Hopatcong's Burgos, Haines Head to Atlantic City

Dan Haines was Hopatcong's only state wrestling championship representative in Atlantic City last year. But the grappler was allowed to bring a friend for company. Haines chose Miguel Burgos.

Today, Burgos and Haines will again enter Boardwalk Hall together. Except this time they'll each have their eyes on gold.

Haines, a 125-pound senior, will make his fourth AC appearance. But it'll be Burgos' first. Haines said he's confident in his teammate, but said he'll have to watch his nerves.

"That's really a lot of what I focus on," Haines said. "Not getting nervous. There's a lot of people in there. A lot of people yelling. You have to turn that into motivation. Give people a show."

Burgos, despite relative lack of experience, sounded confident Thursday afternoon. The 161-pound senior only started wrestling midway through his eighth-grade season at head coach Eric Fajerman's request.

"I'm excited to go down there," said Burgos, seeded seventh in the bottom bracket. "That was one of my goals, to make it down there."

Burgos said he felt especially confident in his single- and double-leg takedowns. But making weight has been somewhat of a struggle. He said he was 14 pounds overweight on Monday and cut about 12 pounds by Thursday.

Shedding pounds was also on Haines' mind Thursday, too. He said he and Burgos would go for a run on the boardwalk Thursday night.

Haines was also focused on redemption. He hasn't placed in states since his freshman year.

"That's a lot of (my) motivation," he said. "I don't want to be that kid who's looked at as a fluke."

But Haines said he's not too worried.

"I haven't gotten nervous all year about anything," he said. "If you don't get nervous, that's one up you have on the kid you're wrestling. You've got to figure they're nervous. If someone's wrestling me, I think they're going to say, 'OK, I've got Dan Haines. He's been here four times. He's placed before.' If I'm not nervous, that almost helps me win the match before it starts. I'd rather get pumped up for a match and get ready for it."

Having Burgos with him as a competitor this time, though, will make things a little more interesting.

"I picked him [last year] because I'm friends with him, but also I knew he could make it down there," Haines said. "I knew he was going to be down there this year."