Damian Weaver
Sport: Wrestling
School: Lyndhurst
Class: Junior. Age: 17
Accomplishment: Weaver became the Golden Bears’ first county wrestling champion in 22 years after beating state qualifier Daniel Rella (Paramus Catholic) in the 150-pound final.
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Sean Farrell – NorthJersey.com
Damian Weaver has been on a mission since April 18, 2021.
Almost a year later, it’s still the last time someone beat him in a high school wrestling match.
That day, the Lyndhurst star was sent home in the North 2 Region tournament after reaching Atlantic City as a freshman. The fact that he was stuck in a pandemic-boosted bracket with eight other state qualifiers didn’t exactly numb the pain.
“It motivated me a lot,” Weaver said. “It wasn’t that I was upset with myself but I was more disappointed in myself that I didn’t make it to states. I have something to prove to myself, my family, my friends. And to everyone in the state.”
Since then, Weaver has achieved wrestling nirvana. He dropped down two weight classes, knocked off 21 straight opponents and secured the 150-pound title at the Bergen County tournament. The fourth-seeded Weaver completed an uphill climb to the top by beating friend Daniel Rella of Paramus Catholic, 5-2.
It’s the first time the Golden Bears have produced a county champion since Dennis McSweeney in 2000.
On hand to watch the final was his older brother Dylan, who’s currently a freshman on the Rutgers wrestling team.
“I loved it,” Damian Weaver said. “I think me and him wrestle exactly alike.”
For the younger Weaver, his transformation began in the summer when he trained three to four times per week, even during the height of football training camp.
All that cardio (and yes, the 6:45 wake-up calls) came in handy last Sunday when BCCA tournament directors condensed the championships from two days to one. It forced Weaver to wrestle five matches in seven hours, including the last three that went the distance. Perhaps no one had a tougher path to the title.
“It was really challenging,” Weaver said. “But I think it was my conditioning. I truly believe that I’m one of the best conditioned wrestlers in the state and I could really wrestle for 10 minutes. It was a mindset that I’m just not losing.”
On the mat, the Weavers are one of the premier families of Bergen County. His dad, Scot, is the head coach at Lyndhurst and the former bench boss at non-public power Queen of Peace. Damian Weaver is the youngest of three (including twin sister Madison) and started wrestling when he was 3 years old.
Surprisingly, one of the only encounters between the Weaver brothers came on the first day of practice in Damian’s freshman year.
