One is the hunted.
The others are the hunters.
Defending state champion Zain Retherford of Line Mountain heads a contingent of 10 area wrestlers who will compete starting Thursday in the PIAA Class AA state championships at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Joining Retherford, last year's 103-pound champ who will compete at 112, are fellow Line Mountain wrestlers Travis Erdman (140), Adam Kritzer (135) and Seth Lansberry (125). Shamokin Area will send Brandon Pesarchick (130), Josh Lahr (135) and Wes Tillett (285), and they will be joined by Southern Columbia's Brian Watkins (145), Mount Carmel's Nick Dusendschine (125) and North Schuylkill's Scott Yagielniskie (215).
Pesarchick, Lahr, Tillett and Erdman all have been placewinners in previous seasons, and Kritzer was a qualifer last season. Watkins, Dusendschine, Lansberry and Yagielniskie will be making their first appearances.
Retherford, 40-1 this season and 80-2 for his career, has his work cut out for him to repeat. He is one of 10 returning qualifiers at his weight, eight of whom placed last year, including him. Among that group are 2009 103-pound state champ Nick Roberts of North Star, who was third last season after Retherford beat him in the semifinals; last year's 103 runner-up, Brad Farley of Bermudian Springs; Mifflinburg's David Sheesley, seventh at 103; Smethport's Nate Schwab, eighth at 103; Penn Cambria's Evan Link, seventh at 112; and Pen Argyl's Jamie Welsh, eighth at 112. Other returning qualifiers are Union City's Shane Rankin, Jamestown's Tyler Roberts and Ligonier Valley's Josh Patrick.
"I won't be an underdog this year," Retherford said after winning his second straight Northeast Regional title last weekend.
But he knew that well before. After winning the state title last season, Retherford said he was anxious to start work on defending his title because he knew all his competitors would soon be doing the same.
Pesarchick, 29-7 this season and 149-29 for his career, a qualifier all four seasons who placed sixth at 125 in 2009 and was fourth at 130 last season, is also in a very tough bracket. He is one of nine returnees and six placewinners at 130, including last year's 125 runner-up, Coltin Fought of Benton, who has beaten Pesarchick in the district and regional finals the past two weeks. Also back is last year's 125 third-place finisher, Reynolds' Dylan D'Urso; Burrell's David Makara, sixth at 125; Biglerville's Laike Gardner, seventh at 125 and Cochranton's Matthew Bryer, eighth at 125. Pesarchick and Bryer meet in the first round. Other returnees at the weight include Montoursville's David Batkowski, Schuylkill Valley's Artie Walsh, a former champ; and Shady Side Academy's Anthony Elias.
Lahr (32-5, 116-30) placed sixth in 2009 but did not place last season when he had a midseason knee injury. He is one of eight returning qualifiers at 135, including five placewinners from last season. They include last season's third at 130, Pen Argyl's Michael Racciato; Tyrone's Ronnie Garbinsky, fifth at 130; Jeannette's Michael DePalma, sixth at 130; Burrell's Jereme Landowski, seventh at 130; and Brandywine Heights' Pete Renda, seventh at 125. Other returnees at the weight include Kritzer, and Saegertown's Sean Byham.
Tillett (31-5, 126-30) placed seventh last season after losing his first round bout, and must beat some veterans as well to improve. Returning champion John Rizzo of Richland and last year's third-place finisher Jeff Tarley of Beth-Center, are back, as well as Williams Valley's Ben Ancheff and Boiling Springs' Tylor Unger. In addition, Brockway's Joel Yahner is 33-0.
Erdman (40-2, 137-24) has one of the better draws for area wrestlers. There are only three returnees from 2010, none on Erdman's side of the bracket. In fact, there is only one other wrestler besides Erdman with fewer than seven losses on his side of the bracket. Luke Frey, who has beaten Erdman the past two weeks, was second at 135 last season and won a state title in 2008, and Reynolds' Austin Matthews was eighth at 130. The other returnee is Pen Argyl's Luciano Burriesci.
Watkins (30-5, 110-26) faces a tough crowd at 145, with eight returning qualifiers. including former champ Nick Hodgkins of Wyomissing, who was third at 135 last season, and Cody Copeland of Greenville, third at 140 last season. Other returnees are Claysburg-Kimmel's Corey Aungst, Bentworth's Francis Mizia, Chartiers-Houston's Michael Innes, Juniata's Zach Beitz, Central Columbia's Ben Emmett and Tri-Valley's Sam Scheib.
Lansberry (34-9, 57-23) and Dusendschine (36-10, 119-46) are in a 125 bracket which includes last year's 119 champion, Mason Beckman of Reynolds, and two third-place finishers, Towanda's Cody Wheeler (112) and Shady Side Academy's Geoffrey Alexander (119). Other returnees at the weight include Claysburg-Kimmel's Ty Dively, Pine Grove's Kody Rittenbaugh, whom Lansberry will wrestle in the first round; and Charleroi's Aaron Toth.
Yagielniskie (32-8) has a defending champ, Lackawanna Trail's Eric Laytos (first at 189), and runner-up, Seneca's Matt Mongera (second at 189) at his weight, and three other placewinners - Tamaqua's Garth Lakitsky (fourth, 189); Milton's Ryan Solomon (sixth, 189); and Burrell's Brian Beattie (eighth, 215).