Elk Lake’s Frank Delesky battles an opponent during last year’s Zurn-Bush Tournament. He will return to the mats this year for the Warriors. STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN WOODRUFF
BY KEVIN WOODRUFF
On Saturday, the Elk Lake Warriors will again host the 26th annual Zurn-Bush Memorial Wrestling Tournament.
The event is named for Kirk Zurn and Thomas Bush, both teachers and wrestling coaches atElkLake, who were killed in an accident in 1985 while replacing a roof. The school’s annual holiday wrestling tournament was renamed in their memory in 1986.
ElkLakeis returning after taking fifth place in the tournament last January. It was the first time in six years that the Warriors were not in the finals.
The Warriors last lost the tournament in 2006 in the championship round to Lackawanna Trail.
This year’s Zurn-Bush tournament features eight teams in a round-robin style tournament, with all the wrestling action taking place in the elementary gym.
Teams involved in the tournament areElkLake,Nanticoke, Sayre, Scranton Prep, Lake-Lehman, Valley View, G.A.R. Memorial andBlue Ridge.
Wrestling kicks off at9 a.m.on Saturday with weigh-ins being conducted from7 a.m.to8 a.m.
The Warrior team, of coach Joe Ofalt, with returning wrestlers Frank Delesky (132), Mason Maye (120), Derrick Smith (145) and Isaiah Ofalt (170).
ElkLakeathletic director Tony Blaisure said that this will be the last year the tournament will be held as a round-robin tournament.
Next year, because of a new PIAA rule limiting the number of individual matches for wrestlers, the tournament will be an individual tournament.
“If the tournaments are round-robin, each wrestler could get up to five matches in one day,” Blaisure said. “But with an individual tournament, they could have as little as two.”
With last year’s champion Lake-Lehman returning back to the fray, Blaisure expects a day of competitive wrestling.
“Lake-Lehman will be a strong contender,” Blaisure said. “Scranton Prep is also returning a number of wrestlers.Blue Ridgeshould also be strong with a couple of district champions.
“I look forward to an outstanding team tournament here atElkLake.”
Admission will be charged at the door with prices set at $5 for adults and $3 for students. Refreshments will be available.
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