Hollerman's well-timed win helps Butler wrestlers defeat Mt. Lebanon

By JOHN ENRIETTO Eagle Sports Editor

February 12, 2005 Last Updated: February 12, 2005 12:55 PM High School

BUTLER TWP - Tom Hollerman had to win. There was too much at stake for him to lose.

It was Butler's Senior Night.

He was seeking his 20th victory of the year.

He was wrestling against Dave Lewandowski, who decisioned him in the finals of the Burgettstown Tournament recently.

None of those three reasons meant as much to Hollerman as a fourth one.

"We haven't lost a team match at home all year," the Butler senior said. "I wasn't going to take any chances. I felt like I had to win."

The 135-pounder scored a 4-2 win in overtime Friday night, a key match in the Golden Tornado's 34-24 win over Mt. Lebanon.

Hollerman's win, coupled with Alex Evanoff's come-from-behind 2-1 decision at 125 pounds, helped Butler to cap the second perfect season at home in the program's history.

Evanoff (18-11) trailed Mike Lewandowski (14-12) 1-0 before scoring a takedown in the final 30 seconds.

"If we don't win those two matches, we lose this meet," Butler coach Scott Stoner said.

"I'm surprised the overall score was that close. I thought we'd dominate more. We wrestled kind of stale tonight," he added.

Hollerman (20-10) scored a second-period reversal on Dave Lewandowski (18-7) and took a 2-0 lead into the third period. Lewandowski was awarded a stalling point, then scored an escape in the third period to force overtime.

But Hollerman took him down just 16 seconds into the extra session to get the decision.

"That was one of the key matches," Mt. Lebanon coach Bill Lewis said. "Those two guys are evenly matched. Tommy made the aggressive move in overtime."

Lewandowski had decisioned Hollerman 5-3 in the finals of the Burgettstown Tournament.

"I knew I could wrestle with him," Hollerman said. "I was surprised I lost a stalling point. It seemed like he (Lewandowski) wasn't trying to do anything.

"This is the first year I've been able to put moves together. I'm staying in matches a lot more. Only one of my losses this year is by more than two points."

Hollerman never had a winning season in varsity wrestling before this year.

"That kid's lost more close matches than anyone I've ever had," Stoner said. "Tommy's always been right there. He's gotten over the hump this year."

Butler (13-4) received pins from freshman Ian McLaughlin (28-4) at 119 pounds, Stew Rapone (19-11) at 140 and Ryan Eck at 215. Eck's pin occurred just 39 seconds into his match.

McLaughlin's pin was his 24th of the season. Butler's previous single-season pin record was 21.

"High pin totals are usually generated by 103-pounders because they face a lot of young undeveloped opponents or by overpowering heavyweights," Stoner said.

"For a freshman to get this many pins at 119, when he's facing seasoned opponents who moved up a weight class from the previous year, is very impressive," he added.

Mt. Lebanon (7-9) received pins from John Bucey at 145 and Blake Bonnewell at 189. The Blue Devils were 14-4 a year ago and graduated nine starters.

"We're young, but so is Butler," Lewis said. "We gave up more points than we could afford to from 103 to 140. We knew that's where this match would be won or lost."

Butler's two seniors - Hollerman and 171-pounder Matt Kalin (13-15) - were honored before the match.

Kalin carries a 4.1 grade point average and plans to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. Hollerman plans to continue his wrestling career at Delaware State College.

Butler 34, Mt. Lebanon 24

103 pounds -

Rob Runyan (B) dec. Stan Kochanek, 19-6

112 -

Decker Hubbs (B) dec. Eli LaBelle, 13-7

119 -

Ian McLaughlin (B) pinned Rob Cowburn, 1:51

125 -

Alex Evanoff (B) dec. Mike Lewandowski, 2-1

130 -

Greg Perri (ML) dec. Jon Sanko, 7-1

135 -