Our community celebrated a breakthrough moment Saturday as Central Regional's Jade Hahn finally broke through to claim her first state wrestling championship, headlining an impressive performance by Shore Conference athletes at the NJSIAA individual wrestling championships in Atlantic City.
Hahn dominated the 185-pound final at Boardwalk Hall, pinning Aryana Osorio of St. Mary in just 90 seconds. The victory was especially sweet for the Central Regional wrestler, who had reached the state final twice before without claiming gold — first as a freshman at Donovan Catholic in 2023, then again last year at Central.
What makes Hahn's championship even more remarkable is that she missed the early part of this season recovering from a knee injury. Her determination to return and capture the title that had eluded her demonstrates the resilience that defines our local athletes.
Howell Wrestlers Battle in Finals
Howell sent two wrestlers to championship matches, with both athletes earning runner-up finishes in hard-fought contests.
At 114 pounds, Kylie Gudewitz faced River Dell's Jocelyn Danbe in what turned into a defensive battle. Through two periods, the score stood at just 1-1 before Gudewitz ultimately fell 4-2. This marked Gudewitz's third consecutive appearance in the state finals — she won the 114-pound championship in 2024 and finished as runner-up last year.
In the 235-pound final, Giavonna Farrell-Byers met top-seeded Saharia Quamina of Bloomfield. Despite a strong tournament run that included a dominant 10-2 major decision over North Plainfield's Amaree Walker in Friday's semifinals, Farrell-Byers was pinned at 2:36. The second-place finish represents significant progress for Farrell-Byers, who placed fourth in the state at heavyweight last season.
Central Regional's Alicea Adds Another Medal
Central Regional's Liliana Alicea continued her impressive medal collection at 165 pounds, though she came up short against DePaul's Olivia Georges in the final. Georges, who became a three-time state champion with her 17-6 victory, proved too strong for Alicea on this day.
Still, Alicea's runner-up finish adds to an already stellar resume. She placed third at 165 pounds last year and claimed the state championship at 185 pounds during her sophomore season, establishing herself as one of the Shore's most decorated wrestlers.
The strong showing by Shore Conference wrestlers at the state championships reflects the growing strength of girls wrestling in our community. With multiple finalists and one champion crowned, our local athletes proved they can compete with the best talent New Jersey has to offer.
