Except for all-star meets here and there, the 2010-2011 wrestling season is behind us, and it's time to take some stock.
For the first time since 2007, The News-Item circulation area schools did not have a state champion but like that season, when Line Mountain's Fausey brothers were both runners-up, the area did have a runner-up in Shamokin Area 285-pounder Wes Tillett, with three other state placewinners.
The season marked the end of a strong era in Shamokin wrestling, but one that never quite approached the level some people expected when this group of seniors came out of junior high, because they never quite got the supporting cast around them they needed.
But what a group of seniors it was. Brandon Pesarchick, Tillett and Josh Lahr combined for 399 wins, 10 state tournament appearances, six state medals, five regional championships and four district titles. Throw in Lee Supsic's 102 wins, and those four 100-win seniors had 501 career wins and 150 losses.
Line Mountain's Travis Erdman bounced back from a broken hand as a junior to make a second place-winning trip to Hershey and also joined the 100-win club, and sophomore teammate Zain Retherford, although he failed to repeat as a state champion, finished third at 112 and had a 43-2 record, giving him a two-year mark of 83-3.
Southern Columbia's Brian Watkins and Mount Carmel's Nick Dusendschine finally made it to states as seniors, and each won a bout there, and both also went out with 100-plus wins, as did Mount Carmel's Dylan Hornberger.
That's eight 100-win club seniors, and while that number doesn't have the same allure it did a generation ago, or even 10 years ago, it's still no mean feat. Line Mountain, although it didn't have a wrestler in the state finals for the first time since 2004, sent four wrestlers to the state meet, three of whom are back, and the Eagles should field a crackerjack team next season after going 12-2 in dual meets and winning the Tri-Valley League title.
There were 14 area wrestlers with 30 or more wins this season, with Retherford (43-2) and Erdman (43-4) leading the pack.
In other statistics, Retherford was the area's top pinner, with 23 falls, followed by North Schuylkill's Scott Yagielniskie (22), with Erdman, Pesarchick and North Schuylkill's Kody Newberry tied for third (21). Tillett, Mount Carmel's Brett Przekop and North Schuylkill's Tyler Dean each had 19 pins.
Retherford led the troops in technical falls with six. Teammate Adam Kritzer had five, and Erdman, Line Mountain's Seth Lansberry, North Schuylkill's Jesse Picklo, Dusendschine and Watkins all had three.
Kritzer had the most major decisions (eight), followed by Lansberry (seven), Erdman, Lahr and Dusendschine (all with six).
Retherford had the most bonus point wins (32), followed by Erdman (30), Yagielniskie (25), Pesarchick and Newberry (23 each), and Tillett and Watkins (21 each).