Wrestling: All Delco Teams

Congratulations to the following members of the Central League for making the All Delco Teams.

First Team

Vince Tavani, Haverford High: Tavani was the young man who set the standard for a resurgent Fords team that finished third in the Central League. He won the individual league title at 106, took second in the districts, and narrowly missed out on a state berth with a sixth-place finish in the regionals.

Jake Mejias, Upper Darby: The junior doubled his win total from the season before, going from 15 to 30 for a deep Royals squad. Most impressively, Mejias went the entire year without getting pinned. He won the Central League title at 113 and earned a fourth-place medal at the districts.

Matthew Marino, Garnet Valley: The sophomore became the third Marino brother to reach the PIAA AAA Wrestling Championships when he took bronze in a brutal weight class in regionals. A 120-pounder, Marino beat eventual regional champ Derek Gulotta in the district semifinals before falling in the finals.

Nick Puliti, Garnet Valley: A late-season surge spurred Puliti to the state meet. He finished a disappointing third in the Central League but rallied to claim second in the district and then fourth in the regional. Puliti joined Jaguar teammates Marino and Rowe in Hershey.

Colin Cronin, Upper Darby: The lone regional champ in the county, Cronin lived up to the hype that’s surrounded his immersion in the Upper Darby program. He cruised through the 132-pound weight class, taking the regional title with a 13-2 major decision in the final

Pat Rowe, Garnet Valley: Rowe thrived as one of the few seniors on a young Garnet Valley team. He posted a 34-10 record and reached Hershey with a fifth place finish in the regional. Rowe closes his Jaguars career with 83 wins, 63 of them coming the last two seasons.

Tommy Meyers, Radnor: The senior 170-pounder carried an undefeated record into the regional final where he finally fell in the title bout. Meyers surpassed 30 wins for the second consecutive season to push his career record to a staggering 118-18. He’ll play lacrosse at the University of Massachusetts next year.

Joe Pyfer, Penncrest: Pyfer was named outstanding wrestler at the Central League Championships when he bested Radnor’s Zac Taylor 1-0 in the 182-pound final. His mixed martial arts background made him a formidable standup wrestler. Takedowns were his specialty, although he improved all aspects of his wrestling technique. Pyfer finished third in the regional and is considering a possible collegiate career at Bacone College (OK).

Joshua Yeboah-Gyasi, Upper Darby: With a rare blend of size and athleticism, the leader of the Royals lost just twice all season, both times to eventual state champ Jordan Wood of Boyertown. A concussion in the second of those bouts, the regional final, cost the Upper Darby senior a chance to wrestle at states. He still made the trip to Hershey, though, ceremonious as it was.