Wrestling comes with more than just wins and losses.

More than championships and trophies or setbacks and struggles.

The reward comes in the work that happens behind the scenes and is shown in the commitment needed to reach those goals as individuals and teams.

It results in lessons that last a lifetime and pay dividends on and off the mat.

Northwestern Lehigh sent two wrestlers to the PIAA Wrestling Championships in head coach Joe Killar’s first season leading the program this winter.

Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Wrestler of the Year Luke Fugazzotto qualified as a freshman, while senior Buck Miller made it to Hershey for the second year in a row.

Both made it to the third round of consolations and were a win away from securing a spot in the top eight in Class 2A.

The Tigers also had junior Dalton Clymer and senior Dartanyon DeLillo qualify for regionals, a solid showing for a team that was unable to fill a full lineup this winter, something Killar hopes will change in the near future.

“I tried to make it enjoyable for the guys,” said Killar. “Wrestling’s a tough sport, to always be grinding, it’s not the best way to do it; sometimes you have to have some fun with them. So I hope they had a good season. Looking forward to getting some more kids wrestling, see if we can be a little more competitive in the dual meets, and obviously individually see if we can help individuals meet whatever goals they have.”

Fugazzotto, Miller, Clymer and Delillo are among 10 area wrestlers on this year’s Times News Wrestling All-Star First Team.

“It’s a relatively small team and a bunch of bigger guys on the team, and I thought they helped each other out well,” said Killar. “It was good to see. And I’m hoping next year we get some more ninth graders, have a forfeit or two less, which will be nice, and be a little bit more competitive in the dual meets, which will also be a good thing. I think it’s coming.”

Lehighton enjoyed a banner season, capturing a team title at the Schuylkill League Tournament and advancing to the semifinals of the District 11 Class 2A Team Tournament. The Indians placed three wrestlers in the top four at districts, where mentor Floyd Brown was named Class 2A Coach of the Year, to earn regional qualifying opportunities.

Aidan Gruber and Reese Balk, both Schuylkill League champions, are joined on the First Team by Jacob Ferguson.

A pair of Blue Bombers are also on the First Team. Palmerton’s Derek King and Daniel Lucykanish both were impressive in reaching the regional tournament, King for the first time and Lucykanish for the second year in a row, despite missing significant time early in the season due to injury.

Tamaqua’s Gabe Erbe, who won over 30 matches this season, was selected to the First Team for the third year in a row.

Another highlight from the season was Panther Valley’s Brenda Banks capping her freshman year, and the Panthers’ first year back as a program since 2019-20 with a state title. After a dominant run to the East Regional title a week earlier, Banks rolled to the 235-pound title at the 2023 MyHouse PA Girls Wrestling Championships with pins in three of her four matches.

Both Banks and the Panthers appear to have bright futures.

Accomplishments from across the area took many forms this season.

They are celebrated with the 10 First Team selections as listed below in alphabetical order, followed by Second Team all stars.

Times News Wrestling All-Stars

First Team

Reese Balk, Lehighton, Jr. (33-7)

• Balk made a big impact in his junior season to surpass the 30-win mark. He placed fourth at districts and earned a spot at the regional tournament, though he was unable to compete due to injury. Balk was a dominant force at 285 pounds, recording 29 of his wins with a pin this season. A Schuylkill League champion and runner-up at the Coal Cracker Tournament and Sam Lovello Classic, Balk also placed fourth a the Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament.

QUOTABLE

: “Reese had a great season for us this year. The most impressive thing about Reese is it was his first year as a varsity wrestler. We knew going in to the season that he was going win a bunch of matches at heavyweight and have a solid year. He exceeded our expectations winning over 30 matches, placing in all of our tournaments and qualifying for regionals. I believe his success this season will motivate him in the offseason and leading into next year. We are looking forward to him returning and having an outstanding senior season,” Lehighton head coach Floyd Brown.

Dalton Clymer, Northwestern, Jr. (38-7)

• A district champion as a freshman and a state qualifier last season, Clymer nearly hit the 40-win mark this winter. Clymer placed second at districts and was seventh at regionals wrestling at 170 pounds. Clymer was a runner-up at the Rough Rider Tournament and Colonial League event, third at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic and at the Coal Cracker Tournament. Clymer, a First Team All-Star three years in a row, had pins in 23 of his 38 wins this year.

QUOTABLE

: “I was disappointed for Dalton, because he was wrestling well and sort of got caught in a scramble and had a little bit of bad luck (in the third round of consolations at regionals, a 5-4 loss) that sort of cost him. He’s capable of placing at states and doing well. Really nice kid. He’s a good teammate, helps out with whatever is needed. And a great family. Hopefully he’ll be one of a couple guys on the podium next year; it’s well within reach,” Northwestern head coach Joe Killar.

Dartanyon DeLillo,

Northwestern, Sr. (18-13)

• The senior, who placed fifth at districts at 285 pounds and advanced to regionals as an alternate after Lehighton’s Reese Balk was unable to compete due to injury and made the most of his opportunity. DeLillo wrestled at 189, 215 and 285 pounds this season, filling in wherever needed. At regionals, DeLillo pinned Cleveland Woodson of Archbishop Carroll, a District 12 champion this season, to advance to the second day of the tournament. DeLillo was also third at the Colonial League Tournament.

QUOTABLE

: “Super happy with Dart. He wasn’t sure if he was going to wrestle this year, it took a little talking to him and then he came out. How it ended up was great. He had a good district tournament, and had a chance to wrestle at regionals, and he was competing with the guys there, which was good to see,” Northwestern head coach Joe Killar.

Gabe Erbe, Tamaqua, Jr. (32-11)

• Erbe won over 30 matches for the first time in his career this season. The junior placed fifth at districts wrestling at 121 pounds. Erbe was a runner-up at the Schuylkill League Tournament, placed fourth at the Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament and was sixth at the season-opening Darren Klingerman Invitational. He qualified for regionals as a freshman and sophomore and is on the First Team for the third year in a row.

QUOTABLE

: “Gabe has been a consistent individual for us now for three years. I see the desire he has to be successful. As he takes that desire with him in the offseason, we intend to work hard in the process to make it to the next level,” Tamaqua head coach Jim McCabe.

Jacob Ferguson, Lehighton, So. (28-16)

• Ferguson doubled his win total from last season and punched his ticket to regionals, where he made it to the second day, with a fourth-place finish at districts wrestling at 152 pounds. Ferguson, who was sixth at districts as a freshman, was a runner-up at the Sam Lovello Classic, fifth at the Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament and third at the Schuylkill League Tournament.

QUOTABLE

: “Jacob had an outstanding sophomore season this year. Coming off a solid freshman season we knew he was going to be a staple in our lineup. Jacob loves the weight room and had a great offseason leading up to this year. After placing sixth as districts as a freshman, he followed that up with a fourth-place finish this year and qualified for regionals. After getting a win in the regional tournament and gaining more confidence in his abilities, we expect him to come back even stronger next season,” Lehighton head coach Floyd Brown.

Luke Fugazzotto,

Northwestern, Fr. (37-10)

• The Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Wrestler of the Year, Fugazzotto was a district champion and placed fourth at regionals at 160 pounds to advance to states, where he reached the third round of consolations. A total of 28 of his wins came via pinfall this season. Fugazzotto was also a runner-up at the Rough Rider Tournament, fifth at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic and a Colonial League champion this season.

QUOTABLE

: “He’s pretty mentally tough in that if he’s losing a match it doesn’t get to him that much. He keeps going at it, which is hard to teach, and hard to get guys to do. I don’t know if there’s one particular match, but I’ve seen it through the year. At districts and regionals, it might not have been going his way, and if we won the matches or lost, but he just kept wrestling, which was good to see,” Northwestern head coach Joe Killar.

Aidan Gruber, Lehighton, Jr. (34-6)

• Gruber has put together a stellar career so far with the Indians, which included a trip to states and a spot in the district final a year ago. He placed third and qualified for regionals at 114 pounds this season. Gruber also placed third at the Sam Lovello Classic and reached the final of the Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament and Coal Cracker event. Gruber, a First Team All-Star three years in a row, also won a Schuylkill League title this season.

QUOTABLE

: “Aidan had an outstanding season this year. He was third at districts and a regional qualifier. He wrestled in probably one of the toughest weight classes in our district and region. He won over 30 matches this season, placed in every tournament, and is approaching the 100-career win mark. Aidan is one of our most experienced wrestlers. This was his third year in a row placing in the top three at districts, and he was to the state tournament last season. I don’t believe the season ended the way Aidan wanted it to, and I feel that is going to really motivate him leading into his senior year. He has been a staple in our lineup for the past three seasons. We are looking forward to big things from him next year,” Lehighton head coach Floyd Brown.

Derek King, Palmerton, So. (28-12)

• King increased his win total by 10 this season, placing at districts for the first time (fourth) at 139 pounds and qualifying for regionals. King rallied for a 6-4 sudden victory overtime decision in the consolation semis at districts to secure a spot in the top four. King’s breakout season also included a third-place finish at the Carlisle Christmas Classic and the Governor Mifflin Holiday Tournament. King also advanced to the finals at the Colonial League Tournament.

QUOTABLE

: “Hard worker that continuously looks to get better every day. He’s a quiet kid that has developed into a leader on the team. His skill set is still developing, which is exciting as I think he can take some more big steps in the future,” Palmerton head coach Justin Petersen.

Daniel Lucykanish,

Palmerton, Sr. (14-8)

• The senior made a huge comeback from an injury suffered during football season, not wrestling his first match until Jan. 18. Lucykanish, who was seeded 17th at districts, placed third at 152 pounds to reach regionals for the second year in a row. Lucykanish, also a First Team All-Star last season, wrestled seven matches at districts, including the pigtails. Lucykanish, who was also fifth at the Colonial League Tournament, won two matches and placed eighth at regionals. The senior was a district runner-up a season ago.

QUOTABLE

: “Super talented kid. He has dealt with a lot of adversity in his career and has met all of those challenges. He’s exciting to watch, and I am sad to see him go,” Palmerton head coach Justin Petersen.

Buck Miller, Northwestern, Sr. (35-12)

• Miller advanced to the state tournament for the second year in a row. The senior placed fourth at districts and fifth at regionals at 189 pounds this season and is a First Team All-Star for the second year in a row. He also went 13-4 in matches decided by decision this year after going 9-9 in such bouts a year ago. Miller was first at the Rough Rider Tournament, fourth at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic, seventh at the Coal Cracker and was a runner-up at the Colonial League Tournament.

QUOTABLE

: “I was happy, he wrestled really well in his first two matches out at states but had some trouble after that. He’s a super nice kid. He works really hard at practice. His goal was to place at states, and he just missed doing it. I was hoping he could medal at states, but I thought it was a good way for him to go out,” Northwestern head coach Joe Killar.

Second Team

Ethan Nothstein, Lehighton, Jr. (21-10); Steven Korte, Jim Thorpe, Fr. (27-11); Blake Muffley, Lehighton, Fr. (19-19); Ridge Snyder, Jim Thorpe, Sr. (26-14); Dillon Lombardi, Palmerton; Richard Kenna, Jim Thorpe, Jr. (21-16); Bradley Whalen, Tamaqua, So. (29-15); Chase Moffit, Northern Lehigh, Jr. (23-16); Wyatt Sherer, Lehighton, Jr. (21-19); Edward Lauritsen, Pleasant Valley, Sr. (22-10).