In a flash, Morristown’s Jack Myers pinned his Region 3 opponent in under a minute and then … where, oh where, did he go?

The answer: He was in a solitary hallway at West Orange High School moments later, that’s where.

Down and back. Down and back.

Myers finished his day by running a series of wind sprints to keep his conditioning sharp.

The 144-pound Myers was one of four region champions from the Morris-Sussex area. He pinned West Essex’s Reid Clausi in 48 seconds.

Other champions from the area were:

• Pope John’s Carson Walsh (132), who majored Hackettstown’s Nicolas Balella, 12-1.  
• Hanover Park’s Vincenzo LaValle (190), who beat Bergen Catholic’s Pantaleo Varga, 8-3.
• West Morris’ Tommy Borgia (215), who beat Bergen Catholic’s Mason Marck, 4-3.

With the state tournament in Atlantic City only five days away, Myers was getting in some extra work.

Myers, third in the state last year, is one of the men to beat in his weight this year. He is chasing down the legacy of Morristown wrestling legend Renard Haskins, a two-time state champion for the Colonials in 1970-71 and the last one to bring home a gold medal from the states. 

Haskins died on Feb. 8, 2021 – but his legacy lives on in Morristown wrestling lore.

Myers wants to be a part of that – and he is already building a case for himself. Two of Myers’ losses were in overtime at the season-opening Beast of the East, where he placed seventh. He also lost a 3-2 decision to Rumson’s Sonny Amato at the Sam Cali Tournament.

Myers hasn’t lost since.

And now Boardwalk Hall awaits.

“I’m excited,” he said. “A.C. is always fun. I wrestle my best there. I wrestle my best under pressure.”

He sure did excel under the Region 3 spotlight, when he saw an opening against Clausi and took full advantage with the stunning pin using a Drape cradle.

 “I had legs in and his knee was next to his hip, so I took it,” he said.

Myers opened the match with a takedown and saw the need to go for the pin right then and there.

“At this point of the season, there is no point to getting a takedown and then letting him up,” Myers said. “Just stay off the mat and stay healthy. Get the first takedown. I’m pretty good on top and I took it from there.”

The Virginia-bound senior’s Morristown career has one week left. In an age where some of the best wrestlers opt to leave their district and wrestle elsewhere, Myers chose to stay at home.

“Morristown High has great coaches, all of my friends go there and it has everything I need to be the best wrestler I can be,” he said. “Plus, it’s right next to my house.”

LaValle, meanwhile, was in control of his match against Varga with takedowns in each of the three periods.

“He’s a tough opponent,” said LaValle, a three-time Region 3 champion and a two-time third-place finisher at Boardwalk Hall. “I’ve wrestled him so many times in high school and we knew how each other wrestled.”

Walsh was in complete control against Balella with a takedown and three backs in the first period, another takedown in the second, and two takedowns in the third period.

It was a great way to finish the regions with AC on the horizon.

“I see myself at the top of the podium,” said Walsh, who was sixth in the state at 126 pounds last year. “Just go down there and have fun and not worry about anything. Just have fun, that’s the main thing.”

Borgia got a reversal to take the lead and held off Marck from that point on.

“I got a feel for him early in the match and I could tell that he was strong,” Borgia said. “He had a low attack and he got to my ankle. I was able to hook the leg and get on top for a takedown.”