If anyone can appreciate the honor of being inducted into the New Jersey Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, it’s Ernie Finizio.

A member of the chapter’s initial class in 2001, he was among the many familiar faces at the organization’s 23rd annual induction banquet held on Sept. 22 at the Westin Hotel in Princeton, NJ.

“It’s one of the honors they will remember for a lifetime,” he said. “In my case, I went from being a 77-pound wrestler, and today being a National Wrestling Hall of Famer. I am so proud.”

He is certainly not alone.

Among those inducted for Lifetime Service were Richard Attonito, John Sanders, Kenneth Hart, Kevin Carroll and, posthumously, Rocky Fort and Jay Doyle.

”It’s certainly a special honor, one that in the past I would say, boy, I really want to get in the Hall of Fame,” Attonito said. “It’s a very humbling experience to be picked out of how many people there are. It is very heart-felt.”

His journey didn’t go back as far as most, though he was undefeated as a high school wrestler. “I didn’t lose a match,” he explained, breaking into a smile. “We didn’t have a wrestling team back then. I didn’t start wrestling until college, and even then I was on the football team before the wrestling coach asked me to try out.”

He competed at Indiana State his last three years before becoming one of the most respected high school officials in the state.

Sanders had a similar introduction to wrestling, saying he did not get into the sport until he attended Millersville University. He would start the program at Eastern Regional High School where his teams would post 24 straight winning seasons.

“This is unbelievable,” he said about the induction. “Wrestling has been so much for me in my life. The sport is personal, a lifestyle, and I’m blown away with how many people have come to see me today. Most of them are wrestlers.

“I wrestled John Johnston a couple of times, and that was a lot of fun,” he cracked about the former national champion from Penn State who would go on to coach Princeton University for 29 years. “I learned one thing: You need to know how to do the Granby.”

Hart was one of the most decorated officials in the state, he was also a coach who began his competitive career at 115 pounds. “Soaking wet,” he said.

“I am still in awe of the level of recognition that I’m being honored with. It’s just incredible. I’ve been involved in wrestling most of my life. I’ve had great people working with me; great wrestlers, great coaches. Just to be included in that circle with guys that I know, I’m humbled more than honored.

“My brother was my idol so I wanted to wrestle. I started in sixth grade and it just continued to keep going and going. It’s all kind of a blur. Seeing all my guys today brought back a lot of memories. Great memories.”

Wrestling in high school all four years, Carroll loved the sport so much that he got involved in a youth program while he commuted to college at Fairleigh Dickinson. He did that six years, then was asked to be an assistant on the high school level.

“I decided to become a teacher so I decided to go back to school, because I wanted to coach. And that’s how I got here! I’ve watched my kids wrestle, and I’m still a coach.

“This means the world to me, just to be considered and to be nominated and to actually get in with all these great people that are a part of history. I had to tell my brother and he didn’t understand what the award was about. I said, ‘Well, Dan Grable, yeah, he’s in it.’ It’s overwhelming for me.”

Doyle is another who was his high school’s first wrestling coach, at East Brunswick. He founded the Middlesex County Tournament and also developed the county Novice Wrestling Tournament. The MVP trophy of the county tournament is named after him.

“I don’t even know where to start,” his daughter Susan said about the induction. “It’s overwhelming. We’re just so glad that after all these years he’s getting this honor and also just the outpouring of support from the wrestling community. Guys from the 60s and 70s still telling stories about how much Jay Doyle meant to them. I’ve cried a lot.”

Her brother Jim concurred, noting the legacy of his father went well beyond the sport of wrestling.

“He was a man of high character, and that’s what so many people tell us. What he gave to those around him was to be a good person, to be giving, to work together and to share in successes. He was exactly the kind of coach and educator that we should all be.”

Forte was a standout wrestler in high school and in college at Bloomsburg. He went on to coach at the high school and college level, as well as starting several youth programs. He was also a high school A.D. for 26 years.

“First and foremost,’’ his son Vince said, “I want to thank the Hall of Fame committee for this incredible recognition. To be included with such a distinguished group of individuals is totally humbling. I also want to express a heart-felt gratitude to family, friends, former student-athletes, coaches and supporters. Your presence speaks volumes about the profound impact my father had on each of you.

“Being able to accept this Hall of Fame honor on behalf of my family is something I will cherish forever.”