Boys' Latin Lakers
1993-94 record: 4-5. Coach: Jim Currie.
Top wrestlers: Erik Fitez, Jr., 171; Josh Silverman, Sr., 125; Timmy Berger, Sr., 135; John Logan, Sr., Hwt.; Shawn Walter, Sr., 130; Lev Galitzen, Sr., 152; Brian Berger, Soph., 119; Colby Cox, Soph., 189; Gary Colbert, Fresh., 112; Jason Leaneau, Fresh., 140.
Outlook: The Lakers hope to overcome the woes of last year's squad, which had quality wrestlers at times but couldn't field them all at the same time. The top returnee is Fitez, who was a MSA champ.
Carver Bears
1993-94 record: 6-5-1. Coach: Clinton Jenkins.
Top wrestlers: Robert Horton, Sr., 160; Aaron McCown, Sr., 135; Jermaine Clark, Sr., 171.
Outlook: "I have some lower weight wrestlers, which will help us," said Jenkins. But with just 10 wrestlers out, the Bears likely will enjoy more success on the individual level. Horton (24-6) was a champ in the Overlea and City tournaments as well as a regional runner-up. Clark was the West Side Tournament champ.
City Knights
1993-94 record: 4-5. Coach: John Sarantinos.
Top wrestlers: Curtis Anderson, Jr., 140-145, Dominique Camper, Soph., 152.
Outlook: Of the 16 wrestlers out for Sarantinos' team, "50 percent of them are freshmen," he said. "I lost a good 189-pounder and a good heavyweight to graduation, but it looks like we'll fill all of the weight classes. They're good kids who are working hard."
Curley Friars
1993-94 record: 5-2. Coach: Alan Gebhart.
Top wrestlers: Mickey Glendon, Sr., 160; Anthony Zakrzewski, Sr., 171; Richard Widzbor, Sr., 130; Kenny Wilson, Jr., 119; Bill Curran, Jr., 135; Ben Verner, Jr., 145; Tony Diem, Soph., 103; Sal Acquia, Soph., 140; Mike Boettcher, Fresh., 125.
Outlook: This team is trouble every match, led by Glendon, who was third in last year's MSA tournament and third in this year's season-opening Maryland Catholic League Tournament. Along with Glendon, one of seven returnees, there are two former junior league wrestlers.
Douglass Ducks
1993-94 record: 0-8. Coach: Landon Saunders.
Top wrestlers: Davon Brown, Sr., 171; Plennis Randall, Sr., 130.
Outlook: Saunders won't likely improve on last year's record with just nine athletes out, five of whom he had to recruit. But of the wrestlers he has, individually, their quality should improve.
Dunbar Poets
1993-94 record: 3-6. Coach: Damon Matthews.
Top wrestlers: Bruce Pendles, Sr., 130; Hermondez Thompson, Sr., 140-145; Lydell Henry, Jr., 145-152; Doug Hampton, Soph., 171; Kevin Thomas, Jr., 103-112.
Outlook: For the second straight year Dunbar finished higher than any other city team (13th, after being eighth the year before) in the state tournament. The Poets return city champs Pendles (second in states), Thompson (second states) and Henry. Pendles and Thompson each were regional champs and were first and second, respectively, in last year's MSA tournament. Though all the weight classes may not be filled, some added talent should make the Poets a better dual-meet team.
Edmondson Redskins
1993-94 record: 6-3. Coach: Vernon Horton.
Top wrestlers: Larry Dix, Sr., 135; Willie Taylor, Sr., 189; Aaron Jackson, Jr., 112.
Outlook: The Redskins will be in every match and possibly contend for the City-Wide title with 21 wrestlers, including city runners-up Dix and Jackson, and Taylor, who was fourth in the city.
Friends Quakers
1993-94 record: 6-3. Coach: Tom LaMonica.
Top wrestlers: Ethan Goldberg, Sr., 160; Josh Salcman, Sr., 171; Charlie Lower, Jr., 152; Mike LaMonica, Fresh., 145; Justin Goldberg, Fresh., 119; Mark Spurrier, Fresh., 103.
Outlook: With 17 wrestlers, including six with good experience, the Quakers are looking to have a quality season. Goldberg was a MSA champ last year, and Mike LaMonica, the coach's son, has junior league experience.
Forest Park Foresters
1993-94 record: 0-9. Coach: Curtis Brown.
Top wrestlers: Jamal Yewitt, Jr., 160; Clarence Smith, Soph., 152; Lorenzo Robinson, Soph., 112.
Outlook: With only eight wrestlers, the Foresters won't improve on last year's dual-meet record, but coach Brown is keen on a couple of the athletes he has.
Gilman Greyhounds
1993-94 record: 8-1. Coach: Chris Legg.
Top wrestlers: R.C. Kauffman, Sr., 189; Arman Taghizadeh, 119, Sr.; Greg Plitt, Jr., 171; Kirk Caldroney, Jr., 145-152; Maakan Taghizadeh, Jr., 112; Tommy Knowles, Jr., 135; Packer Rodgers, Jr., Hwt.Outlook: The Greyhounds have seven returning wrestlers, including Caldroney, who was third in last year's MSAs. All seven have potential to place in this year's league-ending tournament. "I think we'll be very balanced this year, with a few sophomores breaking into the lineup," Legg said.
Lake Clifton Lakers
1993-94 record: 4-3. Coach: Larry Brown
Top wrestler: Lloyd Cox, Sr., 140-152.
Outlook: The Lakers' best chance appears to be Cox, who went 23-7, placed second in the city, first in his region and fourth in the states. He lost a decision to the eventual state champ before losing a bid for third place, 4-3. Cox has a chance to become Baltimore first state champ.
Mervo Mustangs
1993-94 record: 12-2. Coach: Dwight Warren.
Top wrestlers: Terry McNair, Sr., 112; Garfield Thompson, Jr., 119; Millard West, Jr., 125; Wayne Lucas, Sr., 135; Carlos Levine, Sr., 145; Bryan Cromwell, Jr., 152; Marco Epps, Jr., 171.
Outlook: With the exception of lacking wrestlers at 103 and heavyweight, the Mustangs appear to have the most balance of any team in the city. Warren has 35 wrestlers and city champ Lucas, runner-up West and Levine, and third-place finishers Thompson and Cromwell.
Mount St. Joseph Gaels
1993-94 record: 10-0. Coach: Paul Triplett.
Top wrestlers: Danny DeVivo, Sr., 160-171; David Inkman, Sr., 140; Kenny Hunter, Sr., Hwt; Tyran Dungee, Jr., 152; Jake Lissau, Jr., 125; Jon Pitonzo, Jr., 103; Danny Mattson, Soph., 130; Eric Schafer, Soph., 119.
Outlook: Seven solid starters are back, including MSA champs DeVivo, Inkman and Hunter, MSA runner-up Lissau and third-place finishers Mattson and Dungee. "We lost three quality kids to graduation and they're all wrestling in college. A goal of ours this year is to place well in some of the more nationally recognized tournaments we're in this year," said Triplett.
Northern Vikings
1993-94 record: 14-5. Coach: Jerome Hester.
Top wrestlers: Diablo Huggie, Sr., 152; Robert Buchanan, Jr., 112; Eric Mason, Jr., 160; Daniel Jackson, Jr., Hwt.; Antan Covington, Soph., 130; Ray Cogler, Soph., 135-140; Devon Steward, Soph., 140; Eric Clark, Soph., 130-135.
Outlook: Hester is excited about this season, with eight quality wrestlers among his group of 24. Jackson, Steward, Covington and Buchanan went to the Granby camp this summer, and Hester also likes his three transfers in Clark (North County), Mason (Mervo) and Cogler (Curley).
Northwestern Wildcats
1993-94 record: 1-5. Coach: Ruben Howard.
Top wrestlers: Dwight McKinney, Jr., 160; Donald Carter, Sr., 119-125; Rohan Shattuck, Soph., 125-130; Jomon Mclean, Jr., 145; Frederick Eveline, Soph., 135; Tavon Reed, Soph., 112.
Outlook: The Wildcats will struggle to improve on last year's record, but have a bright spot with North Carolina transfer McKinney, who was a county champ down South.
Patterson Clippers
1993-94 record: 6-5. Coach: Scott Delpo.
Top wrestlers: Calvin Lemon, Sr., 160; Claude Marrow, Soph., 189; Charles Harris, Soph., 119.
Outlook: Lemon placed fourth in the region, Marrow was 10-4 and the Clippers have 25 wrestlers. "All of the weight classes are filled and we have some depth," Delpo said.
Poly Engineers
1993-94 record: 8-4. Coach: Bruce Strunk.
Top wrestlers: Darnell Dezurn, Sr., 171-189; Stewart Morgan, Sr., 130; Tony Bridges, Sr., 112.
Outlook: Ineligibility and the new indoor track season swiped seven of the 10 wrestlers who might have returned. But Dezurn, who was third in the city and regional tournaments, and Bridges, a city runner-up and a third-place finisher last year, are primed for excellent seasons.
Southwestern Sabers
1993-94 record: 7-2. Coach: Fred Bullock.
Top wrestlers: Danilo Punnett, Sr., 119; Ronnie Powell, Soph., 125.Outlook: The Sabers return just one starter from last year's squad, but a newcomer, Powell, is a former junior league state champ. He and 29 other wrestlers give coach Bullock, who was at Howard High last year, and assistant Bernie Leneau reason to feel positive things will happen.
Walbrook Warriors
1993-94 record: 8-3. Coach: Wavie Gibson.
Top wrestlers: Demetrius Taylor, Sr., 112.
Outlook: This is going to be a rebuilding season. "We have no returnees, but we're hoping that if the kids we have stay in the room, they'll develop some competitiveness," Gibson said.
PRESEASON TOP 15 1. Mount St. Joseph
2. Old Mill
3. Northeast-AA
4. North Carroll
5. Francis Scott Key
6. South Carroll
7. Perry Hall
8. Owings Mills
9. Aberdeen
10. Broadneck
11. Boys' Latin
12. Gilman
13. McDonogh
14. Arundel
15. Loyola
How the poll was selected: The 1994-95 Preseason Wrestling Top 15 was selected by the local sports staff. Each week during the 1994-95 season a new poll will be chosen by the staff through match observations and consultations with area coaches. The poll will appear each Monday.