This page is dedicated to all of the wrestlers who have been a part of "a tradition of excellence" since 1962.
On it you will find articles, photos and remembrances as we celebrate accomplishments, memories and people.
Join us by participating in the rich heritage. Post a story, pass on a photo or just share in the page.
Contributions can be directed to joelukas@delvalwrestling.com.
You may also contact us on 
. We have created a group called: Delaware Valley Wrestling Alumni
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As I approach my final year at West Point, I have looked back on how wrestling has helped me get to the point that I am at today. It is no coincidence that many of my fellow classmates have been former high school wrestlers. Wrestling more than any other sport has helped to establish and cement the values necessary to be successful not only at West Point, but in life as well. One of these values is dedication. To be successful in wrestling, you have to put in the extra effort during the off season and outside of practice in order to give yourself an edge over everyone else. For me, it was running every morning and lifting weights at night in order to be the best I could be. This persistence to do the extra things has benefitted me at West Point as well. For example, the scheduled physical training during the school day is not sufficient enough for you to reach your full potential. I have had to spend the extra time outside of the time provided to increase my level of fitness which has benefitted me greatly. Wrestling taught me the importance of being dedicated and to take ownership of my own development. Another important value is mental toughness. Anyone who has spent any time around wrestling knows that 90% of the sport is mental toughness. In the end, mental toughness boils down to having a big heart and not giving in to the easy way off the mat. West Point is known for its tough academic environment and I can say that it lives up to its reputation. I have spent many late nights working on papers, projects, and studying. There have been many times when it would have been easy to quit early, go to sleep, and hope for the best. However, the consequences of such actions are far worse than losing some sleep. This translates from wrestling because giving up at the end of the match, such as allowing your opponent to get another point for a major, will result in the pain of the consequences being much worse than the pain of effort. My academic example of mental toughness is a little abstract from what most people would consider mental toughness however, it is the desire to not give up that defines us not the form of the challenge. The final value which I think is important is being a team player. A team player is someone who is selfless, putting the welfare of the group before yourself. In wrestling, you become very close to your teammates and they depend on you not only to make them better in practice but to also come up big when needed in a match. Although, only you can help yourself out on the mat, wrestling is never about you. The ability to recognize that it’s never about you is very important. At West Point, the same concept rings true. It is my responsibility to make sure that I take care of my subordinates before I take care of myself. Life is actually easier making sure everyone is doing well because it prevents you from falling into a bottomless pit of self pity. People who only focus on themselves constantly blame others for their problems and are always saying things like “Why does this always happen to me?” At the end of the day, be a team player and put others before yourself. I would like to thank you for taking the time to read about how wrestling has helped me be successful at West Point. What I have written is only a very small percentage of how wrestling has helped me. Wrestling has been one of the single most important aspects in my growth and development. To anyone who has doubts about continuing to wrestle or allowing their children to become involved, you should look at how wrestling is not simply a sport but also a way to develop a formula for success in the future. “Remember who you are and where you came from” BG Finnegan |
Lessons Learned through Wrestling: Application to West Point 
Some photos that we scanned. If you would like to contribute photos we would welcome the opportunity to either give you rights to update this page or send them on to us. Either way thanks.
| Desire: The Story of the 1984 Delaware Valley Wrestling Team | Written by Joe Lukas Class of 2000 | ||||
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In the 47 years the Delaware Valley Wrestling program has been in existence only one team has garnered the Star Ledger trophy as the #1 team in the state. In 1984 a gutsy determined group of young men decided that it was time for them to put their names into the record books and raise the bar for Del Val Wrestling. The group was not only experienced with seven seniors in the lineup, but talented having had five region finalists. The teams dual match record for the year was 19-0-1, but as you look deeper into the season there were five matches that Del Val could have lost. Throughout the article examples will be given showcasing certain individuals that shined when the light was on them. Ultimately, this shows that the team could win under adverse circumstances, which appeared to happen time and again. The season got off to a good start for the squad as they placed fourth at the Caldwell tournament and second at the Hunterdon Central tournament. However, Del Val had trouble from the onset of the dual meet season as several wrestlers were injured forcing the team to make adjustments with the starting lineup. The second match of the season came against a game Cranford squad on December 21, 1983. Del Val entered the match with half of lineup wrestling up a weight. Cranford capitalized and was able to build its lead to 26 to 3. The final six weight classes were then won by Del Val and like all true champions Del Val dug deep and clawed back for a 33-26 victory.
Phillipsburg was the next big test for Del Val. The match took place in “the pit” on January 7, 1983 and it would go down as a classic. It was a wild back and forth affair that had three lead changes in the final four matches. One of the key victories saw Grant Gould pin eventual state champion Mike Barna at 148 lbs. Del Val eventually prevailed with a 32 to 29 victory. A huge hurdle had been cleared with the victory. Our program has only beaten Phillipsburg in "the Pit" on three occasions. With the victory, the table had been set. However, Del Val did not have time to catch its breath before the next challenge. During the 1980’s Hunterdon and Warren counties dominated New Jersey wrestling. Del Val eventually had to wrestle three teams from these counties that were ranked in the top ten in the state. One week after the Phillipsburg match Del Val came up against a dominant Voorhees team who had won the Group 2 state championship in 1982 and looked to be just as strong. The match was highly contested and was a draw at 25 to 25. This did not damper the spirits of the Del Val wrestlers as they went on to win there next four matches by a combined score of 199 to 33. Del Val would wrestle against North Hunterdon on January 28, 1984. The dream of becoming the number one team in New Jersey was beginning to shape up as a reality. Voorhees had lost to Ridge since wrestling Del Val. If Del Val could beat North Hunterdon and Ridge they would be able to make a run to become the number one team in New Jersey. When Del Val wrestled North Hunterdon both teams were ranked in the top ten in the state. The match was a back and forth battle. The matchup of the night pitted Andy Cowder against Mark Nace at 135. The two wrestled a phenomenal match that saw Cowder come out on top 14-11. This was a clutch victory for Cowder as Nace would go onto finish second in the state at 128. With four weights remaining the score was knotted at 18 to 18. Once again Del Val would rely on its upper weights to take the match like they did against Phillipsburg. They did not disappoint as Del Val prevailed 28 to 24. As Del Val marched towards the post season they were on a collision course with Ridge. Ridge boasted a team that was stacked from top to bottom and would be waiting for Del Val in the sectional finals. During the much anticipated match Del Val found a new hero in Jon Fleck who battled to a 3-3 tie against Tony Williams a regional finalist. This was an emotional lift for Del Val who once again counted on their game competitor in Andy Cowder at 141. Cowder pulled out a 3-1 decision against John Durso, who eventually placed third in New Jersey. Del Val went on to win the match in thrilling fashion 26 to 24. The win against Ridge put Del Val in excellent position to become the #1 team in New Jersey. It was stated earlier that Del Val finished fourth in the Caldwell tournament. Paulsboro had won that tournament which gave them a slight edge over Del Val as the #1 team in New Jersey. However, Paulsboro had tied Delsea earlier in the year. Delsea was one of the four Group 2 finalists. If Del Val could beat Delsea during finals weekend they would be crowned the #1 team in New Jersey. The matchup never occurred. Delsea ended up getting fourth that weekend as Del Val defeated Pequannock 39-15 and High Point 37-24.
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