Holy Spirit wrestler KJ Sherman competed in the Escape the Rock tournament at Council Rock South High School in Pennsylvania. The prestigious tournament includes multiple state champions and other talented wrestlers from across the country. (Mark Zimmaro)
Max Elton and KJ Sherman’s idea of a great weekend is to end up a little bruised, a lot hungry and absolutely exhausted.
That’s because the Holy Spirit High School wrestlers don’t cut corners in trying to reach their goal of finishing atop the podium.
“It’s going to make me better,” Elton, a junior who wrestles at 113 pounds, said of the vigorous competition. “You want to always go against the best. My coach records every match, and it helps me know what I need to work on. I’ve really come far since my freshman year.”
Elton admits he didn’t always take wrestling so seriously. “I wanted to play football,” Elton said with a laugh. “I really didn’t fall in love with it [wrestling] until my freshman year. Now that I’m older and I understand it better, I love it. I love getting my butt kicked on the mat and learning what I need to get better at.”
Sherman shared a somewhat similar path. He, too, was interested in football and was being recruited for the sport out of elementary school. But he had a change of heart and decided to dedicate himself to wrestling.
Both qualified for the state tournament last year in Atlantic City. Both fell short of the podium but wanted to get better.
They applied and were accepted to wrestle at the recent two-day Escape the Rock tournament at Council Rock South High School in Pennsylvania. The Jan. 15-16 event brought out hundreds of the best high school wrestlers in the country. Elton and Sherman became the first wrestlers from Holy Spirit to compete at Escape the Rock.
“It was our first time coming to this tournament,” said Sherman, a senior who wrestles at 145 pounds. “I wish I could do it another year. I love going against good competition. Even if I lose, I still learn something.”
Elton and Sherman went up against some opponents who had already won multiple state championships in their respective regions. It was a place to compete against the best, take a few lumps, and learn different techniques that get used in different areas of the country.
“Jersey has good wrestlers, but with these PA boys, it’s a different style,” Sherman said. “Every different state has different styles. Getting in these matches will 100 percent get me ready for Boardwalk Hall at New Jersey states.”
Sherman went 3-2 on the weekend but had to win two clutch matches just to make it to the second day. He ended up falling just short of making the final eight after dropping an overtime decision in his final match.
“KJ had to win two more to get here and he did,” said Ralph Paolone, wrestling coach at the Absecon school. “And that’s hard. These two-day tournaments are very tough because you finish late at night and have to cut weight to get back. But that’s why we’re here. To get those kinds of matches.”
Max Elton (Mark Zimmaro)
Elton earned a spot on the podium with a sixth-place finish after a 4-2 record. It was a big moment for Elton, who transferred from Hammonton High School after his freshman year.
“It was my first time going far in a big tournament,” he said. “At some of these meets, I was ending up two or three spots away from placing. I just really wanted it this time. But all these kids are really good here.”
Elton’s growth in the sport is largely because he learned to take better care of himself. He wrestles at a number lower than his normal weight, which sometimes causes him to lose a few pounds in a short order of time. There’s a right and a wrong way to do it.
“I cut weight wrong my freshman year and my eighth grade year, and I just wasn’t feeling right when I got on the mat,” Elton said. “I felt really sluggish and weak. Now I feel good. I always get a good warmup in and I’m ready to go.”
He began seeing a nutritionist during his sophomore year and learned how to correctly lose weight while still eating properly and staying healthy. It changed his wrestling fortunes and also his career path. He now wants to study sports nutrition in college.
“I want to make sure kids aren’t cutting weight wrong,” Elton said. “If they do it wrong, they might not perform as well. It’s really important to know how to take care of yourself.”
Elton is part of Holy Spirit’s yearbook and newspaper clubs, and he takes part in community service. Sherman is senior class president and takes part in the drama club, choir, band, yearbook and Spartan TV, as well as being a member of the National Honor Society. They both enjoy wrestling and the long, tough roads they travel together.
“Max and I warm up together and we get the team going,” Sherman said. “We go to a lot of these big tournaments together, so we’re pretty good friends. He’s like a brother to me.”