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The following wrestlers from the Central League were named to the All Delco Teams.
FIRST TEAM
David Bagirov, Springfield: Bagirov closed out his senior campaign with a flourish. He won his second straight Central League title, this time at 126 pounds after capturing the 120-pound crown as a junior. He placed fifth at the District 1 Class 3A Central tournament to advance to the South East Regional for the first time in his career. Bagirov also won the title at the Kurt Meister Invitational, went 8-0 in the Central, 25-8 for the season and 92-31 in his career, including a mark of 73-25 over the last three seasons.
Brendon Stocku, Penncrest: Like Poulos, Stocku’s season came to an unfortunate end because of a knee injury. Still, the junior 138-pounder was able to compile a 34-1 record, boost his career mark to 95-19 and earn All-Delco honors for the second year in a row. He needs 14 wins to break the program record of 108 held by his older brother and 2017 All-Delco Ryan. Brendon Stocku won 22 of his matches by fall, one by technical fall and six by major decision. His only loss was a 5-2 setback to Antonio Petrucelli in the semifinals of the Conestoga Valley Holiday Classic. Stocku avenged that loss with a 9-6 decision in the District Class 3A Central final.
Kyle Strazdus, Ridley: Strazdus began his senior season with four wins by fall in his first five matches, three in the first period. He went on to finish 21-12, place second at the Central League championships at 152 pounds and fifth at the District 1 Class 3A Central championships to qualify for the regional tournament for the first time in his career. Strazdus also went 3-0 with two pins at the Colley Classic.
John Crawford, Strath Haven: The junior was one of three Strath Haven wrestlers to win 30 matches, and one of two Panthers to win Central League titles and qualify for the PIAA championships. Crawford posted a 31-12 overall record and a 9-4 mark in the postseason. He won the Central League 160-pound crown, finished fourth at the District 1 Class 3A Central champs and second at the South East Regional tournament to earn a ticket to Hershey, where he went 1-2 in the state tournament.
Brett Burns, Strath Haven: Like Crawford, Burns was a 30-match winner for the Panthers, going 31-9 with 20 wins by fall. The senior wrestled at 195 and 182 pounds before dropping to 170 for good in the second match of the Panthers Duals on Feb. 10. From that point, Burns went 10-4, which included a seven-match winning streak. Of those 10 wins, three were by fall and three by major decision. Burns won the Central League title, finished second at districts and sixth at regionals. He closed out his career with a 61-21 record.
Griffin Salus, Garnet Valley: Salus was part of a strong contingent of wrestlers in the upper weights for the Jaguars that included 220-pounder Coltin Deery and Tommy Mahoney at 285. Although Salus only posted a 14-12 overeall record, most of his success came in the latter part of his senior season. Salus went 9-4 down the stretch to take third at the Central League championships and fifth at the District 1 Class 3A Central tournament to qualify for the regional tournament for the first time in his career, where he went 1-2.
Tommy Mahoney, Garnet Valley: Mahoney more than held his own against the best heavyweights in the state. The senior went 28-9. Five of those losses were to PIAA championship qualifiers, three to state medalists including state champ Isaac Reid of Kiski Area and West Mifflin’s Gerald Brown, who finished third. He strung together 13 straight wins at one point that included eight by fall. Two of his biggest wins were a pair of one-point victories over Strath Haven’s Lee Holbert for the Central League and District 1 Class 3A Central titles. He placed fourth at the South East Regional tournament to earn a spot in the PIAA championships.
Lee Holbert, Strath Haven: Holbert and Mahoney had three epic battles in the postseason. Mahoney won all three, two by one point, the second on an ultimate tie-breaker. Yet Holbert, a senior, was still able to equal the school record for wins in a season and work his way to the PIAA Championships for the first time in his career, where he went 1-2 with the win coming by fall. Holbert’s resume includes a 32-9 record as a senior, with second-place finishes at the Central League and District 1 Class 3A Central tournaments, and a fifth place at regionals. He closed out his career with a 75-54 mark
PETE BANNAN – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Marple Newtown’s Stephen Bradley pins Garnet Valley’s Griffin Salus in the 195 pound weight class.
SECOND TEAM
106: Griffin Hollingsworth, Garnet Valley Fr.
120: Meraj Kahn, Upper Darby, So.
138: Davis Huth, Ridley Sr.
145: Justin O’Donnell, Upper Darby Sr.
160: Jake Johnson, Upper Darby Sr.
182: Dezhan Peterson, Upper Darby So.
220: Coltin Deery, Garnet Valley Fr.
285: Tom Bramwell, Ridley Jr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Garnet Valley: Gavin Hollingsworth, Drew Maiers, Kevin Pulitti.
Haverford High: Kevin Dougherty, Shane McAdams.
Marple Newtown: Armen Dervishian, Anass Elfernani.
Penncrest: Sam Rose.
Radnor: Jack Horvath, Noah Pepper, Jahmair Rider.
Ridley: Chris Green, Jake McGrath
Springfield: Tyler Forbes, Jake Methlie.
Strath Haven: Jon Morris.
Upper Darby: Folly Amouzougan, Kevin Kerwood.
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