J.J. White, Wyoming Valley West
Freshman, 106 pounds
With a 34-7 record, White picked up a District 2 Class 3A title and a WVC Tournament gold in his rookie season.
David Krokowski, Wyoming Valley West
Sophomore, 113 pounds
A two-time District 2 Class 3A titlist, Krokowski concluded with a 31-5 mark and has 68 career wins in two seasons. Among other medals earned this season, he also claimed his second straight WVC tournament title.
Anthony Kasper, Meyers
Senior, 113 pounds
Kasper grabbed his first district gold this season winning the D2 Class 2A title besting his previous high finish of third in his sophomore campaign. He followed that performance with a fifth-place showing at regionals finishing one win shy of being a state qualifier.
Colin Pasone, Meyers
Senior, 120 pounds
He’s concluding his career as one of the best wrestlers in Meyers history with 135 wins, only one person has more for his school that being his brother, Vito. A four-time District 2 Class 2A champ and a three-time state qualifier, Pasone ended this season with a 39-7 record and claimed the Outstanding Wrestler award at districts. After taking second at regionals, he reached the state semis and finished in the top six in the state.
Bobby Long, Lake-Lehman
Sophomore, 120 pounds
A year after winning a gold medal at the District 2 Class 2A tournament, Long settled for third this season, but battled back to qualify for the PIAA Championships for the first time after taking fourth at regionals a year after taking fifth. He had 15 wins this season and will start his junior year with 48 career victories.
Anthony Martoccio, Hazleton Area
Senior, 126 pounds
At times Martoccio has gone unnoticed on a Cougars team loaded with talent. But he quietly had a superb career racking up 110 victories in his four years and capped his Cougars tenure with his first District 2 Class 3A title. His 36 wins this season are nine more than his previous career-high set as a junior.
Jeff Bennett, Hanover Area
Senior, 132 pounds
He wrapped up a stellar career last month with 111 career victories, two District 2 Class 2A titles, four appearances at regionals, including a sixth-place showing this year, and several other medals and achievements.
Tommy Traver, Tunkhannock
Sophomore, 132 pounds
He’s put up downright gaudy numbers in his first two seasons with 79 career wins. This season, he reached the state tournament in Class 3A for the first time when he placed fourth at regionals after taking second at districts for the second straight season. He also claimed his first WVC Tournament title and was lauded with the Outstanding Wrestler Award at that event.
R.J. Driscoll, Lake-Lehman
Senior, 132 pounds
A two-time state qualifier, Driscoll ended his senior season with 101 career victories getting win No. 100 in the state-qualifying bout at regionals. Among other accolades in a nice career, he has three District 2 Class 2A second-place medals in three postseason appearances.
D.J. Erickson, Hanover Area
Sophomore, 138 pounds
He took second at the District 2 Class 2A Tournament besting his finish of fourth from his freshman season. He followed his showing at districts with a fourth-place medal at the Northeast Regional Tournament to advance to the PIAA Championships for the first time. At states, he won his first match before bowing out early. He still ended the campaign with 33 wins and will start his junior year with 50 career wins.
Bob Lipski, Lake-Lehman
Senior, 145 pounds
Lipski won his second straight District 2 Class 2A title this season and followed that up with a fourth-place showing at regionals to reach the state tournament for the first time. With two wins at states, he ended his career with 101 in his career and finished one win shy of medalling at states.
Corey Mruk, Wyoming Area
Freshman, 160 pounds
He pulled off the biggest upset in any district tournament this season when he entered as the No. 4 seed then knocked off the top two seeds en route to his first district title and ending the season with a mark of 19-8. After districts, he finished just one win shy of reaching states finishing sixth at regionals.
Steven Newell, Dallas
Sophomore, 160 pounds
Picking up his first District 2 Class 3A title this season, Newell improved on his third-place showing from last year. He followed that by reaching the regional semis, finishing one win short of advancing to states when he took sixth at regionals. Thanks to his 36 wins this season, he has 73 after two years.
Xavier Barber, Dallas
Senior, 170 pounds
He had never won a tournament in his career before winning the title at the WVC Tournament in January. He followed that with a District 2 Class 3A title and a runner-up showing at regionals to advance to the PIAA Championships for the first time. He concluded his career with 111 victories, including 73 over his last two years.
Shane Noonan, Hazleton Area
Sophomore, 182 pounds
He piled up 41 wins this season, which was the most among any wrestler in the district who did not reach the state tournament, and was the third-most in the entire district in 2016-17. Claiming his first D2-3A title, Noonan also took fifth at regionals finishing one win short of advancing to states. After two seasons, he has amassed 66 career victories.
Carson Kinney, Hazleton Area
Senior, 195 pounds
A two-time District 2 Class 3A champ and WVC tourney titlist, Kinney ended his career with 122 victories. He reached the PIAA Championships for the first time this season when he took second at regionals.
Nick Hannon, Hanover Area
Senior, 285 pounds
Entering this season having never won a tournament before, Hannon responded in a big with titles at the WVC Tournament and the District 2 Class 2A Championships. His pin in the finals at districts clinched the Hawkeyes’ first team title at districts since 1982. He concluded this season with 35 wins and 82 in his career in just three seasons.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Keith Maurer, Hazleton Area
He led the Cougars to the wrestling sweep this season. After winning the WVC Tournament title, they claimed a share of the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 championship then followed that with the District 2 Class 3A duals title. After that, Hazleton Area ran away with the team championship at the individual district tournament winning by 40 points over second-place West Scranton thanks to crowning four district champs. The Cougars then advanced two athletes to the state tournament, including donning the only WVC wrestler to leave Hershey with a medal the last two years, Jimmy Hoffman.
