BUTLER TWP - Before it even began, this was going to be a different type of season for veteran Butler wrestling coach Scott Stoner.

The 12th-year coach had never started more than two freshmen during any given year.

This year, he's starting five.

"I could see this coming," Stoner said. "Our lighter weight classes were all going to be freshmen. And I told them they can't afford to be freshmen.

"Forget about growing pains. We're counting on these guys to carry the load in the front part of our lineup."

They've been carrying the load so well, in fact, that sophomore Decker Hubbs, a transfer from Wyoming, where he was a Class AA state runner-up last season, can't crack the Golden Tornado's starting lineup.

Hubbs is 5-1 with three pins while filling in at 119 or 125 pounds so far this season.

"His graduating class at his school last year had 11 or 12 kids in it," Stoner said. "Decker has an unbelievable personality, such a positive attitude."

But he hasn't been able to step into Butler's starting lineup, primarily because of freshman 119-pounder Ian McLaughlin.

While McLaughlin's father, Mark McLaughlin, is coaching Knoch's first-year junior high wrestling program, Ian has recorded eight pins in his first eight varsity matches at Butler.

He pinned all five of his opponents at the Commodore Perry Duals in a combined four minutes and 19 seconds.

McLaughlin has been involved in Butler's wrestling program since second grade. He and 125-pound freshman Alex Evanoff. the younger brother of graduated Butler wrestler Ray Evanoff, have participated in numerous wrestling clubs as well.

Two other Tornado freshmen - 103-pound Rob Runyan and 112-pound Ken Rosenbauer - combined to win 12 of their first 14 matches this season.

"We have another freshman at 130 - John Sanko - who's been slowed by a shoulder injury and he's going to be coming on, too," Stoner said.

McLaughlin has the rare combination of quickness and strength for a 119-pounder. He was 18-1 in junior high last year.

"I wrestle pretty much year-round," he said. "I thought I might be wrestling for my father's team at Knoch, but they won't have a high school team until next year and he didn't want me to not be in a high school program this year.

"Butler has an established program and I came up in this system. I'm glad to be here."And he plans to stick around."I'm hoping to win the section and place at WPIAL, then go to states if I'm lucky enough this year," McLaughlin said. "I know Butler's never had a state champion. I'd love to be the first."Evanoff was 18-3 in junior high last year and has been wrestling since third grade. Runyan is another product of the Tornado's elementary program. Rosenbauer got started in sixth grade."A lot of these freshmen have more mat experience than our upperclassmen because they started so young," Stoner said.Evanoff has such a passion for the sport that he buys wrestling tapes - such as the Division II PSAC Championships - and studies them."When Ray was in eighth and ninth grade, I started going to his matches and got hooked," Evanoff said. "It's a huge jump, starting varsity compared to junior high, but this sport is 95 percent mental."I want to learn as much as I can. Technique makes the difference."A broken arm curtailed Runyan's junior high season last year. He was 9-2 at the time of the injury."I want to be the best I can be at this sport," Runyan said. "It's one-on-one, you against the other guy with the spotlight on."There's no other sport like it. It's not for everyone, but it's definitely for me."Bill McCance has been Butler's elementary wrestling coach the past few years and has "brought stability to the program," Stoner said."This is not a sport for the weak," Stoner pointed out. "You're going to get bumped, you're going to take elbows to the back and head, your nose is going to get bloody."The physical part of the sport is mastered first. Most of these freshmen have gotten this far by muscling their opponents. Now, the technique has to start kicking in."Despite its youth, Butler began its season with a 6-1 dual match record. Tom Hollerman (5-2) and Matt Kalin (4-3) are the only seniors on the team."Those guys have earned their leadership roles," Stoner said. "Our younger kids are students of the game. It's paying off now and we're all excited about how it may pay off in the future.""We've all talked about being part of something special," Evanoff said. "This is where it starts."