The junior is trying to reach his first regional tournament.
Zach Nauta has come up through the Warren Hills feeder program, and spent his first two high school seasons following directly in the shadow of his older brother Max.
Max Nauta, a 2015 graduate, racked up more than 100 wins at Warren Hills and will go down as one of the best to come through the school.
Everyone knew the name Max Nauta.
Now, Zach Nauta is out build his own wrestling legacy.
And that starts with claiming the 138-pound championship at the NJSIAA District 1 tournament this weekend.
“Zach is his own person, with his own goals,” Warren Hills coach Jarrett Hosbach said. “He’s out to make his own mark.”
The one-day tournament kicks off 9 a.m. Saturday with quarterfinals, followed by semifinals at 1 p.m., third-place consolations at 4 and finals scheduled for 5:45.
“This is a great time of year because you are wrestling for yourself,” Nauta said. “I love the team part of the season and wrestling in the big matches, but now you get to wrestle for yourself. It’s my time now.”
MORE: District 1 wrestling: Information and predictions
That means ensuring there will be a Nauta wrestling in the district finals.
Max Nauta was permanent fixture in the district finals, placing second in 2012 before claiming three straight titles from 2013-15.
Nauta (20-6), the third seed at 138 behind top-seeded Kade Loughney from West Morris Central and P’burg’s Tyler Agans, has seen two previous seasons end in the district consolation finals.
He placed fourth at 120 pounds as a freshman and again at 126 last season.
“He’s had a couple of fourth-place finishes here and he’s not content with that,” Hosbach said. “He’s looking to rise up the podium and get to Wallkill.”
The top three finishers in the district advance to the NJSIAA Region 1 tournament next weekend at Wallkill Valley Regional High School.
“It won’t be easy and Zach knows that,” Hosbach said. “It’s a tough weight (class). He’s having a good junior season and he’s as healthy as he’s been in a long time.”
Nauta is 8-2 since returning from an abdominal/rib cage injury that sidelined him for nearly a month.
“I’m feeling better than I have in two years, wrestling wise,” Nauta said. “Last year was hard because I was too light and I didn’t have much strength at 126. I’m much stronger at 138 and I think the time off (with the injury) gave me time to heal and now I am 100 percent for this weekend.”
To reach his first region tournament, Nauta will have to get past quarterfinals opponent David Mathusek of Mount Olive before setting up a date in the semis against the winner of the Agans vs. Joseph Voltek (North Warren) bout.
Nauta, who beat Agans 7-4 in the Blue Streaks' 42-14 loss to the Stateliners on Jan. 29, has not made it past the semifinals.
“Max talks to me a lot,” Zach Nauta said. “He was always really calm in big matches and that’s what he tells me. He tells me I need to keep my head and not to overcomplicate things. That’s what I’m trying to do this year.”
Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.