WEST ORANGE - The last Union County High School wrestler to win a state championship was Westfield senior Christian Barber at 152 in 2011.
The last Cranford grappler to have his arm raised in an NJSIAA Tournament final was senior Pat Hogan in 2006.
Standout Cranford senior Jordan Chapman, once again, earned the opportunity to end both of those long state championship-less streaks.
When Chapman defeated Temuulen Mendbileg of St. Benedict's Prep 18-2, technical fall 5:08, in the Saturday, March 1 Region 3 final at 175 he became Cranford's third three-time region winner. The other two were Nik Fikete in 1996, 1997 and 1998 and Pat Hogan in in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Both won as sophomores, juniors and seniors back then in Region 3 at Union.
Chapman won his first two region titles at Region 4 at Union as a sophomore in 2023 and as a junior in 2024.
"I don't think much of it." Chapman said. "It's not the ultimate goal. It's a building block.
"States and college are much higher."
College for Chapman is set, he will continue wrestling collegiately in the Big Ten at Rutgers. Becoming Cranford's first state champion in 19 years is how he wants to make the transition.
Chapman placed third at 157 two years ago and second at 165 last year, falling to Alessio Perentin of Delbarton 12-7.
"That sucked," Chapman said.
Chapman is one of six Cranford wrestlers and also one of 24 grapplers from Union County High Schools - 15 out of Region 4 at Union and nine out of Region 3 at West Orange - that qualified for the NJSIAA Tournament, which will commence Thursday, March 6; continue Friday, March 7 and conclude Saturday, March 8 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
"We had the same six wrestlers at the Beast of the East," Cranford head coach Pat Gorman said.
At the University of Delaware right before Christmas, Chapman placed eighth at 175, junior Michael Daly eighth at 113 and junior Luke Scholz sixth at 150. Daly lost his first match and then wrestled all the way back to place.
"Competing in the Beast of the East and then having a fairly competitive schedule afterwards helped us for this time of the year," Gorman said.
Here's the NJSIAA Tournament schedule:
