It was a much different year in the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference than what we are accustomed to.
Hasbrouck Heights won its first conference championship, Manchester Regional collected its first division title in 41 seasons, and New Milford captured its first sectional crown in what was a fantastic year for the league in 2024-25.
Below, find our postseason honors for the NJIC, including the boys and girls Wrestlers of the Year, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year, and the final rankings.
Boys Wrestler of the Year:
Devin Ryan, New Milford, Sr.
Ryan didn’t make the state podium like he did in each of the last two seasons, but it was a year to remember for the Army commit.
Ryan lost in the blood round at the state tournament, he won his second county championship, and reached the Region 1 final for the third season in a row. The senior finished his campaign 33-6 with a fourth district championship.
One of the highlights of Ryan’s season actually came in a loss in Atlantic City as he took down St. John Vianney four-time state champion Anthony Knox in what was a 14-6 major decision defeat.
Girls Wrestler of the Year:
Kiana Alvarez, Elmwood Park, Sr.
Alvarez was the lone NJIC girls wrestler to make the state podium earlier this month. The senior took sixth at 185 pounds.
Alvarez entered the state tournament at 18-0 with nothing but pins, including one against North 2 Region champion Brianna Sandoval of Bound Brook. She went 3-3 in the state tournament with a loss in the quarterfinals before losing the fifth-place match by fall to Sandoval.
Alvarez won titles at the Garfield Holiday Tournament, Elizabeth Lady Minuteman Classic, Bergen County Tournament and North 1 Region Tournament.
Coach of the Year: David Heitman, Manchester Regional
Heitman helped Manchester Regional reach its greatest heights in decades in what turned into a banner season.
The Falcons won their first division title in 41 years, finished 15-5 and over the .500 mark for the first time in over 15 years, reached the NJIC postseason for the first time, and advanced seven wrestlers into the Region 2 Tournament.
Manchester Regional also had eight wrestlers finish either second, third or fourth at the District 5 Tournament and it got a trio of grapplers to the podium at the Passaic County Tournament.
Team of the Year: Hasbrouck Heights
The Aviators got their due after losing in last season’s NJIC Championship on the final bout of the match. Hasbrouck Heights got the deed done this year with a 41-22 win over Manchester Regional in the title after a 40-33 win over New Milford on the last bout in the semifinals.
Hasbrouck Heights went 20-2 on the year with the lone losses coming to North 1, Group 3 runner-up Old Tappan and Group 1 finalist Hanover Park. The loss to Hanover Park came in the North 2, Group 1 championship. The Aviators defeated Cedar Grove twice as well as Clifton and Passaic Valley as part of their dominant campaign.
The 20 victories match their win total from each of the last two seasons. Hasbrouck Heights went 10-0 against NJIC opponents in 2024-25.
Final NJIC rankings
- 1-Hasbrocck Heights (20-2)
- 2-New Milford (16-2)
- 3-Manchester Regional (15-5)
- 4-Pompton Lakes (19-6)
- 5-Emerson-Park Ridge (11-11)
- 6-Becton-Wood-Ridge (22-6)
- 7-Leonia-Palisades Park (12-4)
- 8-Lyndhurst-North Arlington (6-10)
- 9-Butler (10-14)
- 10-Secaucus (12-17)
Final Group 1 Rankings
- 1-Delaware Valley (19-3)
- 2-Hanover Park (17-7)
- 3-Paulsboro (15-8)
- 4-Hasbrouck Heights (20-2)
- 5-New Milford (16-2)
- 6-Woodstown (18-9)
- 7-Schalick (27-2)
- 8-Audubon (22-5)
- 9-Pompton Lakes (19-6)
- 10-Cedar Grove (16-8)
