Collin Elam is counting on a short break after the wrestling season, not that the Ewing High School senior ever takes much time off while juggling three sports year-round.
“I like the challenge,” Elam said. “I like having to work hard for things.”
Elam took his first step toward a return trip to the New Jersey state championships with a runner-up finish at 190 pounds in districts. Seeded first, Elam won his first two matches before a narrow 5-4 loss to Omar Ebrahim of Lawrence forced him to settle for silver at the District 21 championships at Robbinsville High on Feb. 18.
“It felt good to compete and get big wins under my belt,” Elam said. “I wish I could have finished the job, but I’m happy to move up and move on to regions.”
Elam is the lone Blue Devils wrestler to advance out of districts. Connor Greig won his first-round match by pin at districts before falling in the second round at 165 pounds. The Region 6 tournament for the top three finishers in each weight class from districts was set to begin on Feb. 24. The state tournament is Mar. 1-3 in Atlantic City, N.J.
“Of course, the goal is to go back there, but to do even better than I did last time,” Elam said. “Win a few matches and hopefully place, or make something happen and win.”
Last year as a 21 seed at 215 pounds at the state meet and a relative unknown, Elam won a match in the state championships, an 11-5 decision over 12th-seeded Steven Coghan of Saint Thomas Aquinas in the first round before falling in the second round and the wrestlebacks to end his year 34-5. Elam had placed second at the region tournament. His first career trip to the state tournament was an experience that he won’t forget.
“It’s crazy,” Elam said. “The atmosphere, everything is just crazy. The lights are huge, the stadium is huge. It’s definitely a great experience. And hopefully going back there again, I would have the experience there and I can just get ready to go and win some matches. “
Elam has forged a 26-5 record this year, including a hard-fought win of the 215-pound weight class at the Mercer County Tournament in January. Seeded fourth, he opened with a pin, then a 3-2 decision over Peddie’s Brock Schaubel to reach the semifinals. There, he topped Zane Spencer of Lawrence with a late pin to advance to the finals where he also picked up a third-period pin over second-seeded Jon Trainor of Hopewell Valley. For the state meet, he moved back down to 190 pounds.
“I got here towards the end of the season last year and I saw him down at regions and saw just the differences in styles,” said Ewing coach DJ Zedalis. “And he’s able to adapt as quickly as any of the wrestlers I’ve seen before, being able to go up to the 215-weight class or down to the 190-weight class, whether it be speed, whether it be power, just being able to make those tiny adjustments.”
Adjusting is just part of life for Elam. Consider that wrestling, which usually favors year-round wrestlers to be state qualifiers, isn’t even his top sport yet he’s able to climb to the highest level. Neither is football, for which he was a defensive lineman and right guard this fall. It’s baseball for which he has committed to New Jersey City University next year as a pitcher.
“I’m still practicing baseball as I’m wrestling,” Elam said. “I still practice other sports when I’m not into it.”
Elam expects to have a week off between seasons. Then he will jump into his top sport, one in which he has starred on the mound and played infield for Ewing. Last year’s season was highlighted by winning the Mercer County Invitational, and by his 11-strikeout performance in a win over Princeton High at Trenton Thunder Stadium. While Elam looks forward to focusing on baseball in the spring and in his college athletic career, he has enjoyed the chance to continue in all three sports in high school, something of a rarity in the age of specialization among young athletes.
“I think it just makes you more versatile,” Elam said. “It makes you able to adapt to things. It’s a good challenge and it really shows you have dedication.”
Elam has enjoyed success in each of his sports. He was a part of Ewing’s six-win football team as a junior. His pitching has been reliable for the Blue Devils baseball team, and he has developed into an accomplished wrestler. Each of his sports has brought something different.
“I like how wrestling is like a team sport, but it’s really a solo sport,” Elam said. “You’re all by yourself and everything’s on you. There are no excuses. It’s all about you.”
His wrestling career for Ewing started with a COVID-19 pandemic shortened 2020-2021 season. But as a sophomore, Elam was 22-10 while wrestling at 215. He placed second in District 24, and won a match at the Region 6 tournament. That propelled him to a big breakout when he reached the state tournament last year. He’s been waiting all year for the chance to return.
“I’ve been able to stay focused mostly and I’ve kept on the grind knowing it’s a long grind,” said Elam. “I kept at it and I know the goal at the end is there.”
It’s a bit different this year. Elam has slimmed down to wrestle through the postseason at 190 pounds though he competed in mostly 215 matches during the regular season, including his county win.
“I’ve been working hard in the wrestling room and just losing weight and dieting,” Elam said. “I made the cut down to 190 and I feel more comfortable and confident in using my strength and speed at that weight.
“I always a little smaller on the 215, I was a little light,” he explained. “I was wrestling kids bigger than me. I felt that going down was just smarter.”
Elam has been able to blend his talents to work well at either weight. The focus for the season has been preparing him to be effective in any situation.
“A lot of it has been conditioning,” Zedalis said. “He got a lot of power from his football season so it’s mainly just making sure that he keeps that strength throughout the matches. So we’ve been doing some longer match types in practices, keeping him doing some lives, showing him some more power moves so he’s able to out-strength the 190 guys, but also working on his quicker moves so whenever he was wrestling 215, he’s able to use his speed against 215ers. Just being able to give him that dual threat has been really important to him this season.”
Zedalis has been impressed with the way that Elam has gone about his business to return to a high level of wrestling in the midst of a full schedule. It’s not something that he has seen a lot of anywhere.
“Coming from Western Pa., it’s like everybody lives and breathes wrestling all year-round,” said Zedalis. “You don’t see a lot of guys going into multiple sports. Colin is one of those guys who’s a freak athlete. He’s able to do three different sports and excel in all of those three sports.”
Elam came into the season hopeful that he would get another chance at competing in the wrestling state championships. He could earn that shot with a podium finish at regions for the chance to finish his wrestling career on a high note.
“I just know I gotta work hard for this, keep my head on straight and keep pushing through and finish it,” Elam said. “It’ll be one of my last matches. I know the goal at the end is just to get it done.”
Collin Elam has gotten plenty done during four years of high school athletics. He’s had remarkable experiences in football and baseball, and he’s looking to wrap up his wrestling career by adding another highlight to another strong season.
“I’m happy,” Elam said. “I got a good tournament win at MCTs, and I have a good record right now. I’m happy with how this year has gone so far.”
