Fan Poll Selects the Shore’s Best Pound-for-Pound Wrestler

We're on the cusp of the NJSIAA district tournaments to kick-start the individual postseason, and many Shore Conference wrestlers are expected to be in contention for all-state status in three weeks in Atlantic City.

There is a bevy of standout wrestlers in the Shore, and while we at Shore Sports Network have our opinion as to who the best is, we had a question: what do the fans think? We put it to a vote over the span of 10 days, and now we have our answer.

Tens of thousands of votes stuffed the ballot, and when all the responses were tallied it was Lacey sophomore 106-pounder Hunter Gutierrez who emerged as the overwhelming winner.

A state tournament qualifier last season as the Region VI runner-up at 106 pounds, Gutierrez has been dominant this season with a perfect 32-0 record and the No. 6 ranking in the state at 106 pounds by NJ.com.. Gutierrez has won championships at the TCNJ Pride Tournament and the Collingswood Tournament. Of his 32 victories, 18 have come by fall and nine others have secured bonus points (major decision, technical fall or forfeit).

Gutierrez is one of 46 unbeaten wrestlers statewide entering districts and one of just nine wrestlers from the Shore who have yet to be defeated this season. He is the favorite to win the District 27 Tournament this weekend at Rancocas Valley High School and would then be considered the favorite in the Region VII Tournament. He is looking to become the 10th state medalist for Lacey and first since Lex Knapp finished second at 220 pounds in 2012.

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