Senior Spotlight: John Lynch

Saucon Valley senior John Lynch was introduced to wrestling as a five-year-old participant in the area's youth wrestling association. Last summer, after his first year on the Panther varsity team, Lynch became a member of the Pennsylvania freestyle wrestling club that traveled to Fargo, N.D., to compete in the National Freestyle Tournament. Although he did not medal at the tourney, he did acquire better wrestling techniques and gained information to improve his training and fitness.  

John (31-6) likes to wrestle at 145 pounds, which is just about his normal weight, and the weight at which he qualified to wrestle at the state championships in Hershey. However, as a senior he was also successful when he wrestled up one weight class.

John wrestled at 152 pounds and placed 4th in the 2010 Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic at Liberty High School in December, and captured 1st place in the 2011 District XI AA finals by defeating previously unbeaten Sam Scheib of Tri-Valley for the title. He said that making districts and winning titles both as a junior at 135 and as a senior at 152 are definitely two of his career highlights.

The soft-spoken Lynch will be in Hershey this weekend as one of the 20 best wrestlers in Pennsylvania at 145.

"I feel good," he said. "I'm rested and excited to be going to states. It is what I have worked all year to do." He added that he likes his seeding and believes he has a good chance to medal.

John did play football, however after ninth grade he concentrated on wrestling. He mentioned that his coaches have been role models for him, because they have knowledge and have been where he wants to be.

Although John enjoys studying science, he will be enrolling at American University in Washington, D.C., where he expects to major in a business-related course of study.

John has two younger siblings, Jason, in eighth grade, and Jean, in 10th grade. His parents are John and Michelle Lynch.