Josh Maruca is a fifth-grade student at Sloan Elementary School in the Franklin Regional School District.

Maruca set a goal for himself this year to win the Mid Atlantic Wrestling Association (MAWA) Tournament and capture the title of Eastern National Champion.

The tournament is comprised of wrestlers from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Vermont and is divided into the East, West, North and South regions. The tournament is in three phases and starts with 11,000 wrestlers. Only 1,400 advance to the championships.

Maruca won the first phase of the competition in April by winning the local district tournament that was held in Pittsburgh. The top three wrestlers in each age and weight class then moved on to the western regional tournament that was held at Shippensburg University.

Maruca took first place and then traveled to Salisbury, Md. for the championships that were held on May 3 and 4. He was in a bracket of 16 wrestlers, the top four from each of the regional qualifiers. He wrestled for two days, winning every match to accomplish his goal and capture the title of Eastern National Champion.

Maruca trains with the FR Junior Olympic program and Pitt Bull Wresting Club under coach Sanshiro Abe.

-- Submitted information