Paramus Star 1 Win From State Title

He's a win away.

Paramus 145-pound senior Nick Alpher will take on Willingboro's James Green in Sunday's state wrestling championships at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. He's the first Spartans wrestler to place in the competition since Danny Zotollo four years ago.

Alpher brimmed with confidence after the victory.

"I think I'm as anybody in the tournament," he said.

Alpher defeated Williamstown's C.J. Cobb, 1-0, in Saturday's semifinals. Alpher put on his best defensive show, riding Cobb throughout the second period before getting an escape and battling Cobb on his feet the rest of the match.

Paramus head coach Steve Klass said defense is the name of Alpher's game.

"He works at it," Klass said. "It's by design. His offense is like football—your best offense is a great defense And he has a very offensive defense."

Alpher and Cobb went through a back-and-forth first period. Alpher said he hopes to put him names among the state's best Sunday.

"It feels good to be part of that legacy," he said.

Klass said Alpher could buck a Paramus state-wrestling trend.

"We've come up short," Klass said of the school's recent individual championship history. "I've had a lot of really good kids who haven't placed the last few years. It's kind of frustrating. But to have someone not only place, but make it to the finals and maybe be a state champ is pretty neat."

Alpher reached the semis after dropping Trenton Central's Canaan Bethea, 4-3, in the quarterfinals. Klass said Alpher wouldn't back down from Green, widely considered one of the nation's best.

"[Green is] one of the best in the country, we know that," Klass said. "But we've beaten two of the best in the country. We talked this week about climbing the ladder. We're at the top of the ladder and we'll try to take [Green] down."

Alpher entered the tournament with a preliminary-round bye. He dropped Montville's Parker Meytrott, 5-0, in the pre-quarterfinals.