Lackawanna Trail and Delaware Valley both won multiple titles in the 2021 wrestling season and have several established wrestlers back for 2021-22.
Those credentials allow the Lions and Warriors open to begin the season ranked first and second in the preseason Riverfront Sports Elite Eight Wrestling Power Rankings of District 2 teams.
Delaware Valley won the higher-level titles last season, but Lackawanna Trail otherwise matched its credentials despite having only one senior on the roster.
The larger group of returnees makes the Lions the No. 1 team to open the season.
Both teams advanced to the state quarterfinals with unbeaten records last season by winning first-round matches in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Dual Meet Tournament.
Lackawanna Trail won Lackawanna League Division 2 and District 2 Class 2A.
Delaware Valley won Lackawanna League Division 1 and District 2 Class 3A.
Both teams won district titles, both in the dual meet tournament, which qualifies squads for state team competition, and in the team scoring of the district tournament that sends individuals into regional competition and starts the state qualifying process.
The Lions and Warriors are followed in the initial rankings by Honesdale, Abington Heights, Lake-Lehman, Western Wayne, Wyoming Valley West and Hazleton Area.
Honesdale’s only loss came against Lackawanna Trail. The Hornets finished third in the team scoring at the district individual tournament, close behind second-place Lake-Lehman and the Hornets lost less to graduation.
Both Abington Heights losses came against Delaware Valley, including in the District 2 Class 3A dual meet final.
Lake-Lehman won the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 title and only lost to Lackawanna Trail in the district dual final.
Western Wayne has a large group back from the team that managed to fill the most complete schedule in last season’s COVID limitations. The Wildcats won their last six matches last season.
Wyoming Valley West went 3-1 in a shortened season in which only one of its bout wins came from a senior.
Hazleton Area won WVC Division 1.
The opening rankings, with last season’s records:
| Rank | Team | Last Season |
| 1. | Lackawanna Trail | 9-1 |
| 2. | Delaware Valley | 9-1 |
| 3. | Honesdale | 7-1 |
| 4. | Abington Heights | 8-2 |
| 5. | Lake-Lehman | 9-1 |
| 6. | Western Wayne | 9-6 |
| 7. | Wyoming Valley West | 3-1 |
| 8. | Hazleton Area | 9-2 |
