“It’s not like he’s not human. Caldwell beat Metcalf. This is wrestling. He’s not a machine out there.”

— Vinny Fava, after beating New York’s Stephen Dutton for NHSCA Juniors title

By Mike Finn

When it comes to being the best, one has to beat the best. That’s the attitude Fava, a third-place New Jersey state placer this winter, took into his bout against Dutton, the New York Division 1 state champion, in their 135-pound championship match, April 3, in Virginia Beach, Va.

            And that was the common thread between Fava and Darrion Caldwell, who stunned college wrestling’s Hodge Trophy winner Brent Metcalf for the NCAA championship at 149 pounds two weeks earlier in St. Louis?

            Both victors were from New Jersey, the Eastern state which may be enjoying its finest period ever in wrestling … on both the high school and college level.

            “We are peaking,” said New Jersey state team leader Gary “Gimp” Brownwell, who has followed New Jersey wrestling since graduating from high school in 1968. Brownwell, a graduate of Lehigh University, is also is familiar with the wrestling in Pennsylvania, considered the top state for producing elite high school wrestlers.

            “I don’t know if anyone can top Pennsylvania,” said Brownell, whose Escape Sports wrestling tournament computer software is used around the country. “They are so deep, but I’ll take my best kids in New Jersey and have a nice dual meet with them.”

            When most people talk about New Jersey wrestling, they talk about Blair Academy, a private prep school and traditionally the nation’s top-ranked high school program in Blairstown, N.J.

            But with the emergence of NCAA champion wrestlers — like Caldwell, a three-time state champ from Rahway High School, and 157-pound champion Derrick Burroughs, who won a state championship at Winslow Township in Sicklerville, N.J., before attending the University of Nebraska — the state’s public schools are producing nearly as many great wrestlers.

            Of the 45 New Jersey wrestlers who earned All-American wrestlers, only four were from Blair.

            Prep schools are more common in this part of the country and Fava attended Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J., before transferring back to his home high school at Elmwood Park, N.J., where he is trying to prove he is as good as anyone.

            “When I transferred back, I got ripped on NJwrestling.com,” said Fava. “I want to prove myself. It’s not about what school you go to. It’s what you do.”

            And according to Fava and many New Jersey natives, there is a lot going on in the state, especially when it comes to high school wrestling.

            “A lot of people underestimate us compared to Pennsylvania and Ohio,” said Fava. “We are a small state, but we had the likes of Caldwell, Burroughs. Even at the lower levels, we are coming together.”

            The state is currently led by Longbranch High School, which won the top team in New Jersey award this winter, is ranked No. 22 by WIN and produced four All-Americans in Virginia Beach, including Junior champions Nick Visicaro (160) and Billy George (189).

            Meanwhile, some of the best New Jersey wrestlers are underclassmen like sophomore Andrew Campolattano from Bound Brook, N.J., who has won two state titles. He could join the likes of current Cornell wrestler Mike Grey (the former Delbarton prep, who became the first four-time state champ in New Jersey) and Rutgers’ Scott Winston (the first New Jersey prep from Jackson Memorial to go undefeated four years).

            “I’m not a state champ but I’m wrestling guys here who were three-time state champs,” Fava said. “But they weren’t New Jersey state champs.”

            According to Brownwell, New Jersey produced strong wrestlers in the 1970s, but fell off until the late 1980s with the emergence of clubs like The Edge. Created by Ernie Monaco, the club has helped produce 11 first-team Asics High School All-Americans and 31 NCAA All-Americans.

            “He was getting these kids from all over the state and training them,” Brownwell said. “Now if you look at it, there are 20-30 major clubs in New Jersey. These kids who are good are going there, looking for better competition. With New Jersey, we probably don’t have as many good teams as Pennsylvania does, but we have great individuals and a lot of it is because of these clubs.”

            Brownwell was quick to include Blair Academy because its coach Jeff Buxton has opened his wrestling room to those who do not compete for Blair.

            “I had people help me out my whole life in wrestling and if I’m able to help out someone who wants to improve his wrestling, I will,” said Buxton, who recalls a time when the state’s athletic association did not allow high school wrestlers to compete outside the state and limited wrestlers to just 22 matches before District competition.

            “They are seeing what other states and teams are doing and going out and venturing outside of their little community,” Buxton said. “High Point went to the Clash (in Rochester, Minn., in January) and has wrestled Blair a few times. Long Branch has stepped out and tried to wrestle in Pennsylvania. Phillipsburg went out to Reno (Tournament of Champions in December).”

            There is a no-quit attitude in many of these New Jersey wrestlers, including Fava, who wrestled after losing a contact in his victory over Dutton, WIN’s No. 2-ranked junior at his weight.

            “I’d wrestle blindfolded,” said Fava, who hopes to catch a college coach’s attention after his NHSCA championship. “It opens a lot of coaches’ eyes. I’m not going to settle for second. I’m always going to keep pushing.”