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Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment in Perth Amboy, NJ - Finally Feel Your Feet Again
That burning sensation that won't let you sleep. The numb toes you can't feel on the carpet in the morning. The tingling that runs from your calves down into your heels with no warning. If any of that sounds like your evenings, you already know what you're dealing with - even if no one's put a proper name on it yet.
You're not imagining it, and you're not stuck with it.
Peripheral neuropathy affects more than 20 million Americans, and far too many of them have been told to just "live with it" or manage it with another prescription. At NJ Sports Spine and Wellness in Perth Amboy, NJ, we've helped patients who'd all but given up on feeling normal again - and we've done it without surgery, without long-term pain medication, and without the endless runaround.
If you're tired of the nerve pain, the numbness, and the nighttime burning in your feet, let's talk about what might actually be driving it - and what we can do about it.
- Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment in Perth Amboy, NJ | NJ Sports Spine and Wellness
- Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment in Perth Amboy, NJ - Finally Feel Your Feet Again
- What Is Peripheral Neuropathy?
- Neuropathy Symptoms We See Every Day in Perth Amboy, NJ
- What Causes Peripheral Neuropathy?
- Our Approach to Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment
- Related Conditions We Treat
- Why Patients Choose NJ Sports Spine and Wellness
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Peripheral Neuropathy?
Peripheral neuropathy is what happens when the nerves outside your brain and spinal cord - your peripheral nerves - stop communicating properly with the rest of your body. Picture those nerves as a network of wires running out from your central nervous system to your hands, feet, arms, and legs. When one of those wires is compressed, inflamed, starved of nutrients, or damaged by disease, the signals it sends get scrambled on the way to the brain.
That's the reason neuropathy symptoms can feel so contradictory. Your foot might feel like it's on fire while you simultaneously can't feel the floor underneath it. Your fingers might tingle for hours and then go suddenly numb. The nerves are sending mixed messages, and your brain is doing its best to translate the static.
Here's the most important thing to understand: neuropathy is almost never a standalone disease. It's a symptom of something else - a compressed spinal nerve, uncontrolled blood sugar, a vitamin deficiency, an autoimmune reaction, or repetitive strain. Real treatment starts with figuring out what's actually causing the damage. Anything short of that is just masking the problem.
Neuropathy Symptoms We See Every Day in Perth Amboy, NJ
Every patient describes their nerve pain a little differently. But almost everyone who walks into our Perth Amboy, NJ office describes some combination of the following:
- Burning feet at night - the kind that has you kicking the covers off and regretting it a minute later
- Tingling in the hands and feet - persistent pins and needles that never fully goes away
- Numb toes or loss of sensation - you stub your toe on furniture you didn't feel
- Sharp, electric-shock- like nerve pain that comes and goes with no obvious trigger
- Muscle weakness in the legs or hands that's starting to affect your balance or grip
- Sensitivity to light touch - a bedsheet or sock suddenly feels painful
- Cramping or twitching in the calves or feet, especially late at night
- The "invisible sock" feeling - pressure or tightness on your feet that isn't actually there
- Loss of sensation that's slowly creeping upward from your toes toward your ankles
If you've been dealing with any of these for more than a few weeks, it's worth getting looked at. Nerve damage tends to progress, and the earlier we intervene, the more we can typically do.
What Causes Peripheral Neuropathy?
There isn't one cause, which is a big part of what makes neuropathy so maddening to deal with. Some of the most common contributors we see at our Perth Amboy, NJ clinic:
- Diabetes - the leading cause, and the one responsible for diabetic neuropathy
- Spinal nerve compression from herniated discs, stenosis, or misalignment
- Vitamin deficiencies, particularly B12, B1, and B6
- Autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or Sjogren's syndrome
- Chemotherapy and certain medications that have nerve toxicity as a side effect
- Repetitive use injuries that compress nerves over time (think carpal tunnel, tarsal tunnel)
- Chronic alcohol use or exposure to environmental toxins
- Thyroid and kidney dysfunction
- Idiopathic neuropathy - when testing doesn't turn up a clear cause
One cause a lot of practices overlook? Your spine. A substantial number of peripheral neuropathy cases trace back to nerve root compression in the lower back or neck. When those nerve roots get irritated, the symptoms can show up far from the actual source - in your feet, calves, fingers, or hands. Because we're a sports, spine, and wellness practice, the spinal connection is always part of how we evaluate your case. It's often the piece other providers have missed.
Our Approach to Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment
Most clinics treat neuropathy with medication and a wait-and-see attitude. If that doesn't work, you get a referral to a surgeon. That's a short menu for a complicated problem.
At NJ Sports Spine and Wellness, we take a different route. We're a conservative care practice by design, which means we start with non-surgical options and build a treatment plan around the specific picture your body is showing us. Our team evaluates your nerve function, your spinal health, your muscle strength, your gait and balance, your medical history, and yes - what's already been tried. Then we put together a plan that goes after the cause, not just the surface symptoms.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options
DRX9000 Spinal Decompression.
When nerve compression in the spine is part of the picture - and it often is - our DRX9000 decompression system gently relieves pressure on the affected nerve roots without any incisions or injections. For patients whose neuropathy stems from a herniated disc or stenosis, this can be a turning point.
Chiropractic Care.
Targeted adjustments restore proper motion to the spine and joints, reducing mechanical stress on irritated nerves. For the right patient, this is one of the most direct ways to calm nerve symptoms in the feet and hands.
Physical Therapy and Neuromuscular Reeducation.
We use guided exercise progressions to rebuild strength, retrain balance, and help your nervous system relearn how to talk to your muscles. This matters enormously if neuropathy has started to affect how you walk, stand, or grip.
LiteCure Laser Therapy.
Our class IV LiteCure laser delivers deep therapeutic light into damaged tissue to reduce inflammation around irritated nerves and support the body's natural repair process. It's non-invasive, drug-free, and well-tolerated.
Electrical Stimulation Therapy.
Low-level electrical currents help calm overactive pain signals and encourage nerve healing. It's one of the more effective tools for patients who haven't responded well to medication alone.
Acupuncture.
Acupuncture has a surprisingly strong evidence base for nerve pain and neuropathy symptoms. Our licensed practitioners use it as a standalone option or as part of a broader plan.
Functional Medicine and Nutritional Support.
Nerve health depends heavily on what you're putting into your body. If deficiencies, blood sugar swings, or chronic inflammation are slowing your recovery, we identify it and address it - with practical, livable changes.
Manual Therapy and Soft Tissue Work.
Tight muscles around irritated nerves make everything worse. Hands-on therapy relieves that tension, improves circulation to the nerves, and creates a better environment for healing.
When More Is Needed
If conservative care isn't moving the needle far enough - and we'll tell you honestly if it isn't - we coordinate with surgical partners who specialize in minimally invasive techniques. That means smaller incisions, less disruption to surrounding tissue, and a lower risk of infection compared with traditional open surgery.
But here's what matters: the majority of our neuropathy patients never reach that step. Our goal is always to exhaust effective non-surgical options first. The best surgery is often the one you end up not needing.
Related Conditions We Treat
Our Perth Amboy, NJ team also treats a range of nerve and musculoskeletal conditions that overlap with or mimic peripheral neuropathy:
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Sciatica
- Cervical and lumbar radiculopathy
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Herniated and bulging discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Post-surgical nerve pain
- Restless legs syndrome
- Chronic foot and lower leg pain
- Neurological impairments associated with spinal injury
Why Patients Choose NJ Sports Spine and Wellness
Same-Day Appointments
Nerve pain doesn't politely wait six weeks for an opening, and we don't think your care should either. We offer same-day appointments for new and existing patients whenever our schedule allows, because nobody dealing with burning feet at midnight wants to hear "we can squeeze you in next month."
A Conservative-Care Philosophy
We don't reach for injections, prescriptions, or surgical referrals as the first move. We believe in working with your body's capacity to heal - and we've seen how far that approach can go when it's applied consistently by clinicians who actually know what they're doing.
A Multi-Disciplinary Team Under One Roof
You won't be bounced between three different offices with three conflicting opinions. Our chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, pain management specialists, acupuncturists, and podiatrist/foot and ankle surgeon all work together - same building, same chart, same plan for you.
Minimally Invasive Referrals When Surgery Is Warranted
In the smaller subset of cases where surgery is truly the right call, we refer to specialists who use minimally invasive techniques. Smaller incisions. Less tissue disruption.
Advanced In-House Technology
We invest in the equipment that actually moves the needle: the DRX9000 spinal decompression table, LiteCure class IV therapeutic laser, AlterG anti-gravity treadmill for gait retraining, shockwave therapy, NormaTec compression, and on-site X-ray and ultrasound for same-visit diagnostics.
A Treatment Plan With an Actual Finish Line
Our plans have a destination. We track your progress, adjust what isn't working, and don't keep you coming back indefinitely. The point is getting you better - and getting you back to the things you've been avoiding.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
Your first appointment at our Perth Amboy, NJ office is really a conversation, not an assembly line. We'll sit down and talk about when your symptoms started, what makes them better or worse, and what you've already tried. From there, we'll do a thorough physical and neurological exam - testing reflexes, sensation, strength, range of motion, and balance. We may take on-site imaging if it adds clarity to what we're seeing.
Then we'll walk you through, in plain English, what we think is going on and what the options look like. You'll leave the visit knowing exactly what the next step is, what treatment would involve, and what realistic improvement could look like for someone with your history.
No pressure. No upselling. Just a straightforward plan.
Ready to Stop Just Coping? Call Today.
If you've been dealing with burning, numbness, tingling, or nerve pain, and you're done waiting for it to get better on its own - we'd like to help. Peripheral neuropathy rarely improves without intervention, but with the right approach, most patients see real, measurable change in how they feel day to day.
Call our Perth Amboy, NJ office at (908) 866-7246 to schedule. Same-day appointments available.
Frequently Asked Questions About Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment
It depends on what's causing it and how long it's been going on. Nerve irritation from spinal compression, nutritional deficiency, or early-stage diabetes often responds well to treatment, and many patients see meaningful symptom improvement. More advanced or long-standing nerve damage may not fully reverse, but we can usually reduce pain significantly, improve function and balance, and slow or stop further progression. The earlier you start, the more we can typically do.
There's no single "best" treatment - it depends on what's causing the nerve damage. For most of our Perth Amboy, NJ patients, the strongest results come from a combination approach: spinal decompression (when compression is part of the picture), targeted physical therapy, LiteCure laser therapy, electrical stimulation, and nutritional support tailored to nerve health. We don't use a one-size-fits-all protocol, because no two neuropathy cases are really the same.
If you've had numbness, tingling, burning, or nerve pain for more than a few weeks - or if your symptoms are spreading or getting worse - it's worth getting evaluated. You don't need a formal neuropathy diagnosis to come in. If you've noticed changes in how your feet feel, a loss of grip strength, or balance issues you didn't have a year ago, that's reason enough for an exam.
No referral needed. You can schedule directly with our office. If you've already seen another provider, bringing along any recent imaging, bloodwork, or test results makes your first visit more efficient - but it's not required.
Every patient's timeline is different, and your provider will give you a more specific estimate once they understand your case. Some patients notice a meaningful shift in the first few weeks; others are working with a longer treatment arc because of how long the issue has been developing. We check in on progress regularly and adjust the plan based on how you're responding - so you're never in the dark about whether something's working.
Latest News in Perth Amboy, NJ
Perth AmboySayreville
maxpreps.comhttps://www.maxpreps.com/games/5-8-2026/softball-26/perth-amboy-vs-sayreville.htm?c=0XrlvEP_OES-0YDcj4-dXA
The Sayreville (Parlin, NJ) varsity softball team has a home non-conference game vs. Perth Amboy (NJ) on Friday, May 8 @ 4:15p.Perth Amboy @ Sayreville Softball Game InfoThe Sayreville (Parlin, NJ) varsity softball team has a home non-conference game vs. Perth Amboy (NJ) on Friday, May 8 @ 4:15p.Rankings & RecordsHead-to-HeadCommon Opponents SchoolCommon Opp. Rec.SchoolCommon ...
The Sayreville (Parlin, NJ) varsity softball team has a home non-conference game vs. Perth Amboy (NJ) on Friday, May 8 @ 4:15p.
Perth Amboy @ Sayreville Softball Game Info
The Sayreville (Parlin, NJ) varsity softball team has a home non-conference game vs. Perth Amboy (NJ) on Friday, May 8 @ 4:15p.
Rankings & Records
Head-to-Head
Common Opponents
| School | Common Opp. Rec. | School | Common Opp. Rec. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perth Amboy | 0-0 | Sayreville | 0-0 |
| Date | Away | Home | Result | Date | Away | Home | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/23/26 | Colonia | Perth Amboy | 4/4/26 | Sayreville | Colonia | |||
| 4/25/26 | Colonia | Sayreville | ||||||
| 4/2/26 | Perth Amboy | North Brunswick | 3/20/26 | Sayreville | North Brunswick | |||
| 4/21/26 | North Brunswick | Perth Amboy | ||||||
| 4/6/26 | Perth Amboy | Edison | 5/11/26 | Edison | Sayreville | |||
| 4/25/26 | Edison | Perth Amboy | ||||||
| 4/11/26 | Perth Amboy | East Brunswick Vo-Tech | 4/27/26 | Sayreville | East Brunswick Vo-Tech | |||
| 4/18/26 | Perth Amboy | Middlesex County Vo-Tech | 5/4/26 | Sayreville | Middlesex County Vo-Tech | |||
| 4/20/26 | Woodbridge | Perth Amboy | 3/31/26 | Sayreville | Woodbridge | |||
| 5/9/26 | Woodbridge | Perth Amboy | ||||||
| 4/25/26 | Perth Amboy | Edison | 3/27/26 | Edison | Sayreville | |||
| 4/28/26 | Spotswood | Perth Amboy | 4/7/26 | Sayreville | Spotswood | |||
| 5/2/26 | Spotswood | Sayreville | ||||||
| 5/11/26 | Monroe Township | Perth Amboy | 5/5/26 | Monroe Township | Sayreville | |||
| 5/16/26 | Perth Amboy | East Brunswick | 4/2/26 | East Brunswick | Sayreville |
Record Breakdown
| 0-0 | Overall | 0-0 |
|---|---|---|
| 0-0 | League | 0-0 |
| 0-0 | Non-League | 0-0 |
| 0-0 | Head to Head | 0-0 |
| 0-0 | Common Opponent | 0-0 |
| 0-0 | Home | 0-0 |
| 0-0 | Away | 0-0 |
| 0-0 | Neutral | 0-0 |
| 0-0 | Playoff | 0-0 |
| 0-0 | In-State | 0-0 |
| 0-0 | Out-of-State | 0-0 |
Victory! Court Vacates Bogus Blight Designation of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Properties
Institute for Justicehttps://ij.org/press-release/victory-court-vacates-bogus-blight-designation-of-perth-amboy-new-jersey-properties/
IJ is a public interest law firm. We represent clients free of charge in cutting-edge litigation defending vital constitutional rights. You can join us by supporting our work here: ij.org/supportPerth Amboy, N.J.—Today, Judge Benjamin Bucca Jr. vacated a blight designation by Perth Amboy, New Jersey, against properties owned by Honey Meerzon and Luis Romero. Blight designations are often used to justify taking property using eminent domain, usually to indicate properties in disrepair that the go...
IJ is a public interest law firm. We represent clients free of charge in cutting-edge litigation defending vital constitutional rights. You can join us by supporting our work here: ij.org/support
Perth Amboy, N.J.—Today, Judge Benjamin Bucca Jr. vacated a blight designation by Perth Amboy, New Jersey, against properties owned by Honey Meerzon and Luis Romero. Blight designations are often used to justify taking property using eminent domain, usually to indicate properties in disrepair that the government wants to seize for redevelopment. But, as today’s ruling shows, their properties weren’t blighted at all. Honey and Luis teamed up with the Institute for Justice (IJ) to challenge the bogus blight designation.
“Today’s ruling means the government can’t take away your livelihood just because they want to give it to someone else,” said Honey.
Honey and Luis come from different backgrounds but have many things in common. Their parents both fled oppressive government regimes in search of a better life for their children. They both worked hard over the years to build successful businesses, and they both hope to leave a legacy for future generations. Luis and Honey own properties right next to each other in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Honey owns a rental property that houses four families, and Luis runs a successful tire and auto repair shop. Perth Amboy wanted to take the two properties for no other reason than it wanted different businesses instead.
“Today’s ruling means that the Court saw this ‘blight’ determination for what it was: a city’s naked attempt to take private property from hard-working people for no reason other than it would prefer something else in its place,” said IJ Attorney Bobbi Taylor. “New Jersey law does not allow them to do so.”
Perth Amboy claimed these properties were blighted to justify taking them through eminent domain. But, in New Jersey the government must come forward with substantial, credible evidence of conditions like “dilapidation,” “obsolescence,” “overcrowding,” or “faulty arrangement or design.” But there was no evidence that Honey and Luis’ properties met these criteria.
As Judge Bucca said in his order, “[Perth Amboy] failed to provide substantial, credible evidence to support the designation under any applicable statutory criteria, instead relying on speculative assertions, generalized concerns, and incomplete or unreliable evidence.”
Honey and Luis’s case is just the latest instance of local governments abusing their eminent domain power by twisting the definition of blight. IJ is also currently defending property and business owners fighting bogus blight designations in Mississippi, and Missouri, and homeowners in Georgia who are being threatened with eminent domain for a private railway.
“Government officials are always eager to seize people’s hard-earned property in order to give it to somebody they like better,” said IJ Deputy Director of Litigation Robert McNamara. “Fortunately, as today’s ruling illustrates, IJ always stands ready to stop them.”
Matt Powers Reporting and Communications Manager mpowers@ij.orgSayreville rallies by Perth Amboy in GMCT 1st round first round for Wojcik’s 200th
Anthony Gabbianellihttps://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2026/02/sayreville-edges-perth-amboy-gmc-tournament-first-round-boys-basketball-recap.html
The two greatest scorers in Sayreville boys basketball history once again pooled their impressive resources to help the Bombers achieve two important milestones in one game.Seniors Sam Jones and Chidi Chukwurah combined for 41 points and were at their collective best in the second half to rally seventh-seeded Sayreville past scrappy 10th-seeded Perth Amboy in the Greater Middlesex Tournament first round and present head coach John Wojcik with his 200th career victory, 59-53, Thursday in Sayreville.Jones netted a game-high 23 po...
The two greatest scorers in Sayreville boys basketball history once again pooled their impressive resources to help the Bombers achieve two important milestones in one game.
Seniors Sam Jones and Chidi Chukwurah combined for 41 points and were at their collective best in the second half to rally seventh-seeded Sayreville past scrappy 10th-seeded Perth Amboy in the Greater Middlesex Tournament first round and present head coach John Wojcik with his 200th career victory, 59-53, Thursday in Sayreville.
Jones netted a game-high 23 points, Chukwurah contributed 19 and senior Ziyan Jones (no relation to Sam) chipped in with 14 to steer the Bombers (15-9) back from a 27-20 halftime deficit and send them into the quarterfinals Saturday against second-seeded Piscataway.
The Chiefs ended Sayreville’s GMCT bid last year, 73-62, in the semifinal round, and then Piscataway lost to Colonia in the final.
Sam Jones is Sayreville’s all-time scoring leader with 1,752 points and Chukwurah is right behind at 1,681. Each entered the season aiming for the old record of 1,546 points established by 1974 graduate Steve Makwinski.
Perth Amboy (21-5), which entered with a five-game winning streak, was led by Yandel Susana and Bryham Paulino with 15 points apiece and fellow senior Ricardo Reyes with 13.
Wojcik is now 200-173 in his 16th season with Sayreville. His team last season finished 23-5 and reached the Central, Group 4 quarterfinals.
| 2/12 - 7:00 PM Boys Basketball | Final |
|---|---|
| Perth Amboy | 53 |
| Sayreville | 59 |
Perth Amboy (21-5) led 19-9 after the first quarter when Sayreville (15-9) cut the lead down by halftime to 27-20.
In the third quarter, Sayreville used a 20-7 to jump ahead of Perth Amboy, 40-34. Each team scored 19 points in the fourth quarter as Sayreville held on to win.
Chidi Chukwurah scored 19 points for Sayreville. Ziyan Jones had 14 points.
Yandel Susana and Bryham Paulino each scored 15 points for Perth Amboy. Ricardo Reyes had 13 points.
Sayreville will face second-seeded Piscataway in the quarterfinal round on Saturday. Piscataway took down 18th-seeded North Plainfield 95-40 in its first round matchup.
10 most expensive homes sold in Perth Amboy area, Jan. 26-Feb. 8
Real Estate Newswirehttps://www.nj.com/realestate-news/2026/02/10-most-expensive-homes-sold-in-perth-amboy-area-jan-26-feb-8.html
A single-family home in Perth Amboy that sold for $735,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Perth Amboy area in the past week.Over the past week, a total of 11 residential real estate sales were registered in the area, with an average price of $516,364, or $333 per square foot.The prices in the list below include real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Jan. 26 even if the property sold earlier.10. $375K, single-family home at 490 McKeon StreetA sale h...
A single-family home in Perth Amboy that sold for $735,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Perth Amboy area in the past week.
Over the past week, a total of 11 residential real estate sales were registered in the area, with an average price of $516,364, or $333 per square foot.
The prices in the list below include real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Jan. 26 even if the property sold earlier.
10. $375K, single-family home at 490 McKeon Street
A sale has been finalized for the single-family home at 490 McKeon Street in Perth Amboy. The price was $375,000. The house was built in 1919. The deal was closed on Jan. 16.
9. $410K, single-family home at 136 1st Street
A 1,508-square-foot single-family residence at 136 1st Street in Perth Amboy has been sold. The total purchase price was $410,000, $272 per square foot. The house was built in 1890. The transaction was completed on Jan. 5.
8. $420K, single-family home at 318 High Street
The single-family house at 318 High Street in Perth Amboy has new owners. The price was $420,000. The home was built in 1969 and has a living area of 1,400 square feet. The price per square foot ended up at $300. The deal was finalized on Jan. 7.
7. $424K, single-family home at 794 Stephen Ave.
A 1,391-square-foot single-family house at 794 Stephen Ave. in Perth Amboy has been sold. The total purchase price was $424,000, $305 per square foot. The home was built in 1957. The transaction was completed on Jan. 9.
6. $560K, single-family home at 646 Franklin Drive
The sale of the single-family home at 646 Franklin Drive in Perth Amboy has been finalized. The price was $560,000. The house was built in 1969 and has a living area of 1,350 square feet. The price per square foot ended up at $415. The deal was closed on Jan. 8.
5. $575K, single-family home at 159 Market Street
The single-family residence at 159 Market Street in Perth Amboy has new owners. The price was $575,000. The house was built in 1901 and has a living area of 2,490 square feet. The price per square foot ended up at $231. The deal was finalized on Jan. 15.
4. $620K, single-family home at 588 Charles Street
The sale of the single-family home at 588 Charles Street in Perth Amboy has been finalized. The price was $620,000. The home was built in 1929 and has a living area of 1,930 square feet. The price per square foot ended up at $321. The transaction was completed on Jan. 16.
3. $635K, single-family home at 376 Barclay Street
A 1,701-square-foot single-family residence at 376 Barclay Street in Perth Amboy has been sold. The total purchase price was $635,000, $373 per square foot. The home was built in 1929. The deal was finalized on Jan. 16.
2. $656K, single-family home at 397 Rector Street
A sale has been finalized for the single-family house at 397 Rector Street in Perth Amboy. The price was $656,000. The house was built in 1909 and the living area totals 1,600 square feet. The price per square foot ended up at $410. The deal was closed on Jan. 13.
1. $735K, single-family home at 448 Baker Place
A 2,312-square-foot single-family residence at 448 Baker Place in Perth Amboy has been sold. The total purchase price was $735,000, $318 per square foot. The house was built in 1961. The deal was closed on Jan. 5.
Wrestling without fear, this N.J. team continues stunning turnaround
Joe Zedalishttps://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2026/02/wrestling-with-confidence-and-without-fear-this-nj-wrestling-team-has-had-stunning-turnaround.html
Head coach Roberto Morales admitted he hid his expectations from his Perth Amboy wrestling team. 2/11 - 7:00 PM Wrestling Final Linden 30 Perth Amboy 45 He had his reasons. The biggest: his senior class was 12-42 in their first three seasons.So Morales lowered his goals -- at least those he shared with his team.“I told them we won six matches (last season) so let’s try...
Head coach Roberto Morales admitted he hid his expectations from his Perth Amboy wrestling team.
| 2/11 - 7:00 PM Wrestling | Final |
|---|---|
| Linden | 30 |
| Perth Amboy | 45 |
He had his reasons. The biggest: his senior class was 12-42 in their first three seasons.
So Morales lowered his goals -- at least those he shared with his team.
“I told them we won six matches (last season) so let’s try and win seven,” he said. “We haven’t sent a kid to the regions since 2022, so let’s try and push somebody through.”
Morales, who has been coaching wrestling in the Perth Amboy district for 30 years, was sandbagging.
“I didn’t tell them we could have 14 wins or contend for the division title,” Morales said.
“Our seniors had two wins, four wins and then six wins,” Morales said. “I remember seeing them as freshmen and thinking if they can just stick together ...”
Well they did.
With a little help from some first-time starters and improved returners, Perth Amboy won its 14th dual meet on Wednesday night, defeating Linden, 45-30.
Now 14-3, Perth Amboy has won five-straight dual meets. It wrestles its final regular-season dual Friday night at North Plainfield.
“This is a special group,” Morales said. “They’re a mixed bag. They have a little bit of everything. We start three kids who didn’t wrestle at all last year. They put a little life in the program.”
In the win over Linden, Perth Amboy won nine bouts, including key victories by Ricardo Henriquez, who had a pin at 175 pounds, and Branden Rodriguez, who followed with a technical fall at 190 after Linden closed to within 28-24 with four bouts to go.
“This absolutely was a match we would have lost last year,” Morales said. “Our kids are in great shape. We have good senior leadership.
“I think it’s the first time we’ve beaten Linden -- at least since I’ve been head coach.”
It’s been a year where Perth Amboy wrestles with confidence and without fear.
Wrestling without its regular 138-pounder, Morales won the toss and made a move, which would change the match.
He sent Abdiel Perez out at 132 and bumped Kevin Alba Hernandez up to 138.
“When I told Abdiel he was going out he was saying ‘but coach I haven’t won a match.’ I told him I had confidence in him.”
Perez won by major decision.
Hernandez, a senior, followed with a first-period pin.
Perth Amboy also won the next three bouts at 144, 150 and 157 and opened up a 28-18 lead.
“The move worked out,” Morales said. “That got us rolling.
“In the last few years, we’ve used 25 or 30 different kids in the lineup. But this year, we had pretty much the same lineup. It makes a difference.”
Perth Amboy has earned a spot in the IBEW Local 102/NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 5 Tournament. The closest the Panthers have come to a winning season since 2010 were a pair of 12-12 seasons in 2013 and 2017.
When it wrestles at top-seeded Jackson Township next Monday, Perth Amboy will be making its fourth sectional appearance. It has one tournament victory -- that came in 2016 when the Panthers defeated Ridge, 43-27.
“Look at Ridge now,” Morales said.
Being big underdogs against the 15-2 Jaguars, who are ranked No. 14 in the state by NJ.com, doesn’t matter to Morales.
“Making the sectionals is a big deal, man,” Morales said. “Consider where we’ve come from. When you make the sectionals it means you are doing something right.
“I don’t expect us to come out and shock the world or anything,” he added. “Our kids will be ready to wrestle. They’ll give a good effort. We will win some (bouts).”
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