Tick … tick … tick …
The clock is ticking. The calendar is creeping forward.
The 2026 New Jersey state wrestling tournament is less than eight weeks away.
Who’s going? Way too early to tell.
But every week, wrestlers are sending signals.
There was a loud one this past weekend: Hackettstown’s returning qualifier Joe Rowinski, gunning for a return trip to Boardwalk Hall, sent up a warning flare Saturday.
It’s the latest sign that Rowinski is a good bet to return to Atlantic City:
He won his 120-pound weight at the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex tournament over the weekend, knocking off Phillipsburg’s returning state qualifier Anthony Pettinelli in the process, 7-2. In the semis, he won by technical fall (22-5, 4:34) over another good wrestler, Delaware Valley’s Tristan Fawthrop.
That win doesn’t qualify Rowinski for anything, but it does indicate that he’s on track to return to Atlantic City, where he finished 1-2 last year.
Beating Pettinelli – in his own PBurg gym, no less – was a good indicator that Rowinski is on the right path.
“I knew about him,” Rowinski said. “I went with my attack strategy and followed the plan in the semis then did in the finals. It felt great winning against a really hard opponent. I knew it would be a dogfight. I reviewed what I had to do with my coaches and stuck with the plan, which was getting to my offense. We watched film on him and knew what we were looking for.”
“He beat a good Pburg kid and to do that, you have to earn everything,” Tigers coach Tyler Kozimor added. “You have to stay in position, work hard to wear him down, and trust your technique in the end.”
Rowinski attacked the season head-on, winning Outstanding Wrestler honors at the season-opening Morris Knolls Christmas Tournament (Knolls, Morris Hills, Montville, West Morris, Roxbury, South Plainfield, Seton Hall, Watchung Hills were among the attendees).
Rowinski (15-2) tecked Watchung Hills’ Morgan Torres in the semis (20-3, 6:00) and then needed just 23 seconds to deck South Plainfield’s Alex Pigna in the finals.
“The season has gone well,” Rowinski said. “I’m going more to my attacks and the team has been doing well.”
Last year, Rowinski lost in the Region 3 quarterfinals but then battled back to place fourth in the region and qualify for the states. Both of his losses in the regions were against Caldwell’s tough Carmine Sipper – one of the state’s best at that weight this year.
The best at the weight? That would be Delbarton’s two-time returning state champion Cam Sontz, who is a huge favorite to win his third.
Both are significant roadblocks standing in Rowinski’s way at Region 3. So if he can place Top 4 at the regions and get to Boardwalk Hall, he has a real, live chance of advancing and making some noise.
Rowinski is not thinking about the states … yet. Oh, the thought of wrestling under the Boardwalk Hall lights creeps in, but he is taking things one moment at a time.
He is team-oriented and wants to help lift Hackettstown to a big showing in the sectionals. The state released the first batch of power point rankings and the Tigers are in third place at the moment in North 2, Group II behind No. 1 Caldwell and No. 2 West Morris.
After that, it’s on to districts, where Rowinski appears to be the favorite at District 12, which will be held at Randolph High.
Rowinski’s offseason efforts are paying off in a mighty way.
“He put the work in in the summer and in the weight room,” Kozimor said. “He has the mentality of not just going down to AC and placing but getting as high as he possibly can. That’s what those types of kids do. He’s been so consistent from Day One. He is the best kind of leader you can possibly have.”
The hope is that it ends well for Rowinski, who, if he does make it back to the Boardwalk, knows what it is like competing in such a venue.
“The first time last year, it was a little overwhelming and I was nervous,” he recalled. “It opened up my eyes and I saw what I wanted and it motivated me. It was a great experience.”
The ticket hasn’t been punched just yet, but he is on schedule – and he has his many wrestling room partners – Steven Vida, Diego Penaloza, Adrian Pinto, Bryan Dougherty, and Giovanni Gutierrez – to thank.
“I think about AC every week,” he said. “I visualize my goals and it definitely helps. I have to keep doing what I like. I have to make sure I stay on top of injuries and stay healthy. Take one match at a time, keep attacking and expanding what I have.”
“He’s a great kid,” Kozimor said. “I’ve known him since middle school (Kozimor taught Rowinski math in seventh grade. When I first started as an assistant at Hackettstown I was involved in the youth program. He was a standout youth wrestler. He was always very respectful and polite and he still is.”
