Knights step up to varsity level this season

By JOHNENRIETTO Eagle Sports Editor

December 01, 2006 Last Updated: December 01, 2006 12:38 PM High School

The McLaughlin family looks to make history on the wrestling mat this season — in different places for different schools.

While Ian McLaughlin hopes to become the first wrestler at Butler to reach the career 100-win plateau before his senior year, his father, Mark McLaughlin, will be coaching the first varsity wrestling team in Knoch history.

When Butler hosts Knoch Dec. 20, father will be coaching against son.

"That will be hard for me,"Coach McLaughlin said. "I had reservations about doing this. ... Since Ian was in second grade, I've only missed a handful of his matches.

"He told me I had to go coach this team. This is the culmination of years of effort and it's finally here. Ian and I are going in the same direction in heart and spirit, but not physically."

Knoch's first match is against section favorite and traditional powerhouse North Allegheny at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Knoch High School.

"We have strong, aggressive kids, but we're inexperienced, obviously,"McLaughlin said. "That's going to be a tremendous challenge."

Knoch has had a junior high wrestling team the past two years and a few wrestlers competed in junior varsity tournaments last season.

Ian McLaughlin is wrestling at 125 pounds for the Golden Tornado and is 66-13 in two years at Butler. T.J. McCance is the only 100-win wrestler in Butler history.

McLaughlin was 33-6 last season and joins 119-pounder Rob Runyan, 145-pounder Alex Evanoff and 152-pounder Josh Pascazi as returning WPIALqualifiers.

"We've got an interesting mix of raw ability and experienced wrestlers," Butler coach Scott Stoner said. "We were such a hot and cold team last year, and, as a coach, you always look for consistency.

"It may take us a little while to come together, but there's plenty of potential here."

Butler and Knoch compete in the same section this year, joining Seneca Valley, Shaler, Pine-Richland, North Hills, Fox Chapel, North Allegheny and Avonworth. The top four teams make the WPIALteam playoffs.

Four area wrestlers are competing at Division I colleges as Mars graduate and PIAArunner-up Dave Pisarcik is at Purdue, Mars graduate Adam Smetana will wrestle for Penn State next year, Seneca Valley graduate Mike Bianco is at Duquesne and Grove City graduate Beau Fisher is wrestling at the University of Virginia.

Here is a look at area wrestling teams this season:

• Coach:Scott Stoner, 14th year• Last Year: 18-6• Key losses: Stew Rapone (27-12), Josh Coburn (31-8), Aaron Pascazi (22-13), David Coburn (17-10), heavyweight Marcus Hough• Prospective Lineup: 103-Justin Victor (junior), 112-Dave Jaillet (junior) 4-3, 119-Rob Runyan (junior) 32-8, 125-Ian McLaughlin (junior) 33-6, 130-Aaron Raible (junior), 135-Derek Hays (soph.) 9-10, 140-Ken Rosenbauer (junior) 5-7, 145-Alex Evanoff (junior) 23-16 or Lee Will (senior) 2-3, 152-Josh Pascazi (junior) 28-8, 160-Josh Lytle (soph.), 171-Ryan Bock (soph.), 189-Jordan Emrick (soph.), 215-Marino Quercio (soph.) 8-23 or Josh McCaslin (junior), 275-Mark Moses (junior)• Stoner says:"We've got some people back with a lot of wins, and Aaron Pascazi is back with us as an assistant junior high coach. One of our goals is to finish among the top four in our section and get to the playoffs."

• Coach:Marty Ruley, 29th year, 242 career dual match wins• Last Year: 10-3• Key Losses: Beau Fisher (Virginia), Jerry Giebner, Paul Johnson• Prospective Lineup:103-Johnny Pas (soph,), 112-Garrett Zarecvky (freshman), 119-Marty Phipps (freshman), 125-Brady Fyffe (soph.), 130-Arie Huber (soph.), 135-Brant Errera (soph.), 140-Charlie Baer (senior), 145-Craig Johnson (junior), 152-Justin Spencer (junior), 160-Caleb Kolb (soph.), 171-Josh Miller (senior), 189-Nick Miller (soph.), 215-Josh Woods (senior), 275-Justin Sterner (senior)• Ruley says:"We'll be OKonce we get over some injuries from football. Our goal is to get as many kids to Hershey as possible. Craig Johnson was one match away last year and the state tournament is where Virginia got interested in Beau Fisher, so it's important to get the kids that kind of exposure."

• Coach:Mark McLaughlin, first year• Assistants:Chuck Downing, Mike Zellhart• Prospective Lineup:103-Dylan Leslie (freshman) or Grayson Hison (freshman), 112-Rob Kisiel (junior), 119-Nick Downing (freshman) or Brittney Faust (freshman), 125-Richard Rickerd (freshman), 130-Luke Carson (senior), 135-Kevin Green (freshman), 140-Nash Leslie (junior), 145-Drew Nicketrson (freshman), 152-John Zellhart (junior), 160-Wes Sherry (freshman), 171-Alex Fuellgraf (senior), 189-Open, 215-D.J. Miller (junior), 275-Corey Pytel (soph.)• McLaughlin says:"We have 24 varsity wrestlers and 15 are freshmen. Realistically, we're going to take our lumps initially, but we want to be competitive and we have a couple of kids who could do well individually. Downing, Dylan Leslie, Hison and Rickerd all won 20 matches in junior high last year, and Nash Leslie won the Pine-Richland JVtournament."

• Coach:Don Cooley, third year• Last Year: 16-12• Key Losses:State-placers Dave Pisarcik (Purdue), Pete King, 11 of 14 weight classes• Prospective Lineup: 103-Jordan Pollock (junior), 112-Luke Salter (soph.) 15-15, 119-Billy Matoka (freshman) or Dyllon Lennon (freshman), 125-Luke Selker (junior), 130 or 135-Alex Caruso (soph.) or John Kramer (soph.), 140-Stephen Jackson (senior), 145-Adrian Camp (soph.), 152-Ben Ziggas (junior), 160-Sam Brooks (soph.), 171-Zach Thompson (junior), 189-Rich Sallecker (soph,), 215-Chris Chappel (senior), 275-Ryan Johnston (junior)• Cooley says:"These kids are dedicated, but inexperienced. This will be a rebuilding year for us, but I'm encouraged because after having only five or six kids at the junior high level the past two years, we have 34 kids now. With hard work, we'll get better as the year goes on."

• Coach:Lee Mullett, third year• Last Year:7-10• Key Losses: Lee Layton, Phil Mignanelli, Mike Bianco• Prospective Lineup:103-Nick Phillips (freshman), 112-Grant Evans (soph.), 119-Danny Papst (freshman), 125-Nate Cully (freshman), 130-Alex Reddinger (soph.), 135-Bart Lalonde (soph.), 140-Keith Walsh (junior) or Alex Williams (soph.), 145-Pat Coyne (senior) or Shon Schettler (soph.), 152-Bill Galiotos (junior) or Frank Mullett (senior), 160-Dave Kovach (senior) or Victor Lopez (soph,), 171-Zach Cahill (senior) or Eric Stanley (soph.), 189-Ryan Scheller (junior) or Jordan Williams (soph.), 215-Open, 275-Ian Whittaker (senior), Zach Eckstrom (junior) or A.J. Aunspaw (soph.)• Mullett says:"This is the least experience we've had since I've been coaching. With tougher weight restrictions, you have to have more kids ready to wrestle varsity, and our numbers should be good in that regard."

• Coach:Fred Powell, eighth year• Last Year:Sub-.500 record• Key Losses: Bobby Kearney, Chris Barron• Prospective Lineup:103-Ryan Gossett (soph.), 112-Open, 119-Open, 125-Peter Didik (senior), 130-Open, 135-Kyle Brendlinger (junior), 140-Adam Kummer (soph.), 145-Eric Beggs (freshman), 152-Brandon Piekarski (junior), 160-Jarrod Vinroe (senior), 171-Sean Roth (senior), 189-Tyler Beachem (senior), 215-Bill Finkbeiner (senior), 275-Seth Drobney (junior) or Drew Grills (soph.)• Powell says:"This is as light on experience we've been since the first year of the program. We already have some injuries that have left some weight classes open to be filled by younger kids. Hopefully, we have some fast learners."

• Coach:John McCloud, 10th year• Last Year: 2 dual match wins• Key Losses:Entire roster• Prospective Standouts: 103-Tyler Strausbaugh (freshman), 130-Patsy DiCesare (senior), 145-Seku Sheriff (junior), 160-Jason Penya-Roman (soph.)• McCloud says:"Our goals are the same as every year: to stay together and improve with each match. Keeping the kids enthused, keeping them wrestling — success is in completing the program."