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Title dreams drive Weaver and Central
NJSIAA WRESTLING: Team tournament begins today

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 02/14/06BY JOE ADELIZZI
STAFF WRITER

Nick Weaver knows the time is now. It's February and the wrestling is real.

"This is championship month," Weaver said. "It's an important time for myself and for my team."

Now a senior, he is completing his second wrestling season for Central after starting as a prep school standout for The Peddie School, Hightstown.

And he thinks he's better prepared for the individual championships ahead. He hopes his team is also up to the challenge of the NJSIAA Tournament that starts tonight as it was a year ago when the Golden Eagles took the South Jersey Group III title.

"I started late last season because I transferred. No one wrestled me all year long until the state semifinal," he said.

He ran into Jefferson's Dan Vallimont in that bout and lost 7-3. He finished fourth in the state.

"The early rounds (of the states) are a lot like the prep nationals. There are some guys that are beatable. But once you get to the final eight, everyone is capable of winning."

Last year, he hadn't given up an offensive point before the state semifinal.

This year, he found himself on his back against Ocean's Gaetjens Lezin on Jan. 24.

"Yeah, I was scared. It was 7-1 and I was on my back. I'd never been there before," Weaver said. "I had to get to work."

He rallied for 10 points and the victory.

He's still undefeated, and now has a 136-13 career record after helping the Eagles upend Bergen Catholic, No. 3 in the Gannett N.J. Top 20.

The No. 2-seeded Eagles prepare to host Delsea and Seneca tonight. The winner of that bout takes on Central at 7 p.m.

"We still haven't wrestled the perfect match as a team," Weaver said.

Weaver's brother Jack has become an important part of the Central squad and Nick is hoping he can pull the team through. If the Eagles win, they will proably have to go to Kingsway Thursday for the SJ III final. A win there would send them to the Ritacco Center for the group championships Sunday.

Weaver's path to an individual title will put him in a collision course with two-time state champion Darrion Caldwell of Rahway.

"I've never wrestled him," Weaver said. "But I believe in what I can do."

He said that most of his inspiration comes from Damion Hahn, the three-time state champion and two-time NCAA title holder at Minnesota.

"He's been my idol since I was a little kid. I want to be able to do everything he did. I want to work as hard as he worked," Weaver said.

Weaver's father, Jeff, remembers when he first sent his boys off to recreational wrestling.

"I wasn't a wrestler. But my wife (Susan) at the time saw the picture in the Asbury Park Press of the referee talking to a young boy. She saw that and figured at 6 years old he was old enough. I signed him up," Jeff said.

Weaver made his way to Club Hammer where Damion and his late father, Miles, began training him.

"I was getting killed," he said.

He wrestled with the Berkeley Mat Rats before heading off to Peddie.

Now he is back.

"It would be a great thing to see us win. I've been wrestling with these guys so long, since we were little kids. I don't want to see it end on a loss," Weaver said.

Defending champ

Southern coach John Stout said that last year's Group IV title has a place in his heart.

"Knowing we are the only team to ever win it makes it special," Stout said.

The Rams begin defense of the South Jersey crown tonight. They host the winner of a bout between Rancocas Valley and Eastern. No. 2 seed Absegami hosts the other side of the bracket.

Don't forget us

Jackson is the No. 1 seed in Central Jersey Group IV. "Right now, it's in our hands," coach Scott Goodale said. "We have wrestled five teams in the national top 20, and five of the top 10 teams in New Jersey. If we don't lose, we are No. 1."

The Jags might have to wrestle Howell for the crown if the Rebels can get past Steinert. No. 3 seed Brick Memorial has been struck with two cases of impetigo and will not participate in the previously scheduled first-round match. That means Steinert wins by forfeit and advances to the semifinal.

A Shore thing

Five of the six schools in Central Jersey Group III are from the Shore Conference. Defending champion Ocean is at home, as is Wall.