'Nothing but thanks': Jon Cantagallo-Rohm steps down as Hunterdon Central's wrestling coach
There was so much that Jon Cantagallo-Rohm loved about being Hunterdon Central's head wrestling coach, a program oozing with history and success.
The big matches in a packed gym under dimmed lights with students standing and chanting. The bonding with his wrestlers during long days at tournaments, helping to get them into colleges. Connecting with alumni from decades past.
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More: 'An honor': Hunterdon Central's Washleski, Peake join siblings as state medalists
However, he felt the time was right for a new challenge, which is why he accepted the Mendham High School's athletic director job on Monday, effective July 1. He will be stepping down as the Red Devils' head wrestling and boys tennis coaches along with being a health and physical education teacher.
The news was first reported by Mike Weilamann in Open Mike.
Cantagallo-Rohm complied a 184-60 record the past 11 seasons. Hunterdon Central was often in the state Top 20 and the Courier News area Top 10 rankings.
Cantagallo-Rohm, 48, earned a master's in educational leadership from Centenary University and his supervisor's certificate and principal's certificate shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. He was in no hurry to leave the Red Devils, but interviewed here and there for administrative jobs.
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The Morris County school was a good fit, he noted. "When I interviewed at Mendham it felt like home.'
Hunterdon Central wrestling Jon Cantagallo-Rohm (right) with Grant Thompson at the District 20 tournament on February 22, 2025
'I've just kind of been sitting on it, waiting for the right opportunity to present itself,' he continued. 'It ended up being such a good opportunity for me. It's tough, but I've done everything I could at Central, put my heart and soul into the program for 11 years. Now it's time for that next chapter.'
Cantagallo-Rohm had a coveted job at Hunterdon Central. He was the school's third wrestling coach in a program that goes back to 1956. Steve Gibble coached from 1991-92 to 2013-14 and had a record of 348-119. Russ Riegel complied a 533-89-6 record as Hunterdon Central's coach between 1956 and 1991.
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Cantagallo-Rohm prided on keeping a connection with those who wore the Red Devils singlets through the years and relished chatting with state champs from the 1950s and 1960s.
'I always just kept in mind that I wanted to do right by the program and right by the kids,' he said. 'I tried to always just continue what was started in 1956 and just continue that building upon the legacy that's been there for decades. That was just my goal, to keep the tradition going. I hope I did that. I hope the perception of our program around the state is that what's continuing to happen.'
Cantagallo-Rohm, a Phillipsburg resident, indeed continued the Red Devils' mat success. The team won four sectional titles under him and captured the program's first Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament crown in 2024.
There was also a haul of individual successes, including 14 state placers. He started the school's girls wrestling program with the first full team in 2019-2020. In 2019, they had a boys and girls state champ in the same season when Stephanie Andrade and Brett Ungar each won gold medals. Andrade repeated as state champ a year later.
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The Red Devils had a rare rebuilding year this past winter, going 4-19 with several varsity newcomers. They still produced a state medalist in junior Rhett Washleski (seventh at 150) and should be in a good position next season with a dozen starters back.
'There's a lot of memories,' Cantagallo-Rohm said. 'The best part of it is probably the time just being in the wrestling room with the kids. The long days sitting in the bleachers at the tournament just getting to know the kids that you coach. Those are the memorable times. Obviously, there's all the wins and the sectional titles and the runs to the state finals. The kids placing in Atlantic City, those are all great memories but getting to build relationships with the young men is just something I'll cherish forever.'
Cantagallo-Rohm wrestled at Burlington High School and at Upsala. He transferred to West Virginia and walked onto the team. He gave up his senior year of eligibility in college to become the head coach at Laurel Highlands High School in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, to jumpstart his coaching career.
After three years at the western Pennsylvania school, Cantagallo-Rohm taught and coached for a year at Hamilton West. He then left education to go into business in Georgia. The lure of teaching and coaching was too great, though, and he came back to New Jersey. He spent a year each at Bridgewater-Raritan and North Warren before coming to Hunterdon Central.
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He was an assistant coach for three seasons before getting hired in November 2014 as head coach.
While Cantagallo-Rohm was coaching, he got involved in the booster club and various committees at different levels, including a stint as the Region 5 wrestling president.
'I enjoyed the challenges,' he said. 'I hate being stagnant in life and I don't want to say I am now at Hunterdon Central, but I want that next challenge.'
He told the captains Monday night and addressed the team Tuesday. His phone has been buzzing with texts and emails from alumni, parents and coaches throughout the state.
'I have nothing but thanks and appreciation for Hunterdon Central,' he said. 'The Hunterdon Central wrestling community, the New Jersey wrestling community, the outpouring of congratulations and heartfelt thanks from coaches all around the state meant the world to me.'
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ wrestling: Jon Cantagallo-Rohm leaves as Hunterdon Central's coach
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