Southern’s Seon Bowker Transfers to Rancocas Valley, Eligible Immediately

District 24 champion and two-time Region VI qualifier Seon Bowker has transferred from Southern to Rancocas Valley and will be eligible to wrestle immediately.

Bowker's transfer was first reported by the Courier-Post.

Bowker is 22-2 this season and ranked No. 2 in the Shore Conference at 182 pounds. Bowker is the nephew of Rancocas Valley head coach Tony Bowker and has a cousin, sophomore Drew Bowker (25-1), on the team.

Bowker wrestled for Rancocas Valley on Wednesday night and received a forfeit against Pennsauken.

Bowker does not have to sit the usual 30 days for transferring because the move to Rancocas Valley is related to a Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (H.I.B.) allegation at Southern, NJSIAA assistant director Larry White told the Courier-Post. White said the NJSIAA received a letter from Southern Regional stating it was the best 'remedial solution' for Bowker to transfer and that the 30-day sit period be waived.

“I can confirm the letter we received (states Southern is) in the middle of their investigation and through what they have investigated, this is the best remedial solution,” White said.

Southern Regional athletic director Chuck Donohue Jr. would not comment on the situation when contacted by Shore Sports Network.

Southern head coach John Stout told the Press of Atlantic City he was not informed of the reason for Bowker's transfer.

“I know they have some fundamental disagreements with how things were run,” Stout told John Russo of the Press of Atlantic City. “He wasn’t kicked off, he wasn’t removed or otherwise punished in any way. They were just fundamentally displeased with how we run things here. I guess they wanted a change.”

Bowker is arguably the top wrestler for Southern, which is ranked No. 2 in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 and seeded No. 2 in the South Jersey Group V playoffs. The Rams figured to challenge Howell for the sectional title, but Bowker's transfer is a major blow to their chances. Ironically, Rancocas Valley and Southern meet in Monday's quarterfinals.

Wrestling editor Bob Badders can be reached at badders@allshoremedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bob_Badders. Like Shore Sports Network on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel for all the latest video highlights.