SJV WRESTLER DEAN PETERSON IS THE “BEAST OF THE EAST"

 SJV WRESTLER DEAN PETERSON IS THE “BEAST OF THE EAST"

By Robert Solomon
 
HOLMDEL – The Beast of the East is a national wrestling tournament held at the University of Delaware. First-year Saint John Vianney wrestling coach Chris Notte explained that teams come from all over the country to compete in the well-respected and prestigious tournament, which draws college scouts who are looking at the high school talent. This year Dean Peterson became the first wrestler from Saint John Vianney, in any weight class, to win the tournament.
 
Peterson is a junior wrestler at SJV and competes in the 120-pound weight class.  Last March he won the NJ state championship for his weight class. NJ.com has ranked him the No. 1 NJ high school pound-for-pound wrestler, and he is the No. 3 ranked wrestler in the 120-pound weight class in the nation, according to intermatwrestling.com. He continues his dominant career at SJV with an 11-0 start to the 2019-2020 season.
 
“Dean is a very intense, relentless and athletic athlete,” said Notte. “He is not the most technical wrestler, but his will to score rises above his opponents’ skill set and his technique.”
 
On his way to winning the state championship last year, Peterson was looking forward to competing in the Beast of the East wrestling tournament in his sophomore year. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with a concussion and had to sit the tournament out. It was a bitter disappointment for him. “I do think he wanted to make some noise last year but was a little upset that he had to sit it out,” explained Notte. 
 
“Yes, I felt like I missed out last year,” said Peterson. “I know I could compete with the guys. I felt like I had something to prove this year.”
 
Peterson’s confidence was high going into this year’s Beast of the East tournament. “I knew since day one that I was the top guy.  The seeding didn’t show it (he was seeded second), but I knew I could win,” Peterson said. 
 
Notte was not surprised that Peterson won the tournament. Winning the tournament was foreseeable according to Notte. “Knowing how he trains, I had total belief he would win. It was something that he was waiting for about a year. He was prepared and ready to win it,” he said.  In the tournament, Peterson was in top form. “He started off sizzling and he kept moving.” 
 
However, Notte noted that Peterson does not take any win for granted.  He faced some physical challenges during the tournament, including a head butt in the semifinal match and an eye poke and a tweaked MCL in the finals. 
 
“I was a little beat up. After day one I had a black eye,” said Peterson. “I was head butted and also had a slight high ankle sprain.”
 
Notte noted, “He is as tough as nails. He finds ways to win through adversity.”
 
As the first and only SJV wrestler to win at the tournament Peterson said that the win didn’t sink in right away and it took some time for him to appreciate it. “I was ecstatic that I won. It was one of the most highly touted tournaments in the country.”
 
“He was happy. That was a tournament he wanted under his belt. It is a big tournament that every successful wrestler wants to win,” Notte said of Peterson after the tournament concluded. “A lot of big-time wrestlers won that tournament. It is a great fraternity to be part of.”
 
Although Peterson was happy about the win, he puts it into perspective. “State titles aren’t won in December; they’re won in March,” he said. “My goal is to win my second straight state title and go undefeated.”
 
Peterson’s ultimate goal is to compete in the Olympics. He is looking forward to trying out for the United World Wrestling Cadet World Team sponsored by USA Wrestling after the season. The team competes overseas and it would be a step toward his goal of competing in the Olympics.
 
“His confidence and belief are his biggest strengths,” Notte said of Peterson. “He gets himself in such a mindset that he believes he is going to win. He is also an unbelievable athlete.”
 
“I feel that my strengths are the mixture of strength, speed and technique,” said Peterson. “I am an aggressive wrestler. I like to score a lot of points.”
 
Peterson has named his signature move the “Peterson with an ‘o’ at the end.” He explained that there is a wrestling move already called the Petersen Roll. That move is spelled with an ‘e’ so he tweaked the name for his move.  
 
Notte described the move. “He basically has the opponent on all fours and he does a quick, explosive mini-cartwheel. It is tight and compact with his elbows and knees in tight.  He then lands in a takedown position behind his opponent.” 
 
As Peterson’s successes build, expectations are high for him. “I absolutely want him to continue to be successful as a wrestler, maintain his work-outs and dedication to the sport, but also to be a scholar in the classroom and a great son to his parents,” said Notte.
 
This echoes Peterson’s priorities.  
 
“My priorities in life are god, family, academics and wrestling,” said Peterson.
 
This seems realistic, as he is an incredible student, according to Notte. Peterson is respectful, strong academically and a straight-A student. “His teachers have nothing but kind things to say about him,” said Notte. “He gets the job done on and off the mat.”
 
Peterson has committed to Princeton; however, he had a lot of interest from numerous Division I and Ivy League schools, according to Notte. Because of Peterson’s athletic and academic successes, he is a desirable candidate for colleges.
 
“Peterson is one of the most athletic kids I ever coached,” said Notte, himself a two-time national qualifier at Oklahoma State, a two-time All-American at Nassau Community College and came to SJV after five years of coaching. 
 
“They offered me a great opportunity to coach a team that was hungry,” explained Notte of his opportunity here at Saint John Vianney. “The head coach had stepped down and I had the opportunity to coach with Tony Caravella (who is Notte’s assistant).” 
 
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