Joey talks about: 🤼 Starting wrestling at just four years old 💪 Why he's always been physically advanced for his age 🏈 Giving up football to go all-in on his state-title chase 🏫 The wrestling tradition and expectations at Hanover Park 🔥 His “in your face for six minutes” wrestling style 🤼 How Rich Patito, Diego Crespo and Nicky Raimo influenced his wrestling 💥 Training at Ruthless Wrestling 🏆 Entering high school expecting to become a state champion 🥈 His run to the NJ state final last season 😤 Why being a state runner-up still isn't a win in his mind 🎯 His goal of going undefeated as a senior 🏟️ The atmosphere inside Hanover Park wrestling 🎓 His goal of wrestling Division I in college 🥇 Why he believes he can eventually make a run at an NCAA final ⚖️ His thoughts on wrestling's changing rules 🍝 Cutting weight in a traditional Italian family ❤️ The huge Monticello family contingent that follows him to Atlantic City One thing becomes pretty clear talking to Joey: He's not interested in almost. Last season ended one match short of his goal. Now he gets one more shot. 🤼 Guest: Joey Monticello 🏫 Hanover Park High School 🥈 NJ State Finalist 🎯 Goal: NJ State Champion Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches and legends shaping New Jersey wrestling. ••Premier Sports Nutrition - Champion Athletes - https://champion-athletes.com 00:00 Champion Athletes Nutrition 01:22 Meet Hanover Park’s Joey Monticello 02:43 Growing Up in a Hanover Park Wrestling Town 03:38 Starting Wrestling at Four Years Old 04:39 Being Bigger & Stronger From a Young Age 05:56 Playing Football as a Junior 06:28 Why He Gave Up Football for Wrestling 07:50 The Expectations at Hanover Park 08:25 School, Grades & an Interest in Finance 09:19 Joey’s Wrestling Style: Six Minutes in Your Face 10:10 How Ruthless Wrestling Changed His Game 12:35 Training Inside the Ruthless Room 13:21 Entering High School Expecting to Win States 14:39 Realizing High School Wrestling Was Different 15:57 His Run to the NJ State Finals 16:34 The State Final Against Canova 17:20 Why Second Place Isn’t Good Enough 17:42 Senior Year Goal: Go Undefeated 18:10 Treating Every Match Like an Olympic Final 19:11 The Atmosphere at Hanover Park 20:47 College Wrestling & Division I Goals 22:17 How Far From Home Will He Go? 23:15 Freestyle, Greco & His Wrestling Style 24:16 Understanding Wrestling’s Changing Rules 25:08 The One Wrestling Rule He Would Change 26:12 Mom, Dad & the Monticello Wrestling Machine 27:17 Cutting Weight in an Italian Family 28:37 The Monticello Family Takes Over Atlantic City 29:33 Life Away From Wrestling 30:17 What’s Next for Joey & Hanover Park 30:51 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

Legends never die. Their stories live on through the people they inspired. New Jersey Mat Chat is proud to present the first installment of Legends Never Die, honoring the life and legacy of Johnny Martin, the 1992 New Jersey State Champion from Absegami High School. Johnny Martin's life was cut far too short, but more than three decades after he won his New Jersey state championship, the wrestlers who competed against him, trained beside him and grew up watching him still remember. That's a legacy. Legends Never Die. 🤼 Johnny Martin 🏫 Absegami High School — Class of 1992 🏆 1992 New Jersey State Champion 📈 123-8 High School Record ⭐ Oklahoma State Wrestling 00:00 Legends Never Die: The Story of Johnny Martin 01:05 1992 State Final: Johnny Martin vs. Jay Nase 02:04 Jay Nase Remembers His State Finals Opponent 03:36 “He Was Lightning Fast” 05:49 The Heart & Work Ethic Wrestling Reveals 07:37 One Word for Johnny: Speed 09:15 How Johnny’s Passing Affected Jay Nase 11:12 Johnny’s Brother Joe Martin 12:41 How Johnny Got Started in Wrestling 14:45 Meeting John Smith in Seventh Grade 15:28 Johnny’s Dream: Oklahoma State 16:51 His College Career & Leaving Oklahoma State 17:58 The Back Injury That Changed Everything 19:55 Doctors Tell Johnny His Wrestling Career Is Over 20:40 The Cancer Diagnosis 22:19 Fighting Cancer & Returning to the Wrestling Room 23:42 The Conversations Between Two Brothers 24:36 “The Closest Thing I Have to Having My Own” 25:03 One Word for Johnny: Driven 26:48 A Surprise Call With John Smith 28:48 John Smith Remembers Johnny Martin 31:31 Why NJ Wrestlers Fit at Oklahoma State 32:50 The Malatesta Family & an Incredible Wrestling Story 35:40 A Young Johnny Idolizes Bobby Malatesta Jr. 36:52 Bobby Wins the 1985 NJ State Championship 37:21 The Medal That Changed Johnny’s Life 38:12 Johnny Fulfills the Promise 39:13 Honoring Johnny After His Passing 41:36 The Two State Championship Medals 42:28 “I Knew That Was Going to Be His Day” 43:41 One Word for Johnny: Determined 44:51 Sean Scannell: The Next Generation at Absegami 46:43 How Johnny Paved the Way 48:12 Remembering the Day Johnny Passed 49:29 Carrying Johnny’s Memory Into College 50:39 One Word for Johnny: Innovator 52:55 Teammate Bernie Tenet Remembers Johnny 53:46 Visiting Johnny During His Battle With Cancer 55:07 Johnny’s Oklahoma State Dream 55:58 One Word for Johnny: Awesome 57:45 George Florence Remembers His Teammate 59:21 Watching Johnny Win the 1992 State Title 01:01:09 Visiting Johnny at Oklahoma State 01:04:24 Learning From the Best Wrestlers in the World 01:06:47 Johnny Martin vs. Cary Kolat 01:09:06 One Word for Johnny: Elite 01:10:25 Kathy Barber Remembers Johnny 01:12:48 Johnny’s Letters From College 01:13:26 Their AOL Instant Messenger Conversations 01:14:02 “The Fastest Ankle Pick I’ve Ever Seen” 01:14:21 Johnny & Legendary Coach Gene Barber 01:15:09 One Word for Johnny: Humble 01:17:55 Thank You to the Martin Family 01:18:22 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro

Jayce Cappello didn't grow up as an elite year-round wrestler. He was a baseball player who got serious about wrestling entering high school. Now he's chasing an NJ State Championship. Toms River East standout Jayce Cappello joins New Jersey Mat Chat to talk about his rapid rise in New Jersey high school wrestling, balancing two sports, and why he's choosing wrestling as the path he wants to pursue at the next level. Jayce entered his freshman season with virtually no expectations—and ended it wrestling at the NJ State Championships. After placing the following year, he's entering his junior season with a completely different mindset. In this episode: ⚾ Growing up as a serious baseball player 🤼 When he realized he could be really good at wrestling 🔥 Making States as a freshman 💪 How athleticism, scrambling and conditioning helped close the experience gap ⚾ Balancing high school baseball with year-round wrestling ❤️ Why he ultimately fell in love with wrestling 🎓 Choosing wrestling over baseball if he gets the opportunity in college 🤼 Training at Shore Thing and Top Dog 🏫 Why he chose to stay at Toms River East instead of going private 🧠 How Coach Mark Grey transformed his wrestling 💪 Why Toms River East believes toughness can separate them this season ⚖️ His approach to weight cutting 😂 Life inside the Toms River East wrestling room 🏆 His goal of becoming a New Jersey State Champion 🧠 The mental work he believes will get him there Jayce also talks about the expectations surrounding Toms River East wrestling this season and why he believes their difficult schedule will have them battle-tested when the postseason arrives. This is a great conversation for young athletes who don't necessarily specialize in wrestling from the time they're five years old. Jayce's development shows what can happen when athletic ability meets the right coaching, training partners and commitment. 🤼 Guest: Jayce Cappello 🏫 Toms River East Wrestling 🎯 Goal: NJ State Champion Subscribe to New Jersey Mat Chat for conversations with the wrestlers, coaches and legends shaping New Jersey high school wrestling. ••Premier Sports Nutrition - Champion Athletes - https://champion-athletes.com 00:00 Champion Athletes Nutrition 01:22 Meet Toms River East’s Jayce Cappello 01:48 Big Expectations for Toms River East 03:10 When Wrestling Became Serious 03:39 Making States as a Freshman 04:09 How Athleticism Helped His Wrestling 05:29 Balancing Baseball & Wrestling 06:17 Why He Fell in Love With Wrestling 07:33 Baseball vs. Wrestling: Which Helps More? 08:15 Choosing Wrestling for College 08:28 Training at Shore Thing & Top Dog 09:36 Why He Chose Public School 10:18 The Impact of Coach Mark Grey 11:03 Inside the Toms River East Wrestling Room 12:11 Why He Doesn’t Cut Much Weight 13:24 Turning His Family Into Wrestling Fans 14:29 The Toms River East Team Clown 15:19 The Goal: Win an NJ State Title 16:35 The Mental Side of Wrestling 17:30 Wrestling vs. Baseball Officiating 18:18 His Family’s Toms River Baseball Connection 19:19 Coaches, Family & Final Thoughts 19:55 New Jersey Mat Chat Outro