Mars excelling on the mats
ADAMS TWP — If there’s strength in numbers, watch out for the Mars wrestling program.
The Planets have a program-record 95 youths — kindergarten through sixth grade — in their youth mat program this year and are sending 15 to the 2023 Keystone State Championships, slated for March 17-19 in Indiana. In past years, Mars generally sent one to three kids to the state meet.
Mars also won its eight-team league — consisting of itself, Shaler, Franklin Regional, North Hills, North Allegheny, Avonworth, Hampton and North Side — for the first time. That broke a long streak of league titles by North Allegheny.
“We’ve got some tremendous coaches down here and interest in the program has just shot up,” said Philip Farabaugh, one of the coaches and the Mars Youth Wrestling Club president. “This has definitely been a breakthrough season.”
No one is happier about that than first-year Mars Area High School varsity wrestling coach Ben Rings.
“We’re tipping in the right direction,” Rings said. “The time is coming where our high school wrestling program turns the corner in a big way. I can’t say exactly when that will be, but it will be sooner rather than later.”
The Planet youths earned their state bids through the recent Keystone State Northwest Qualifier. Advancing in the 12-U division are seventh-grader Sam Passarelli at 100 pounds (second place), 95-pound fifth-grader Zane Argeras (third), 75-pound sixth-grader Ty Carson (third), 95-pound sixth-grader Jayden Cyphers (fourth) and 160-pound sixth-grader Parker Joseph (fifth).
Moving on in the 10-U division are 85-pound fifth-grader Grayson Joseph (third), 75-pound Adrian Heinemann (sixth), 60-pound fourth-grader Alex Carson (eighth) and 90-pound Liam Wilson.
In the 8-U division, second-grader Dane Bova earne first place at 60 pounds, as did third-graders Hayden Hazi at 55 and Fisher Reutzel at 90, respectively. Third-grader Blake Wilson took third place at 90 pounds.Third-grader Giuliano Maiure took seventh at 60 pounds to gain alternate status.
In the 6U division, first-grader Landon Meyers earned fifth place at 46 pounds to become a first alternate. The top six placers in each weight class in the other age divisions advance.
“This program’s been coming on,” Farabaugh said of the youth wrestlers. We finished third in the league two years ago and second last year.“
Mars Youth Wrestling also won the Road Warrior Classic, with the most accumulated points from division tournaments, and won the Road Warrior End-of-the-Year Tournament. Second-grader Rex Watenpool took first place in the Novice Division.
Rings said it’s been “a village of people” who have turned Mars Youth Wrestling into a regional power this season.
“Steve Joseph and I coached wrestling together at Pine-Richland and he came with me to Mars this year,” Rings said. “He’s impacted the youth program. John Hazi is a two-time state champion from Reynolds who is working with our younger kids. We have plenty of quality coaches there.
“The parents have been supportive and helpful, too. Everyone is into this. The results are showing at the youth level now. We’re all excited about what this is going to do for Mars wrestling down the road.”
