WEXFORD - Two best friends and a freshman.

An unlikely trio represented Seneca Valley and Butler as Section 3-AAA wrestling champions Saturday night at North Allegheny High School.

Junior Mike Rossetti and senior Mike Bianco, Seneca Valley's 189 and 215-pound wrestlers, claimed section titles after being non-factors in the tournament last year. Ian McLaughlin, Butler's 119-pound wrestler, became the first freshman section mat champion in the school's history.

"That's our Mike and Mike," Seneca Valley coach Lee Mullett said. "They've helped each other all year. Getting a chance to work out against someone of that caliber every day is a rare thing."

Rossetti was only 9-13 as a sophomore last season before placing eighth in the Greco-Roman wrestling nationals in Fargo, N.D., over the summer.

He had been involved in summer wrestling for a number of years, however. What he missed last season was his best friend and mat partner Bianco.

"Placing in that national tournament made me believe I could do well in high school," Rossetti said. "But did I ever believe I could be standing at the top of that platform (as section champion)? Never.

"Getting Mike back had a lot to do with that."

Bianco was involved in a near-fatal automobile accident in December of 2002 and didn't wrestle at all last year.

"I was OK injury-wise … I had to deal with a lot of personal issues that kept me out," Bianco said.

Regardless, both returned to the mat with a vengeance.

Rossetti is 26-4 on the year, scoring a first-period pin in the semifinal round Saturday before using a pair of takedowns to defeat Ryan Breen of Pine-Richland, 4-0, in the finals.

Bianco improved to 24-2 with an 11-6 decision in the semifinals and a 4-3 decision of Ambridge's Rick Dlubak in the finals. Dlubak was the section's defending 215-pound champion.

"I came back to wrestling to have fun and I've had a blast," Bianco said. "I never thought about winning this tournament until I saw I was seeded No. 1."

Mullett said Bianco decisioned Dlubak for the third time this season - each by one point.

"They've been wars and they've been good matches for him," Mullett said.

Just like Rossetti and Bianco have been good for each other."He's my best friend," Rossetti said. "Having your best friend as your wrestling partner in the room every day ... It's just tremendous."Bianco is happier for Rossetti than he is for himself."Much happier," he said. "We've been wrestling together since eighth grade. He was a fat meatball then who didn't win a match."I'm thrilled for him. This shows what hard work can do."McLaughlin has been all about hard work all season. The Golden Tornado wrestler recorded his school-record 25thpin of the season in the 119-pound title match.He pinned Ryan McGarity of Pine-Richland - last year's 103-pound section champion - in just 46 seconds."Ian doesn't think about how he's going to beat his opponent. He thinks about how he's going to pin him," Butler coach Scott Stoner said. "That's the level he's at right now."McLaughlin is 31-5 on the year. No other Butler freshman has ever won 30 matches in a season.McLaughlin scored a 5-2 decision over McGarity when they met during the regular season."My game-plan was to be aggressive from the start this time and try to gain leverage on him," McLaughlin said. "I got him to the mat and it just worked out."I wanted to go to the WPIAL meet representing Butler as a section champion and possible top seed. That's important to me."Four other Tornado wrestlers will join McLaughlin at the WPIAL meet - slated Thursday through Saturday at Canon McMillan High School. Josh Coburn (24-10) placed second at 152 pounds Saturday while Rob Runyan (22-11) at 103, Decker Hubbs (21-8) at 112 and Ryan Eck (20-12) at 189 all placed third.The top three placers in each weight class advance to the WPIAL meet.Butler had seven wrestlers reach the final round of the section meet. Matt Kalin (16-17) ended his career with a consolation final loss at 171 pounds, as did Tom Hollerman (23-12) at 135.Hollerman was defeated in overtime by Seneca Valley's Lee Layton when he was unable to escape Layton's grasp during the 30-second, second overtime period."That was a heartbreaking way for Tommy to go out," Stoner said. "Layton's a tough kid and that was a great match."Matt Kalin's going to the U.S. Military Academy and his other option was the Naval Academy. To work with a kid of that caliber for three years has truly been a pleasure."Coburn is a junior who did not place at the section meet last year. He never wrestled before his freshman year. Eck was on medication for a heart condition in preseason that took away from his endurance."During practice, Ryan would just hit the wall and that'd be it," Stoner said of his stamina. "But the medication was adjusted and he's really been coming on."As for Josh, this year is just a sneak preview of the kind of wrestler he's going to be."Runyan rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win his consolation final, 3-2, while Hubbs won three matches convincingly: A 9-2 decision, 47-second pin and 6-2 decision."Rob's in a strong weight class and knew he'd have to beat a strong Shaler kid (Lou Cervi) to get through," Stoner said. "Decker has really adjusted to big-school wrestling well."Seneca Valley has two wrestlers - 125-pounder Pat Coyne (23-10) and 135-pounder Layton (25-6) - joining Rossetti and Bianco at the WPIAL meet.Coyne scored a technical fall in his consolation final match while Layton won the aforementioned nail-biter over Hollerman.Frank Snyder (21-12) ended his mat career with the Raiders with a loss in the 130-pound consolation final. Sophomores Dave Kovach (19-13) at 145 and Zack Cahall (9-17) at 152 lost in the consolation finals as well."Those kids are underclassmen and they'll learn from this," Mullett said. "We expected to get six to eight kids to the final round and we got seven."To get a couple of section champions out of this ... We're happy."

Finals; Consolation Finals103 -Steve Sabreen (North Allegheny) dec. Sam Brehm (Pine-Richland) 2-0; Rob Runyan (Butler) dec. Lou Cervi (Shaler) 3-2112 -Steve Fleming (Shaler) injury default over Andy Schoeffel (Pine-Richland); Decker Hubbs (Butler) dec. Damon Clark (Hampton) 6-2119 -Ian McLaughlin (Butler) pinned Ryan McGarity (Pine-Richland), :46; Jon Drzemiecki (Shaler) dec. Bob DiCaprio (North Hills) 6-1125 -Brendan Cutenese (Avonworth) dec. Rob Cawley (North Allegheny) 11-2; Pat Coyne (Seneca Valley) tech. fall over Mike Fiore (Pine-Richland), 3:30 (15-0)130 -Matt Nelson (Shaler) dec. Brian Pogel (Hampton) 2-1 in OT; Aaron Formanek (Pine-Richland) dec. Frank Snyder (Seneca Valley) 7-2135 -Nick Nelson (Shaler) dec. Mark Roney (Avonworth) 6-3; Lee Layton (Seneca Valley) dec. Tom Hollerman (Butler) 5-4 in OT140 -Eric Vone (Avonworth) dec. Mike Thompson (Hampton) 4-2 in OT; Adam Harold (North Hills) dec. Andy Sibenac (Shaler) 6-1 in OT145 -Curtis Branchen (Avonworth) dec. Brady Krebs (Hamptpn) 5-3; Bill Landefeld (North Allegheny) dec. Dave Kovach (Seneca Valley) 9-7152 -Karl DeCiantis (North Allegheny) dec. Josh Coburn (Butler) 3-1; Ryan Schleiden (Pine-Richland) dec. Zack Cahall (Seneca Valley) 11-2160 -Rob Waltko (North Allegheny) dec. T.J. Pringle (Ambridge) 9-6; Scott Kelly (Hampton) dec. Brandon Halaja (Pine-Richland) 8-0171 -Jeff Gananno (Pine-Richland) pinned Derick Schmidt (North Allegheny), 3:00; Patrick Wilson (North Hills) dec. Matt Kalin (Butler) 6-0189 -Mike Rossetti (Seneca Valley) dec. Ryan Breen (Pine-Richland) 4-0; Ryan Eck (Butler) pinned Nick Krotec (Shaler), 1:41215 -Mike Bianco (Seneca Valley) dec. Rick Dlubak (Ambridge) 4-3; Rory Dahl (North Allegheny) dec. Ben Shulman (Hampton) 5-0Hwt -R.J. Parks (North Allegheny) dec. Chris Dempsey (Ambridge) 5-4; Ben Scherer (Pine-Richland) pinned Brad Kyle (Hampton), 1:31