Family ties

By JOHN ENRIETTO Eagle Sports Editor

December 21, 2006 Last Updated: December 21, 2006 03:36 PM High School

Butler 125-pound Ian McLaughlin, left has control of Kbnoch's Richard during their match Wednesday night. McLaughlin won by pin as the Golden Tornado defeated Knoch, 57-15. McLaughlin's father coaches the first-year Knights varsity program.

Knoch coach McLaughlin watches son start Butler wrestling win

BUTLER TWP — Before he shook hands with his opponent, Ian McLaughlin steered a smile toward the opposing coach.

His father.

Butler's 125-pound wrestler proceeded to record his eighth pin in as many matches Wednesday night and the Golden Tornado (4-4) cruised to a 57-15 triumph over Knoch.

The Knights (0-4) are in their first year as a varsity wrestling program under coach Mark McLaughlin.

"I'm proud of what he's accomplished over there,"McLaughlin said of his father. "I was part of the developing stages of his program. I wrestled in Knoch's elementary program and for a year in the junior high program."

The McLaughlin family moved into the Butler school district when McLaughlin was in eight grade. Now the junior is on pace to shatter most of the Tornado individual records.

And his father has no plans on bringing him back to Knoch.

"We're not into recruiting kids,"Coach McLaughlin said, laughing. "Coach (Scott)Stoner and his staff have done a great job with Ian. It would benefit no one to take him out of that program.

"We talked about this match last night. I told Ian I loved him, he's my son and he's a great wrestler, but I was gonna put my best kid on the mat tonight to try to beat him."

McLaughlin led the Knights' Richard Rickerd 11-3 entering the third period of the evening's first match. He started the third period on the bottom, then scored an escape, reverse and pin in 19 seconds.

"I want to be more fluid on the mat this year,"McLaughlin said. "Last year, my performance was choppy at times. Now I'm thinking about my next move while I'm executing another move and it's working out."

The pin was the 54th of McLaughlin's high school career. He broke the previous school record of 49, held by Adam Pritts, last weekend at the Commodore Perry Duals.

"Ian wrestled a really good kid from Mercer in that tournament,"Butler coach Stoner said. "It was going to be a good match to guage where Ian is at right now. That kid never got into the match and Ian pinned him in the second period.

"Ian will probably own every one of our records before he's through here."

McLaughlin, Alex Evanoff at 145, Josh Pascazi at 152, Jake Lytle at 171 and Josh McCaslin at heavyweight scored pins Wednesday for Butler.

Evanoff (6-2) pinned his opponent in 26 seconds. McCaslin (3-4) pinned his in 39 seconds.

"Ian and Alex aggressively and physically went after their opponents and Josh is a very athletic kid,"Stoner said. "I'd like to see more of that aggressiveness and intensity throughout our lineup.

"We're trying to bring out that intensity and work the kids hard in the room, but it's not showing up out here consistently."

Knoch received pins from Dylan Leslie at 103 pounds and Rob Kisiel at 112. They marked the second and third pins in the program's history. Grayson Hixon had Knoch's first-ever pin against Hampton.

Nash Leslie won a decision for the Knights at 140. Nick Downing and Wes Sherry lost competitive decisions to Butler's Rob Runyan (8-0) and Lee Will (5-3) at 119 and 160 pounds, respectively.

"We're getting better,"Coach McLaughlin said. "Our intensity in the room and match preparation has to improve, though. Our kids haven't been around the block yet like a lot of these team's we're facing."

Stoner acknowledged the effort of the Knoch wrestlers.

"I don't think our kids took them seriously enough,"he said. "Their kids don't act like a first-year team. They didn't come on the mat expecting to lose. They came right at our guys.

"I was in Mark's position not all that long ago. That type of effort is a positive thing to start with."

Butler will compete in the Big Dog Tournament Dec. 28-29 at Brockway. Knoch will compete in the Redbank Tournament Dec. 29-30.

Butler 57, Knoch 15(match started at 125 pounds)

103 — Dylan Leslie (K)pinned JustinVictor in 5:54;

112 — Rob Kisiel (K) pinned Dave Jaillet in 3:05;

119 — Rob Runyan (B)dec. Nick Downing 12-6;

125 — Ian McLaughlin (B)pinned Richard Rickerd in 4:19;

130 — Aaron Raible (B)by forfeit;

135 — Derek Hays (B)dec. Kevin Green 11-2;

140 — Nash Leslie (K)dec. Ken Rosenbauer 8-6;

145 — Alex Evanoff (B)pinned Drew Nickerson in :26;

152 — Josh Pascazi (B) tech. fall over John Zellhart in 4:49 (17-2);