Woodstown’s Balback scores 100th career win, Hyland recognized for his 300 coaching wins; story will be updated
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – One of the first things Travis Balback did when he made the Penns Grove varsity wrestling roster four years ago was pull out a piece of paper and write three numbers on it in big, bold letters: 1-0-0.
He put the paper away in a safe place and went back to it after each match he won, drawing a hash mark counting down the big number to zero.
One hundred wins was always a goal of his from the time he started wrestling. He took that paper with him when he transferred to Woodstown and Saturday he scratched the last tick mark off that goal with his 100th career win, an 11-8 decision over Justin Scotton at 132 in the Wolverines’ 32-31 criteria loss to Delran.
He picked up No. 101 with a 54-second pin of Brennan Albright in their 62-12 win over Haddon Heights.
“It’s been a goal since I was a kid to get 100 in high school,” Balback said. “It’s a big accomplishment … It’s something I’ve always wanted.”
He is the ninth Woodstown wrestler to reach the milestone and first since Hunter Gandy in 2021.
Another kind of 100 threatened to derail his bid to get it Saturday. Overnight he was fighting a fever that touched 101 and kept him up all night. But he was determined to go. He had never missed a match due to illness or injury and with the milestone right in front of him he wasn’t about to do that now.
“I felt pretty bad, just gassed,” he said. “Still with some sickness, but, then, you know, it’s wrestling. I was wrestling no matter what. I knew what the goal was, what the mindset was; I had to be here no matter what. It made me wrestle tougher and want it more.”
“He never misses practice,” Wolverines coach Adam Hyland said. “He came to Woodstown to wrestle. He’s a phenomenal kid. He’s a great leader the last two years for us. He’s just a great kid all the way around. Super proud he gets his name on the banner on the board here so he’ll be remembered forever.”
Wrestling up in class at 132, Balback was giving up inches and pounds to his opponent, but held his own. He led 6-2 at the end of the first period and 10-4 at the end of the second. Scotton got closed the gap to 11-8 where a takedown would’ve made things really interesting, but Balback held his ground.
He didn’t feel well the entire match and took the moments it spilled off the mat to recharge. He got a big breather in the third period when Scotton’s headgear came off and officials stopped the bout to put it back.
When it was over, Hyland was the first to walk out and shake his hand. Teammates gathered around for pictures and then it was on to the next match.
“Even when I go to the region tournament I’ve noticed there are very few kids who win 100 matches each year,” Hyland said. “It shows consistency, that you were able to be on the mat for four years every year without injury, you’re obviously good averaging 24 matches per year. It says a lot to get to 100 wins.”
Even though Balback has reached the milestone, there are no plans to retire that piece of paper.
“We’ll just keep going,” he said. “Do as much more as I can.”
Balback wasn’t the only one the Wolverines celebrated Saturday.
Before the match with Delran, school officials recognized Hyland’s 300 career coaching wins. He reached the milestone on Jan. 22 against Overbrook, becoming the third coach in school history to hit the mark (baseball’s Lee Ware, soccer’s Darren Huck). He is the winningest active coach in Salem County.
Since taking the program in 2004, Hyland’s teams have won nine region championships, seven Tri-County Conference division titles and had four wrestlers place in the state tournament.
“I’m not a big stat guy, I just kind of live in the moment, want to wrestle these matches individually every time we wrestle, but obviously to get to a certain milestone like that make me feel good,” Hyland said. “We’ve sort of built the program over the years, got to a certain level, and I’ve been really proud that we put Woodstown on the map in a lot of ways.”
The Balback File
| YEAR | TEAM | RECORD |
| 2021-22 | Penns Grove | 17-8 (8 pins) |
| 2022-23 | Woodstown | 27-4 (16) |
| 2023-24 | Woodstown | 28-6 (20) |
| 2024-25 | Woodstown | 29-4 (22) |
| TOTAL | 101-22 (66) |
| WOODSTOWN 100 | WINS | GRAD YEAR |
| Travis Layton | 144 | 2017 |
| Patrick Higgins | 130 | 2015 |
| Chad Watt | 126 | 2017 |
| Hunter Gandy | 121 | 2021 |
| Patrick McCurdy | 117 | 2013 |
| Nicholas Bonowski | 107 | 2017 |
| Jack Prendergast | 104 | 2020 |
| Connor Bestwick | 104 | 2012 |
| x-Travis Balback | 101 | 2025 |
| x-Mateo Vinciguerra | 96 | 2025 |
| x-active |
WOODSTOWN TRI
DELRAN 32, WOODSTOWN 31
190: Victor Rizzo (D) maj. dec. over Chance Bayonne, 8-0
215: Michael Viereck (D) dec. Bradley Snitcher, 6-2
285: Mateo Vinciguerra (WO) pinned Daniel Lewis, 1:04
106: Chase Dubuque (D) pinned Hunter Allen, 1:53
113: Luke Woronicak (WO) dec. Jeremy George, 6-2
120: Carson Bradway (WO) pinned Andrew Simien, 3:00
126: Christian Pereira (D) dec. Barry Coverly, SV-1 7-4
132: Travis Balback (WO) dec. Justin Scotton, 11-8
138: Gabriel McNeil (D) dec. Louie Scholl, 4-1
144: Alexander Conard (D) pinned Angel Hernandez, 0:54
150: Jackson Weller (D) pinned Thomas Lacy, 0:45
157: Brett Rowand (WO) maj. dec. Shane Palena, 15-7
165: Laitton Roberts (WO) tech fall over Finial English, 19-3 (5:15)
175: Greyson Hyland (WO) maj. dec. Matthew Viereck, 16-8
x-Delran wins on Criteria E (3-2 pins)
WOODSTOWN 62, HADDON HEIGHTS 12
215: Bradley Snitcher (WO) won by forfeit
285: Mateo Vinciguerra (WO) won by forfeit
106: Hunter Allen (WO) dec. Aniello Napolitano, 8-5
113: Michael Ferraro (H) dec. Luke Woronicak, SV-1 10-7
120: Cole Denning (H) dec. Carson Bradway, 15-11
126: Travis Balback (WO) pinned Brennan Albright, 0:54
132: Barry Coverly (WO) pinned Leo Falco, 5:16
138: Louie Scholl (WO) pinned Michael Fitter, 0:47
144: Angel Hernandez (WO) won by forfeit
150: Brett Rowand (WO) tech fall over Ryan Bailey, 16-0 (2:24)
157: Thomas Lacy (WO) won by forfeit
165: Laitton Roberts (WO) pinned Jayden Bonilla, 3:59
175: Greyson Hyland 
pinned Jacob Gutkin, 0:36
190: Joel Martinez (H) pinned Chance Bayonne, 1:02
Notre Dame Quad
BARNEGAT 58, PENNSVILLE 15
165: Connor Green (B) dec. Juan Velasquez, 6-2
175: Gerald Miller (B) pinned Joseph Halstead
190: Connor Ayars (P) pinned Jean Marrero
215: David DeNichilo (B) won by forfeit
285: Trevor Waddington (P) dec. Cuinn Pascavage, 4-1
106: Michael Baccigalupi (B) pinned Brett Land
113: Casey Bonett (B) won by forfeit
120: Nicholas Speer (B) pinned Mekhi Dicks
126: John Giblock (B) pinned Christopher Daniels
132: Nicolas Santos (B) dec. Nathaniel Mason, 10-8
138: Gabe Supernavage (P) pinned Gregory Mamola
144: Trey DeMeo (B) maj. dec. Travis Hagan, 16-6
150: Aiden Pringle (B) won by forfeit
157: Jayden Nieto (B) won by forfeit
NOTRE DAME 53, PENNSVILLE 14
157: Andrew Usmiani (ND) pinned Juan Velasquez, 2:12
165: Ryan Rego (ND) won by forfeit
175: K.J. Honnig (ND) pinned Joseph Halstead, 1:52
190: Michael Mulray (ND) dec. Connor Ayars, 11-6
215: Jeffrey Merendino (ND) won by forfeit
285: Trevor Waddington (P) pinned Zach Hammerstone, 5:09
106: Andrew Castro (ND) dec. Brett Land, 9-8
113: Daniel Gonzales (ND) won by forfeit
120: Jake Mulray (ND) maj. dec. Mekhi Dicks, 10-2
126: Sebastian Molina (ND) maj. dec. Christopher Daniels, 10-2
132: Nathaniel Mason (P) maj. dec. Johnny Celli, 12-4
138: Gabe Supernavage (P) maj. dec. Luca Franzen, 12-2
144: Joey Bonko (ND) dec Travis Hagan, 7-2
150: Jayden Hunt (ND) won by forfeit
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