Alex Reeves, a familiar face to local wrestling fans, is ready and anxious to lead Roadrunner Wrestling into a new era.
Reeves, who was appointed head coach this past summer, was a long-time Assistant Coach who helped former Coach Dan Antonelli build the program into one of the best on the East Coast. And Reeves is excited and ready to continue the program's proud tradition.
The Runners open the season on Saturday, November 6 at home with a match against Temple University in a 1 pm start. They will also continue a tough schedule throughout 2021-22 that includes invitational meets and the NWCA Multi-Division National Duals, leading into a competitive post-season schedule highlighted by the NJCAA National Championship Tournament in March.
Three key returnees will lead the way, including All-American wrestler Jaden Roberts at 184 pounds and talented wrestlers Nick DiGiacomo (125 pounds) and Nick Carrero (157 pounds). They will be bolstered by a talented group of incoming recruits who hope to make their marks early and often.
"We have a young, talented team along with three top returning veterans," said Reeves. "We hope to make quick progress in the early part of the new season. The match against Temple will be a good measure of what we need to start working on."
Season Preview
Coach: Alex Reeves, first year year; former Roadrunner Assistant Coach and Assistant Coach at Clayton High Schoo and Irvington High School.
Assistant Coaches: Paul Toppin, Mark Fischer, Dan Antonelli
Last Season: The Roadrunners won back-to-back Garden State Athletic Conference titles in 2019 and 2020 and the NJCAA Eastern District II crown in 2020. In addition, the Runners produced three individual All-Americans in Dylan Fischer, Tyler Baer and Jaden Roberts.
Season Opener: Saturday, November 6, vs. Temple University at home, 1 pm start.
Key Returnees: Jaden Roberts (Buena Regional), 2021 All-American, 184 pounds; Nick DiGiacomo (Timber Creek), 125 pounds, national qualifier, 2020; Nick Carrero (Absegami), 157 pounds.
Newcomers: Cesare Riccio (Williamstown), 125; Dyland Towne (Gateway Regional), 125; Shamar Baines (Stephen Decatur HS/Berlin, MD), 125/133; Jackson Brucker (Kingsway Regional), 141; Andrew Knorr (Seneca High), 149; Ryan Kolecki (Gateway), 149); Collin Yashinsky (Washington Twp.), 165; Isaiah-Ezekial Cortes (Williamstown), 165; Emmanuel Rogelio (Lenape), 174; Jose Vazquez-Ramos (Parkside HS/Williamstown), 285; Edwin Louis (Irvington HS, Irvington, NJ), 285; Jacob Sadler (Newark, DE), 133.
Outlook for 2021-22: The Runners will have a youth movement in progress this season, but will likely be very competitive on the regional and national stages, especially with such talented returnees as Jaden Roberts, Nick DiGiacomo, and Nick Carrero. There are also several talented recruits among the freshman recruits, so the team will be exciting to watch this winter!
Coach Alex Reeves on 2021-22 season: "We have three amazing leaders led by Jaden Roberts, but we expect plenty of production from our newcomers," said Reeves. "They are all working hard, and the coaching staff is excited to see how far we can go."
