WRESTLING: District 1 preview capsules

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

1-AAA WEST
(At Spring-Ford)
Teams: Boyertown (Bt), Conestoga (Con), Garnet Valley (GarV), Harriton (Har), Haverford (Hav), Lower Merion (LM), Marple-Newtown (MN), Methacton (Meth), Owen J. Roberts (OJR), Penncrest (Pc), Perkiomen Valley (PV), Phoenixville (Px), Pottsgrove (Pg), Pottstown (Pt), Radnor (Rad), Ridley (Rid), Springfield-Delco (SFD), Spring-Ford (SF), Strath Haven (SH), Upper Darby (UD), Upper Perkiomen (UP).
Defending team champion: Owen J. Roberts (South in 2012).
Returning champions: Michael Marino, GarV (28-3) at 120; Darien Hain, Pt (31-2) at 160; Gordon Bolig, OJR (40-4) at 182; Jordan Wertz, Bt (31-9) at 195; Brad Trego, OJR (24-15) at 195.
Returning runners-up: Austin Petril, UD (29-1) at 113; Derek Gulotta, OJR (32-5) at 113; Ryan Flynn, MN (28-2) at 126; Dylan Steffenino, UP (11-9) at 126; Wolfgang McStravick, UP (40-5) at 132; Demetri D’Orsaneo, OJR (24-13) at 138; Adam Moser, OJR (32-8) at 145; Nick Giangiulio, PV (29-1) at 152; Joe Gartland, Pc (24-5) at 170; Gray Garber, Bt (20-11) at 170.
Notes: Upper Perkiomen’s Dylan Steffenino, a two-time state qualifier, and Pottstown’s Darien Hain, a two-time District 1-Class AA champion, will not compete due to injuries. … Radnor’s Matt Pelton (29-0 at 138) is the lone unbeaten in the field and one of only seven in all of the three district tournaments. … Petril, Giangiulio and Boyertown freshman Jordan Wood (37-1 at 220) are the only qualifiers with just one loss on the season. … McStravick, with 146 career wins, is currently tied with Methacton graduate Brandan Clark for 11th place on The Mercury’s all-time chart. He needs three more to tie Boyertown graduate Matt Malfaro (149) for 10th place. Bolig (120), Moser (109) and Spring-Ford’s Sean Hennessey (108) are the area’s other qualifiers to have reached the milestone.

(For complete story, click here ... )