The 1990’s would see District XI crown an impressive 45 PIAA wrestling champions. District XI teams would finish 1st in the AAA team race 7 times & 2nd 6 times. In AA, District XI teams were 1st twice & had 11 other top four finishes.
Tremendously competitive dual meets between the top teams dominated the landscape in the local leagues. The District Duals provided the opportunity for revenge for a regular season loss. The advent of the Elite Duals, Nazareth participating in the Virginia Duals, Easton traveling to Reno and the advent of the PIAA Team Duals in 1999 further expanded the competition between local teams and nationally ranked squads.
There were many changes in the traditional conferences during the decade. After the 1993-94 season, the Centennial Conference was disbanded with most teams joining the newly formed Mountain Valley Conference. They were joined by Northampton and Nazareth. One year later, Phillipsburg left the East Penn Conference for the Skyland Conference after 45 years of competing in leagues with local teams in the Valley. After the 1997-98 season, Easton, Freedom, Liberty, Parkland and Whitehall left the EPC to join the MVC. Allen, Easton and Liberty had been competing in the same league together (Lehigh Valley League, East Penn League & finally East Penn Conference) since 1950!
“The Big 3” of Easton, Nazareth & Northampton won all 10 AAA District XI individual tourney team titles, 8 of 10 2nd place finishes (Parkland claimed the remaining 2) while their coaches claimed 9 or 10 Coaches of the Year awards.
In AA, Catasauqua, Pine Grove, North Schuylkill, Wilson and Northern Lehigh all claimed AA District XI individual tourney team titles.