Hard work plus determination equals championships for Warrior wrestlers

With its mix of skill, depth, and overall toughness, the Delaware Valley High School wrestling program weren't just winners but champions on the mat this winter.

The Warriors tallied an overall dual meet record of 17-4, and they were 6-0 in League competition. They also earned the PIAA AAA District 2 team and individual titles. Delaware Valley was 10-0 in District 2 dual meets.

“We had a very successful season winning on our League and finishing as District Champs,’’ Delaware Valley head coach Lou DeLauro said. “We competed in the State Tournament and beat Father Judge, which placed us top 12 in the state. During the tournament we lost very competitive matches against state powerhouse Spring Ford and national powerhouse Central Mountain. In dual meets we lost to Saucon Valley in a match that came down to the wire. Saucon Valley finished third in the state.

“We had very successful tournament finishes in two national-level competitions, in the Hurricane Classic and Escape the Rock. We finished fifth in the Hurricane out of 33 teams and sixth in Escape the Rock out of 55 teams.’’

A number of student-athletes were willing to step to the forefront as leaders for Delaware Valley this year.

“We had great leadership this year, a couple that stand out are Machais Magill (senior), Joe Casella (senior), Travis Norman (senior), Gavin Brazanskas (senior) and Preston Machado (junior),’’ DeLauro said. “Our schedule is a grind, and these guys stood out in keeping the team focused, motivated and reaching for their goals. When it was match time if things weren’t going our way they made sure our team didn’t lose focus and stayed the course while overcoming obstacles.’’

There were not surprisingly many wrestlers who worked hard to make improvements on the mat this past season.

“Zach Jacaruso improved every practice and tournament and advanced from being a freshman to a wrestler we counted on for wins in every match, and he became one of the top wrestlers in our District, Region and State,’’ DeLauro said. “Travis Norman improved every match and won big matches for the team throughout the season. He became an offensive powerhouse on top and improved the team with many bonus point wins by fall.

“Jay Shauger (senior) worked hard all the time and improved every day. He provided the team with 20 plus wins in his first season as a varsity starter.’’

Look for the triumphant tradition to continue for Delaware Valley wrestling throughout the 2020-21 season.

“We have a very good senior core coming back next season with some very talented underclassmen,’’ DeLauro said. “These kids work hard every day and improvement is continuous. Our preseason routine and in-season schedule will only make us more competitive when it comes to championship time in February and March. We have a State medalist in Jason Henderson returning along with two other Regional medalists in Preston Machado and Zachary Jacaruso.’’