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The Mohegan Sun Arena is a place where stars bloom into superstars. Most of the athletes who get their start at the Wilkes-Barre Township venue are hockey players. But in some instances, a youngster makes his or her first big impression at the site as well.

In 2011, Spencer Lee and Jimmy Hoffman broke through at the Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling Championships held at the arena and started a long and successful high school wrestling career afterward.

Both wrestlers won PJW titles in the 11 to 12-year-old brackets at the Mohegan Sun Arena that year, the last time the event was held in Northeast Pennsylvania.

The annual tournament returns this weekend to NEPA on Friday and Saturday.

Lee, from Franklin Regional, went on to win three PIAA Class 3A gold medals, and had just one loss during his high school career, which ocurred earlier this month when he fell in the state finals.

Hoffman, from Hazleton Area, has become one of the most decorated wrestlers in Wyoming Valley Conference history including a pair of state silver medals and 162 wins.

A few years earlier, when the event was held in Harrisburg, Darian Cruz and Jason Nolf won PJW titles. Just last weekend, Cruz won an NCAA National title for Lehigh, while Nolf claimed gold representing Penn State.

So when the event begins Friday at 9 a.m., there’s a good chance some future big-time names are in the crop.

Action will also start at 9 a.m. Saturday and wrap up with the finals and medal matches at 5 p.m. Saturday.

“PJW is a true state championship. There’s no Double-A or Triple-A, it’s just one tournament,” tournament co-committee chairman Tom Traver said. “When you look at these names, it’s unbelievable. These guys who were in the NCAA national finals, it’s unbelievable. The history of PJW is unbelievable, the names of guys who were in this program.”

Also at the 2011 event in Wilkes-Barre Twp., the PJW began the 8-and-under division for the first time. While it may seem a little too early for some folks to get their children started in the sport at that young of an age, Traver’s son, Tommy wrestled in the age group above that in the event.

This past wrestling season, Tommy was a state qualifier and won a bout at the PIAA Championships in his debut as a sophomore.

Joining the 8-and-under age group is a 9-10 bracket and the 11-12 division with 35 total champions being crowned and the top eight in each weight grabbing medals.

“I think the PJW does a terrific job of putting young wrestlers on the big stage so when they get out there and wrestle on the big stage, this isn’t something new,” the elder Traver said. “It’s very important they get down in a big arena and they don’t get starstruck.”

For the medal presentations this weekend, Adeline Gray, a female junior World Champion freestyle wrestler will present the athletes their medals. The Olympian also founded the Wrestle Like a Girl Foundation, an organization that promotes female wrestling.

The PJW’s voted last year to add a girls division to the state tournament for the 2018 season. This past season, there were exhibitions involving females, and there are a handful of girls wrestling at the arena this weekend.

Admission to the event is $25 for adults and $15 for students for both days, or $15 for adults and $10 per student for one day.

For other sports stories, click here.

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By Dave Rosengrant

For Times Leader

IF YOU GO

Friday

PJW Championships at Mohegan Sun Arena, 9 a.m.

Tickets: $25 adults/$15 students (both days); $15 adults/$10 students (one day)

Reach Times Leader sports at 570-829-7143 or on Twitter @tlsports.