Wrestling fever: NJ high school spreads community, pageantry, popularity to grueling sport

Sending six to this weekend's pinnacle NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships is impressive, but Cranford coach Pat Gorman, co-program architect Kevin Murray do so much more

Ryder Connors (126) is one of six Cranford wrestlers heading to the NJSIAA state finals in Atlantic City. / Photo: John Haddad/7EightSports

It fits in the palm of one’s hand: an innocuous, round blue-and-gold sticker with a sketched action grappler in the center, surrounded by the curved words “Cranford Wrestling.”

It's accented with a small map of New Jersey. 

Cranford wrestling coach Pat Gorman, a graphic design teacher at the New Jersey high school, has had 300 of them printed out and carefully disperses to traveling family, friends and program alumni to plant it in a meaningful locale before then taking a photo.  

“They send me the picture because we’re making a book showing at least one of these stickers in all 50 states,” Gorman says boldly. 

The plan has stuck. 

He estimates roughly half the country has been tagged so far.

“We’ve got some of the tough ones like Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, some from the Midwest,” Gorman says. “We’ve gone international too. Ireland. The Caribbean. My sister is going to Iceland soon, so we’ll have that covered.” 

One parent on vacation found a Cranford Wrestling sticker stamped to a road sign in a desolate rattlesnake region in Wyoming. 

Smack dab in the middle, the blue and gold stick in the middle, is none other than Cranford Wrestling, smack dab in the middle of Wyoming. / Courtesy photo: Cranford Wrestling

“I just feel like we’ve built this brand, this culture,” Gorman said. “The more people get involved with it, the more it grows.” 

Venice of New Jersey

What “Cranford Wrestling” has grown to stretches far beyond the scope of being one of New Jersey’s top wrestling programs, which it is.

Yes, the 10 straight Union County Tournament titles and 13 overall is impressive. 

Their latest county crown last month was absolutely dominating, with 13 of 14 wrestlers medaling and five taking home titles, including three-time champions Mike Daly (113), Luke Scholz (150) and Jordan Chapman (190).

Others taking home gold were Joey Acinapura (175) and Dylan Jones (157). 

The Cougars have been ranked among top 20 all season by NJ.com in one of the nation’s top wrestling states. 

Here's the first of the 10 straight Union County Championship teams from Cranford, including now assistant coach Gavin Murray / Courtesy photo: Cranford Wrestling

They won the Section 2 title on Feb. 12 and two weeks later at districts, they claimed seven more individual championships, qualifying 10 overall for regionals. 

This weekend the Cougars send six to the final stop of the 2024-25 New Jersey wrestling season — the state NJSIAA finals in Atlantic City.

Daly (113), Ryder Connors (126), Eoghan O’Hara (144), Jones (157) and Chapman (175) hope to pin down the state’s ultimate individual prize. 

“You aim high and if you hit your mark, you go on to the next one,” Gorman said.  

But all the trophies — all the awards, plaques and ribbons that continue to pile up for the Cougars — are sticker-sized mementos compared to the program’s crowning achievement. 

That multi-pronged achievement is a positive impact, engagement and connection to the township of 25,000 residents, about 25 miles East of Manhattan, known as “The Venice of New Jersey,” while spreading the town’s motto of “Friendship and Progress.”

The 13 Cranford wrestlers to medal en route to the team's 10th straight County title / Photo: Cranford wrestling

Cranford fever: Bagpipes, drumlines

That motto is a little tame compared to what residents, even outsiders, feel while attending a Cranford wrestling match. 

It’s an experience not exactly mirroring the beauty and charm of Venice, but there is an unmistakable heartbeat and passion that rules the space, according to John Haddad, a lifelong resident of New Jersey.

The former Wall Street mover and shaker has gone all in on high school sports in the region as owner and founder of 7Eight Sports, a digital media company serving the 78 Corridor District.

 Haddad notes that the Cougars have had strong football and baseball programs, and that basketball coaching legends Hubie Brown and Rollie Massimino each started their careers at Cranford.

The theater that is Cranford (N.J.) wrestling at dual match with Delaware Valley / Photo: John Haddad/7EightSports

But clearly, wrestling rules the athletic landscape.

“Many athletes go to Cranford to catch that wrestling fever — not to be the next Derek Jeter," Haddad said.  

Known for his rich photography — much displayed for this piece — Haddad posted a description on his website of what it was like attending a recent wrestling match at Cranford against Delaware Valley, a pair of public school wrestling powerhouses.  

“The capacity crowd, consisting of a community of fellow students and local supporters — including Harry McNally —- the 86-year-old captain of Cranford’s first wrestling team — looked and sounded like a scene from the movie, ‘Vision Quest,’ “ he wrote. “It doesn’t matter if you had ever been to a high school wrestling match before or not, you still would have felt the electricity — and the percussion section — in your chest.

In the middle of this photo is 86-year-old Harry McNally, from the Cougars first wrestling team, surrounded by every member of the entire 2024-25 after a win over Delaware Valley. / Courtesy photo: Cranford Wrestling

“Yes, along with cheerleaders and a bagpiper, there was a drum corps that added an additional audial dimension that perfectly rounded out the scene.” 

Bagpipes at a wrestling match? Cheerleaders? Percussion? 

Wednesday Night Lights

That’s all Gorman, says Kevin Murray, whose son Gavin was the winningest wrestler to ever walk the halls of Cranford, and part of the 2015 team to win the first of those 10 straight county titles, the first in 31 years. 

Kevin Murray was at the same Delaware Valley match — he’s at all of them — marveling at the atmosphere, the detail, the extra attention to make the kids feel special, to connect the community to the kids, to bridge all gaps and make all feel like winners.

Even when their hands aren’t raised at the end of their match.  

The coaching architect Pat Gorman / Photo: John Haddad

“You’ll never hear it from (Gorman) — he’s way too modest — but he’s one of those coaches who goes the extra special mile,” Kevin Murray said. “He’s such a community guy. He got T-shirts made up that say: ‘Cranford wrestling drum line….We never miss a beat.’ 

“They march in so they feel like they’re part of the community.  It’s those kinds of things that cause excitement. It gives people a reason to come back, something for people to do. It’s the place to be on Wednesday and Friday nights, to be in that gym, rooting on the Cougars. 

“Pat has created that atmosphere.” 

Ultimatums, partnerships and 'Lab Time'

Kevin Murray could take just as much credit for building this ironman program, because he rebuilt the youth program 25 years ago that directly feeds the Cranford machine. 

“(Murray) is over-the-top committed,” Haddad said. “He’s absolutely a huge piece in that program. He reshaped the youth program — between him and (Gorman), turned it into definitely one of the wrestling villages in the state.” 

Kevin Murray (Middle) with sons Gavin (left) and Logan (right). A third brother Colin was part of three Union County championship teams as well. / Courtesy photo: Cranford Wrestling

Kevin immediately credits a third person — his wife — for igniting the fire and all that followed. 

“When we first got together, the wrestling program at Cranford wasn’t very good, and I wanted to leave, town” Kevin said. “But she said, ‘We’re not leaving, so if you don’t like it, fix it.’ “ 

That’s all Kevin needed to hear to not only fix, but build and ultimately construct the PAL Youth Wrestling program as it is today. When he and Gorman intersected at construction points, the true Cranford empire took solid form. 

But there were humble beginnings. 

“With Gavin, we had 33 kids total,” Kevin said of those early years. “Now we have 141 and 30 more on a waitlist. Our middle school team is undefeated. Our elementary school team is undefeated. And our JV team is 11-3.” 

Kevin and Gorman smile broadly recollecting their first meetings at the local “Wrestling Lab,” better known as a local tavern.  

Gorman thought maybe his new collaborator had mixed up his “labs,” when Kevin Murray assured him that Gavin, a tyke at the time, would break every Cranford wrestling record in the books.

Eighan O'Hara (144) is one of six Cranford wrestling who have qualified for the NJSIAA State finals this weekend in Atlantic City / Photo: John Haddad/7EightSports

“I also told him we were going to win at least three county titles in a row while Gavin was there,” Kevin Murray said. “I just remember Pat telling someone else at the lab, ‘This guy is craaaaaazy.’ “ 

Crazy like a fox, or a really smart Cougar. All his predictions came true and then some. 

Turning 6s into 9s

That’s because the two combined a love for the sport, kids and unrelenting work ethic — a trait of most in the wrestling community — to make it all work.

They collaborated on raising money to buy new wrestling rooms and mats. They shared ideas and enthusiasm and saw the benefit of joining forces.  

Cranford senior and Rutgers commit Jordan Chapman (175) might go down as the program's all-time greatest wrestler / Photo: John Haddad/7EightsSports

“What Pat has embraced is that we are a family, not just a team,” Kevin Murray said. “(The youth and high school teams) do so many things together. The high school team has exploded. He's been district and region coach of the year multiple times. His teams don’t rebuild, they just reload. He and his staff have done an amazing job cultivating that. 

“Parents who often think they have to go to private schools for all that success don’t need to. It’s all right here and there. He’s taken the program to a level that as a dad of a 5-year-old ready to move away and made us one of the powerhouses in the state of New Jersey, which is a steep wrestling mecca.” 

Of course, strong programs need talented wrestlers. 

Gavin Murray was the first Cougar to get to the 100-win plateau, which has since been passed by Chapman. 

Chapman is ranked by High School on SI as the16th-best 175-pound wrestler in the nation. The Rutgers commit is seeded second heading into the weekend and is Cranford’s best shot for gold.

“Impressive athlete,” Haddad said. “Some kids just look the part. One look, you know this kid is the real deal.”

Haddad said Cranford’s bread and butter is in development, not landing elite kids, but “taking an athlete you’d consider a ‘6’ and turning them into a ‘9,’ “ he said. “If you wrestle at Cranford, you’re going to hit your potential and then some.” 

Dylan Jones is a prime example of a Cranford wrestler who has expanded his reach and now has more than 100 wins / Photo/graphic by Alagna/7EightSports

Ironically, even poetically, Chapman has been coached and mentored by Gavin Murray, now a 28-year-old cyber security professional, who is one of about 35 Cranford wrestling graduates coaching at some level of the youth and high school program. 

Outside the circles

Nothing is more gratifying to Gorman than watching this Cranford carousel of community. 

“Every time a former wrestler comes back from college, I almost always get a call to see if they can come back and help out,” Gorman said. “They like to give back which tells me we’re doing all the right things.”

Gavin Murray says they are.  

He’s a prime example of the pay-it-forward, backward and sideways Cranford approach, coaching his own middle brother Colin, who was part of three county championship teams, and now his youngest brother Logan, a 132-pound freshman. 

Gavin Murray left with 132-pound freshman Logan Murray / Courtesy photo: Cranford Wrestling

“The sport and wrestling in this program pretty much taught me everything,” Gavin Murray said. “I learned a lot of humility, and at the same time it gave me a lot of confidence. It taught me that all the work you do in life behind the scenes is what will lead to future successes.

“When I was wrestling, fans only see your hands raised up at the end of a match, but not everything that goes on outside of the circles.” 

Said Gorman: “A high school-aged kid really doesn’t know who they are yet. They’re trying to figure that all out. But standing in the same room, surrounded by a bunch of guys making the same sacrifices and working toward the same goals helps mold who they are going to be. 

“And being around people who are working toward the same thing helps them turn away from making bad decisions because this sport doesn’t stop once you leave practice. You have to maintain your weight. You have to stay in shape.” 

Said Kevin Murray: “Dan Gable said it best: ‘Once you wrestle, everything else in life is easy.’ “ 

Gorman does his best to make it easier by flipping all the sports’ monotonous, painstaking ingredients with lighter morsels.  

“It’s such a grueling sport,” he said. “We’ve been so good for this long because part of a culture is to make it fun.” 

Tailor made

It shows in so many ways, colors and seasons.

Besides bagpipes and drumlines, there’s “Murray’s Matside Madness,” a live stream of matches with very colorful commentary from Kevin Murray. 

Hundreds approaching a thousand of alums from all over the state and beyond now tune in. Or locals who just can’t make it.

One of many Holiday cards and ways coach Pat Gorman takes the edge off the intense and tough sport of wrestling / Courtesy graphic: Cranford Wrestling

Kevin Murray has turned into the Dick Vitale of wrestling, baby! 

“We first did it around Covid when people couldn’t get out, but it’s still going,” Kevin Murray said.  

There’s Wrestling Wednesdays, where Cranford wrestling gear is worn by all, from elementary school kids on up. 

“Everyone wears some sort of something,” Gorman said. “Even the teachers.” 

During the holidays, Gorman dresses up as Santa Claus, the entire team dons Santa caps and sings Christmas carols out in the community.  

That spirit spreads to community members, like a local tailor and tuxedo shop owner, who decked varsity coaches Alex Mirabella, Steve VanDam, Gorman, Gavin Murray and Derrick Frankovilla into some slick royal-blue-and-gold suits for the 2024 NJSIAA state tournament. 

From L-R: Coaches Alex Mirabella, Steve VanDam, Pat Gorman, Gavin Murray and Derrick Frankovilla / Courtesy photo: Cranford Wrestling

Of course, the quintet won the tournament’s “best dressed coaches” award, another plaque to put in the gym’s Board of Champions, an overgrowing collection of hardware, history and names. 

“We were seeing a lot of brothers’ names shared on the wall, but now we’re seeing the sons of fathers,” Gorman said. “All those things hopefully inspire kids to perhaps give a little more.

“At the end of the day, what this sport really does teach you a lot about life. Whether the kid becomes the best wrestler is one thing, that’s definitely a goal, but it’s more about being the best person they can become through our program. No matter where they end up."

Even Wyoming.

Cranford poster wrestler Jordan Chapman, the 175-pounder who has the team's best shot to win a state title this weekend / Photo: John Haddad/7EightSports

With coach Gorman looking on intently, Groman 175-pounder Jordan Chapman gobbles up another opponent / Photo: John Haddad

A coaches' job is never done and Pat Gorman gives post match advice to his star wrestler Jordan Chapman / Photo: John Haddad/7EightSports