Delbarton’s James wins lone N.J. title at Doc Buchanan Tournament; one of six N.J. wrestlers to reach semifinals

James is ranked No. 1 nationally at 165 pounds by High School on SI, and backed up that standing with a dominant performance at one of the most competitive events in the nation.

Delbarton’s Jayden James’s hand is raised after defeating Delsea’s Jamar Dixon Jr. in the championship 150lb match during finals of the NJSIAA individual wrestling state championships at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on Friday, March 8, 2025. Delbarton’s Jayden James is awarded the 150lb state championship title. / Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Six New Jersey wrestlers fought their way into the semifinals at the prestigious Doc Buchanan Invitational, but when the dust settled Saturday night at Clovis West High School in Fresno, Calif., only one Garden State competitor stood atop the podium. Delbarton senior Jayden James delivered a dominant performance to claim a championship, further cementing his status as one of the best wrestlers in the nation.

Jayden James Showed Why He Is Ranked No. 1 Nationally

James, ranked No. 1 nationally at 165 pounds by High School on SI, captured the title at 168 pounds in the talent-heavy, 60-team, two-day tournament that annually draws elite competition from across the country. His championship run added another major accolade to an already stellar senior season, which also includes a first-place finish at the Walsh Ironman Tournament in Ohio earlier this winter.

Penn State Commit Sealed His Title with a Tech Fall

The Penn State commit was sensational throughout the event. In the championship match, James closed the show with authority, earning his third consecutive technical fall, defeating unseeded Slava Shahbayzan of Birmingham High School (California), 18-2, in just 4:22.

James dominated fourth-seeded James Curoso, a sophomore from Clovis, by a 20-5 technical fall. Shahbayzan advanced to the final after second-seeded Josh Piparo of St. Peter’s Prep was forced to forfeit in the semifinals.

Cameron Sontz Places Second for Delbarton

Delbarton nearly produced a second finalist champion, but Cameron Sontz fell just short. Wrestling at 123 pounds, Sontz advanced to the finals before being pinned at 5:02 by top-seeded Rocklin Zinkin of Buchanan (California). Zinkin, an Oklahoma State commit, is ranked No. 2 nationally at 120 by High School on SI, demonstrated why with a composed performance in the title bout. Sontz reached the final by posting an impressive 11-0 major decision over sixth-seeded Darion Johnson, a sophomore from West Linn (Utah).

Four NJ Stars Reached the Semifinals

Four other New Jersey wrestlers reached the semifinals but were unable to advance. At 153 pounds, Delbarton’s Nick Schwartz, seeded fifth, dropped a 6-2 decision to top-seeded Joe Bachman of Faith Christian (Pennsylvania), an Iowa commit ranked No. 3 nationally at 150. Delbarton’s C.J. Betz, the top seed at 193 pounds, suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to fifth-seeded Ladd Holman of Juab (Utah), in a tightly contested semifinal.

St. Peter’s Prep also placed two wrestlers in the semifinals. Piparo, competing at 168 pounds, was forced to forfeit due to injury, ending a promising run. At 135 pounds, fifth-seeded Sal Borrometi was pinned in 5:08 by top-seeded Ashton Besmer of Buchanan, an Army commit ranked No. 4 nationally at 132.

Despite the tough semifinal outcomes, New Jersey’s presence, led by Jayden James, was strongly felt at one of the nation’s premier high school tournaments.