It was something Mark Angle knew he would have to do eventually.

Angle, who guided the Seneca Valley wrestling program the last two seasons, recently stepped down as coach to focus on his teaching career.

"I'm going to be taking graduate classes at either Pitt or Slippery Rock," said Angle, 27. "Being that I still live in the South Hills (Mt. Lebanon), I just wouldn't be able to put as much time into the wrestling program as I'd like."

"Mark actually let us know about his decision about two weeks ago," said Seneca athletic director Terry Henry. "We posted the position then."

Angle, a 2001 graduate of Clarion University, is a biology teacher at Seneca Valley. He plans to keep that position when he goes back to college.

"When you're a teacher in Pennsylvania, you know you have to take these (graduate) classes within six years," said Angle. "I've put it off for three years now, and I decided that now is the time."

"I really don't know who they are looking at to replace me," said Angle. "I know there are a few guys within the district, at the junior high level, who could be good for the program."

"We need to get somebody in here with wrestling experience," Henry said.

Angle was a star wrestler at both Canon-McMillan High School and at Clarion.

His first coaching position was as an assistant with the Golden Eagles before taking the same position at North Allegheny High School.

Seneca Valley hired Angle before the 2002-03 season and he has compiled an 11-21 record with the Raiders over the last two years.

"I'm not ruling out coming back at some point," Angle said. "Depending on who they bring in, I'd still like to come down and help out with the team. I've gotten to know these kids pretty well.

"These guys, especially the younger ones, really know how to work hard," Angle added. "They've seen where they can get to through hard work. Hopefully, they can continue that with their new coach."

"We brought Mark in to be the wrestling coach and gave him a teaching position," said Henry. "And, after two years, he steps down as coach. It's a difficult situation for us and a hard sell to the school board. They weren't expecting this."