Sean Farrell Staff Writer / Record Sports
HACKENSACK – The focus was always on days like today.
Even after all those wins on the football field. Even after the one-handed interception that made headlines.
Nothing for John Burger is quite like the experience of stepping onto the wrestling mat, feeling the urgency to attack and staring down an opponent with his long, blonde hair swaying from side to side. It’s why he wrestled just about every other day even while playing for the Knights’ football team.
The New Milford senior is a wrestler at heart. And a pretty good one.
He’s made it back to the second day of the BCCA George Jockish Holiday Wrestling Tournament. And he’s gunning for more than just second place.
“[Winning] is my ultimate goal for this tournament,” said Burger, who faces Waldwick/Midland Park’s Joseph Parsons in the semifinals on Thursday. “It would mean a lot.”
A year ago, Burger was on the wrong end of Nick Suriano’s historic run. He lost tough battles to Bergen Catholic’s undefeated champion in the finals of the district, region and county tournament.
“Nick is not one to mince words,” said Ray Cottiers, New Milford’s fifth-year coach. “When he speaks, he means it. [After the region final], he said to me that John was one of the toughest opponents he ever came across. Coming from a kid like that speaks volumes to the type of competitor that John is.”
Now Suriano is off at Penn State. And Burger is the man to beat. He’s the top-seeded wrestler in the 138-pound bracket. That hasn’t changed the tenacity that’s made him a star at New Milford.
“Whether he’s the top seed or second seed or no seed, he wrestles like the underdog,” Cottiers said. “He wrestles like it’s him against the world.
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