Alex Marchetti, a Wyoming Seminary student from Waverly Twp., not only won the 132-pound title at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D. in July, but he came home from the event as the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.
Marchetti and rising Abington Heights sophomore Lucas Drake helped Pennsylvania win the team portion of the 16U Freestyle tournament, along with their individual success. Drake placed fourth in the nation at 157 pounds.
Pennsylvania’s dominance in wrestling was evident when the state team recorded 352 points, easily breaking its previous record of 273 in 2021. The state also had 28 All-Americans with top-eight finishes in their weight class, breaking a record of 21 set by Illinois in 2012 and matched by Pennsylvania in 2021.
Marchetti’s championship came in an all-Pennsylvania final at 132 pounds when he defeated C.J. Caines 5-1. The title completed an 8-0 run through the tournament by Marchetti, who posted technical falls over five of his opponents, including in the semifinals.
Drake lost to Jake Austin from Florida 9-0 in the third-place match at 157, where he was Pennsylvania’s top finisher.
Pennsylvania outscored second-place Iowa by 95 points.
Marchetti and Drake have a history of competing together, dating back to the Summit Wrestling Club in elementary school. They won Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling middle school state titles together in 2025, and each reached the finals of the Freshman Division of the National High School Coaches Association Nationals at the end of March in Virginia Beach.
Marchetti went 23-12 as a freshman at Wyoming Seminary, winning a state prep school title and advancing to the semifinals of the Prep School Nationals.
Drake went 39-14 as a freshman at Abington Heights, finishing second in District 2 Class 3A and sixth in the Northeast Region at 152 pounds.
