Latest news with #CollingswoodHighSchool
Fox News
05-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Top NJ wrestler Anthony Knox Jr charged with simple assault for alleged role in viral tournament brawl
Star New Jersey high school wrestler Anthony Knox has been charged with simple assault-purposely/knowingly causing bodily injury after allegedly participating in a brawl in the bleachers at a tournament last month, per the New York Post. Knox and his father, Anthony Knox Sr., were detained after the brawl at Collingswood High School dissipated. Knox Jr. had already won his match for St. John Vianney High School, which checked another key box on his way to an expected fourth straight New Jersey title in his weight class. Court documents obtained by The Post and videos on social media reveal a person alleged to be Knox Jr. sprinting up the bleachers to join the brawl at the high school. "The defendant did enter the opposing team's designated section of the gymnasium bleachers during the District 25 wrestling tournament, where he proceeded to punch [redacted] about the face and head repeatedly, which result in bruising and pain to the right temple area," the complaint document read. Knox Jr. was disqualified by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) from participation in the tournament until Mercer County Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels granted him a temporary restraining order from his ban, allowing him to compete in the Region 7 tournament. Knox Jr. won his match and will compete for his fourth straight state title this weekend. Knox Jr. issued a statement explaining why he joined the brawl, in which he said his father approached the opposing team to address alleged insults. "During the finals matches, the atmosphere of the crowd became increasingly hostile toward me and my teammates because of our success," Knox Jr.'s statement read, which Bartels asked of him. "Insults were hurled at us. Apparently, my father approached the people hurling the insults and asked them to stop. "In response, I saw these people lunge forward assaulting my father and he was pulled down and completely surrounded by unruly people. My immediate reaction was to run close to the section to aid in the protection and safety of my father and mother, who was with me. I dispute the NJSIAA's adopted version of the facts." The Knox family also participated in an interview with ABC7, where Knox Sr. said "racial slurs" were being said toward kids on the mats below. "[I] saw a bunch of grown men yelling racial slurs at kids that I've been training since they were 6 years old, cursing at my son, cursing at my wife," said Knox Sr., a former MMA fighter. "As a man, I walked over, walked up into the stands and asked the guy to stop. At that point, I was assaulted. Never threw a punch. Never hurt anybody. Never ran up there like a bat out of hell just throwing punches at people. None of that happened. I got pushed down the bleachers. I could have gotten seriously injured. Then I got surrounded by about 10 other families." The NJSIAA's initial response, after reviewing the video evidence online, was to disqualify Knox Jr., the top-ranked wrestler in the 126-pound weight class in the country, from the state tournament. Then, after Bartels' decision on the matter, the governing body said it would appeal the court's decision, which they "strongly disagree" with. Knox Jr. is a Cornell commit who had a "tough conversation" with his future head coach, Mike Grey, about the situation that unfolded at Collingswood High School. Grey told that Knox Jr.'s status with the university hasn't been affected by the incident, and he plans to have him on his roster whenever he enrolls. Knox Jr. defeated Lacey High School's Aidan Flynn to win the Region 7 title in the 126-pound weight class, setting himself up for one more match that would make him the fifth wrestler in the state to ever win four straight New Jersey titles. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
01-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Judge reverses ban on star high school wrestler that was arrested; can compete for fourth straight state title
After initially being barred from competing for a fourth-straight high school wrestling title, Anthony Knox is set to vie for a four-peat after all. The New Jersey wrestler was originally disqualified from the state tournament after getting involved in a brawl that ended with him and his dad arrested. The incident happened at the NJ District 25 Wrestling Tournament at Collingswood High School, according to and Knox is accused of sprinting into the stands, where a brawl began between his father, Anthony Knox Sr., and fans watching the tournament. However, Mercer County Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels granted Knox Jr. a temporary restraining order from his ban on Friday, which, at the moment, allows him to compete. The New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association, which Knox Jr. filed a lawsuit against, said they planned to appeal the court's decision that they "strongly disagree" with. Videos appearing online showed the fight breaking out and working its way down the bleachers. After the dust settled, Jersey Sports Zone reported that both Knox Sr. and Knox Jr. were detained by police after the brawl, which occurred after the 190-pound final. This came after Knox had won his latest 126-pound district title. Knox Jr., a Cornell commit, is the top-ranked 126-pound wrestler in the United States with, through last weekend, a career 136-1 record and 123 straight wins, including his district title. His alleged involvement in the brawl did not affect his status on the college team. The St. John Vianney senior is now competing for the Region 7 tournament this weekend. He weighed in at the tournament less than an hour after the court's decision. The state championships will take place next weekend, where Knox Jr. is now, once again, the heavy favorite after winning each of his first three years at SJV. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
CBS News
01-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Top New Jersey high school wrestler will be allowed to compete in state championship after disqualification
A top high school wrestler in New Jersey who had been disqualified from the state championship will now be allowed to compete. Friday, a judge granted St. John Vianney High School senior Anthony Knox Jr. a relief from the disqualification levied from the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. The decision came just one hour before the weigh-in for the competition. Knox Jr. will be trying to win a historic fourth straight state championship. New Jersey wrestling tournament brawl controversy The controversy started at the NJ District 25 tournament at Collingswood High School last Saturday. Knox Jr.'s father claims a spectator was cursing and yelling racial slurs at competitors, and when he asked the man to stop, he was assaulted. Videos show a large fight breaking out among spectators. Knox Jr. said he ran into the stands because he feared for his family's wellbeing. Both father and son were led away in handcuffs after the brawl, prompting the NJSIAA to disqualify Knox Jr. from the state championship. An attorney filed an injunction that would allow Knox Jr. to compete.
Fox News
27-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Star NJ wrestler's college career won't be affected despite brawl at tourney leads to arrest: report
A wild story came out of New Jersey high school wrestling over the weekend, as Anthony Knox Jr., the No. 1-ranked 126-pound wrestler in the country, was detained after a brawl involving his dad and other fans at a district tournament. While his short-term future in the sport has been affected, the long term is a different story for Knox. Knox had already won his match at the NJ District 25 Wrestling Tournament at Collingswood High School, which pushed him down the path to winning his fourth straight state title in his weight class. However, after the 190-pound final, a brawl started in the stands, which saw Anthony Knox Sr. at the center of it. His son was seen in video footage of the brawl sprinting up the bleachers to join in. When the dust settled, both Knox Sr. and Knox Jr. were arrested, according to Jersey Sports Zone. Knox Jr. has since been disqualified from participating in the state tournament in Atlantic City, but his future at Cornell University, the school he committed to as the next step of his wrestling career, came into question. Mike Grey, Cornell's wrestling coach, told that he had a "tough conversation" with Knox Jr., and he will still be wrestling for the university in the future. It may not come next season, as the report added that Knox has discussed taking a year off before enrolling in 2026-27. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) released a statement regarding Knox, explaining their decision to disqualify him from the state tournament. "Earlier today, I informed the Saint John Vianney High School administration that the student-athlete wrestling in the 126-pound weight class has been disqualified from the NJSIAA wrestling state tournament," NJSIAA Executive Director Colleen Maguire said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The disqualification was the result of my investigation into an incident that occurred on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at the district tournament hosted at Collingswood High School. I have determined that the disqualified student-athlete violated both the association's sportsmanship policy and its disqualification rule for leaving the bench area during an altercation. "I would like to thank the administrators and coaches from our member schools and those spectators who provided written statements and videos to assist the investigation. I also would like to thank event staff security and the Collingswood Police Department for their efficient handling of this incident, which allowed the tournament to be completed without further incident. "I did not make this decision lightly. I am fully aware of the consequences to the student-athlete. He is a senior, and this disqualification effectively ends his high school career. However, my role is to uphold the integrity of high school athletics by ensuring that all participants adhere to the same rules and are held to the same standards of sportsmanship and safety. "Let it be clear, the association cannot, and will not, condone actions that violate its sportsmanship policy or its member school-approved rules." Knox Jr. also released a statement on Instagram. "As many of you know, I have been disqualified from my next two matches due to an unfortunate incident that occurred in the stands at Collingswood HS well after I had finished competing at the district tournament," Knox Jr. wrote. "Like anyone, my only concern at that time was protecting the safety of my family. While I respect the NJSIAA's decision, my family and I are currently reviewing our options to determine the best course of action moving forward. "I am disappointed in this outcome, but remain happy and grateful for the opportunities I've had. l am committed to supporting my teammates still representing our school and the sport of wrestling with the same passion and dedication that got us here. No matter what happens next, I will continue to train, compete, and push myself to be the best wrestler and person I can be as I continue my career onward at Cornell University. "Thank you all for your continued love and support. It truly means the world to me. I'm more motivated than ever and excited to prove to everyone what I already know, that I'm the best there is." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
26-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Star HS wrestler, dad arrested after brawl in stands during tourney; athlete loses chance at fourth title
Anthony Knox Jr., a three-time New Jersey high school state wrestling champion out of Saint John Vianney in Holmdel, was disqualified from competing for his fourth straight state title after getting involved in a brawl that ended with him and his dad arrested. The incident happened at the NJ District 25 Wrestling Tournament at Collingswood High School, according to and Knox is accused of sprinting into the stands where a brawl began between his father, Anthony Knox Sr., and fans watching the tournament. Videos appearing online showed the fight breaking out and working its way down the bleachers. When the dust settled, Jersey Sports Zone reported that both Knox Sr. and Knox Jr. were detained by police after the brawl, which occurred after the 190-pound final. This came after Knox had won his latest 126-pound district title. The New Jersey State interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) released a statement on the matter after reviewing multiple video angles of the brawl, during which Knox Jr. ran from the gym floor into the bleachers to join the fight. Knox Jr., a Cornell commit, is the top-ranked 126-pound wrestler in the United States with a career 136-1 record and 123 straight wins, including his district title. But he won't get a chance at a fourth straight state title because he is barred from participating in the state championships in Atlantic City. "Earlier today, I informed the Saint John Vianney High School administration that the student-athlete wrestling in the 126-pound weight class has been disqualified from the NJSIAA wrestling state tournament," NJSIAA Executive Director Colleen Maguire said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The disqualification was the result of my investigation into an incident that occurred on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at the district tournament hosted at Collingswood High School. I have determined that the disqualified student-athlete violated both the association's sportsmanship policy and its disqualification rule for leaving the bench area during an altercation. "I would like to thank the administrators and coaches from our member schools and those spectators who provided written statements and videos to assist the investigation. I also would like to thank event staff security and the Collingswood Police Department for their efficient handling of this incident, which allowed the tournament to be completed without further incident. "I did not make this decision lightly. I am fully aware of the consequences to the student-athlete. He is a senior, and this disqualification effectively ends his high school career. However, my role is to uphold the integrity of high school athletics by ensuring that all participants adhere to the same rules and are held to the same standards of sportsmanship and safety. "Let it be clear, the association cannot, and will not, condone actions that violate its sportsmanship policy or its member school-approved rules." As a result of the disqualification, the 126-pound weight class has been reseeded for the state tournament. Knox Jr. also released a statement on Instagram. "As many of you know, I have been disqualified from my next two matches due to an unfortunate incident that occurred in the stands at Collingswood HS well after I had finished competing at the district tournament," Knox Jr. wrote. "Like anyone, my only concern at that time was protecting the safety of my family. While I respect the NJSIAA's decision, my family and I are currently reviewing our options to determine the best course of action moving forward. "I am disappointed in this outcome, but remain happy and grateful for the opportunities I've had. l am committed to supporting my teammates still representing our school and the sport of wrestling with the same passion and dedication that got us here. No matter what happens next, I will continue to train, compete, and push myself to be the best wrestler and person I can be as I continue my career onward at Cornell University. "Thank you all for your continued love and support. It truly means the world to me. I'm more motivated than ever and excited to prove to everyone what I already know, that I'm the best there is." It is unknown if Knox Jr.'s status with Cornell University has been affected. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
