A No. 13 seed shocks New Jersey Wrestling Community by Winning Conference Championship

It's rare in high school wrestling for a double-digit seed to win a conference title but that's what happened when Old Bridge's Temiloluwa “Temi” Odumbo delivered a shocking title win in the 190-pound weight class at the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Championship.

Old Bridge’s Temiloluwa Odumbo beats South River’s Filipe Granadeiro in the varsity wrestling 190 lb. weight class in the 2026 GMC Tournament final on Jan. 24, 2026, afternoon at Piscataway High School in Piscataway. / Alexander Lewis / MyCentralJersey / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It doesn’t happen often but every now and then, wrestling reminds us it doesn’t care about seeds, records or reputations.

The wrestler with the gaudiest résumé, the most wins, the highest seed, the most hype, doesn’t always leave with the trophy. It happens in December holiday tournaments and, on occasion, even on the biggest of stages in Atlantic City at the NJSIAA Championships.

Sometimes, it’s the wrestler who strings together four or five solid bouts who ends up on top. While hot streaks are more commonly associated with sports other than wrestling, they exist at times on the mat as well.

Last weekend at the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament in Piscataway, no one rode a hotter hand than Old Bridge senior 190-pounder Temiloluwa “Temi” Odumbo.

A Run Nobody Saw Coming

Seeded 13th, Odumbo authored the kind of weekend that rarely appears next to that bracket number. He knocked off the No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5 seeds to capture a stunning GMC title, sealing it with a re-shot takedown with 27 seconds remaining in the championship bout.

His improbable first-place finish helped Old Bridge finally shed its bridesmaid label, as the Knights edged three-time defending champion St. Joseph Metuchen in the team race. Odumbo was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler in the upper weights.

“He’s a four-year program kid and his record doesn’t reflect the quality kids he’s come up against,” Old Bridge head coach John Post told nj.com. “He is good on his feet, he’s good on defense. He’s been in and out of the lineup during his career and he’s shown some flashes.”

Opportunity Meets Timing

Flashes alone, however, don’t guarantee a starting spot.

When Old Bridge dropped a three-point decision to rival St. Joseph Metuchen on Jan. 17, Post went with a sophomore at 190.

Odumbo entered the GMC Tournament sporting a 4-7 record. He had dropped four of his previous six bouts and drew the No. 13 seed, a place in the bracket where champions are rarely found. “We always tell the kids seeds don’t mean much,” Post said. “When the brackets came out, I thought he was in a good spot to make a run. When I talked to Temi he agreed.”

Odumbo had recently bumped up to 190 pounds after losing a wrestle-off to teammate Alex Kay for the 175-pound spot. What followed were the best two days of wrestling in his career.

Building Momentum

Odumbo wasted little time getting started. He pinned the No. 20 seed in 36 seconds in his opening bout, then followed with a decision over Monroe’s Jayden Badillo, the No. 4 seed.

The momentum carried into Saturday.

In the quarterfinals, Odumbo pulled away from North Brunswick sophomore Aiden Gonzalez, who entered with an 11-5 record. The semifinal proved tougher. Facing the No. 1 seed, Metuchen’s Daniel Montemurno, with an 18-2 record, Odumbo survived a hard-fought 8-6 battle. Trailing 3-1 after two periods, Odumbo surrendered two escapes in the third period but answered each with a takedown, flipping the bout in his favor.

Closing the Deal

The final pitted Odumbo against South River senior Filipe Granadeiro, a 22-match winner. Odumbo struck first, scoring a takedown with 14 seconds left in the opening period and carrying a 3-0 lead into the third. His second takedown, coming with 35 seconds remaining, proved decisive. Granadeiro mounted a late charge, scoring an escape and takedown in a four-second burst to cut the margin to 6-5 with 27 seconds left. Odumbo yielded an escape moments later but held his ground to close out the championship.

“Temi has a pretty good poker face,” Post said. “But he had a big smile after that one.”