CRANFORD, NJ — On his way to hopefully becoming the “Best” in March in Atlantic City for the first time, Cranford High School standout grappler Jordan Chapman got his junior campaign off to an impressive start.
One of the most accomplished wrestlers in all of New Jersey, Chapman placed third at 165 pounds at the annual Beast of the East Tournament contested at the University of Delaware on Sunday, Dec. 17.
After falling by one point in the semifinals, Chapman was able to earn the third-place medal at 165 pounds.
Chapman also finished third in the state at 157 pounds in last season’s New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Tournament in Atlantic City.
In the Beast of the East semifinals at Delaware, Chapman was edged by Ryan Garvick of Central Dauphin High School, Harrisburg, Pa., 12-11. Garvick was listed with a career record of 54-4.
In the final, William Henckel of Blair Academy, Blairstown Township, won by technical fall against Garvick by the score of 22-7 and in a time of 5:07.
Chapman entered his junior year with a 77-9 career record, including 35-5 as a freshman and 42-4 as a sophomore.
Before the semifinals, Chapman won first-round, second-round, round of 16 and quarterfinal-round matches in the two-day tournament.
In the first round, Chapman defeated Josh Woyan of Point Pleasant High School, W.V., by technical fall in 3:09 and by the score of 20-5. In the second round, Chapman bested Jake Zearfoss of Gloucester City High School, 5-1.
In the round of 16, Chapman was dominant against Joey DiVello of Skyline High School, Front Royal, Va., by the score of 10-1. Chapman advanced to the semifinals after pinning Noah Hall of Liberty High School, Bealeton, Va., in 3:42 in the quarterfinals.
Chapman’s career record after his semifinal setback stood at 81-10. Chapman placed sixth at 157 in last year’s Beast of the East.
“What he did at the Beast helped him mentally,” Cranford head coach Pat Gorman said.
Next month, Cranford will be going for a ninth consecutive Union County Tournament championship, after capturing a record eighth-straight last season. The Cougars had eight wrestlers reach the finals last year, with six of them winning titles.
Also back this year are sophomores Michael Daly, Ryan Connors and Luke Scholz, all of whom excelled as freshmen during the 2022-2023 campaign. They were three of Cranford’s eight wrestlers who reached the UCT finals last year, with Daly winning at 106, Connors second at 113 and Scholz first at 126.
Daley went 28-8 last year, Connors 32-9 and Scholz 36-5. Connors also advanced to the NJSIAA Tournament out of Region 4 and lost his only match in Atlantic City.
Cranford went 23-4 last year.
Cranford Cougars 2023-2024
• Saturday, Dec. 16, Kearny Tournament
• Wednesday, Dec. 20, Arthur L. Johnson High School
• Friday, Dec. 22, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 27, Sam Cali Tournament, 9 a.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 28, Sam Cali Tournament, 9 a.m.
• Sam Cali Tournament is at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Madison
• Wednesday, Jan. 3, Linden High School, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 5, Roselle Park High School, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 6, Cougar Quad at Cranford High School, 9 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 9, at Delaware Valley High School, 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 10, David Brearley High School, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 12, New Providence High School, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 13, at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, 10 a.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 16, at Wall High School, 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 17, at Rahway High School, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 20, Union County Tournament, TBA
• Wednesday, Jan. 24, Westfield High School, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 26, at Frank J. Cicarell Academy, Elizabeth, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 27, at Southern Regional High School, 10 a.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 31, at Governor Livingston High School, 7 p.m.
File Photo