When coaches claim that Anne Arundel County has the strongest wrestling in the state, they invariably point first to Old Mill.
The Patriots have won five of the past six Class 3A-4A state championships, with Broadneck first bringing the title to the county in 1988.
Old Mill's unprecedented string of five was snapped last year. But the Patriots still finished third, 4 1/2 points behind champion Northern of Calvert, which edged runner-up Frederick by a half-point. Old Mill did that despite producing only one individual champion.
"Old Mill is always strong," Broadneck's John Mayberry said. "Year after year, kids make big strides during the off-season and step up almost out of nowhere. Old Mill has tradition."
Old Mill has tradition in large part because it has Mike Hampe. Now in his 25th season as a head coach, 20th at Old Mill, Hampe started a feeder program called the Millersville Optimists in 1978.
Feeder systems breed success in any high school sport. About half of the county schools have them in wrestling.
The name of Old Mill's feeder program has changed, to the Arden Attack, but the results are the same. Starting as early as first grade, youngsters learn to wrestle and arrive at Old Mill as freshmen far superior to inexperienced boys the same age.
Pointing out that he has "to have good people under me," Hampe credits assistants Jay Braunstein, in his sixth year, and Vern Hines as heavy contributors to the program.
"Jay was an MSA champion at Mount St. Joe and an All-American at Clarion University," Hampe said. "But it's not just what you know. It's what you impart, and Jay is good at that. Vern has a good grasp of how to work with young people."
Hampe said he has the wholehearted support of the school administration and the wrestlers' parents.
Colleagues like athletic director Jim Dillon search the halls for recruits: "Hey, Mike, I've got a kid for you."
"You also have to have an understanding family, willing to let you go away for long periods," Hampe said. "To meets, preseason and postseason tournaments and meetings."
The county's wrestling strength is not limited to Old Mill, however. Northeast (1A-2A) and Old Mill made the county the first to hold the state titles for both classifications in 1992-93.
Northeast was second in the 1A-2A to Damascus by a half-point last year, and Southern, a state runner-up in coach Tyrone Neal's first season four years ago, tied for 12th.
Old Mill was going for its fourth straight county tournament crown last year -- its 10th overall -- when it was dethroned by Northeast. And in last season's 3A-4A tournament, Arundel was just behind Old Mill in fourth place and Chesapeake was sixth.
The county produced six individual state champions, the most in the state, while 11 others placed in the top four of the 1A-2A and 3A-4A tournaments.
"This is the toughest county in the state," said Annapolis coach Dave Gehrdes. "With such strong dual-meet and tournament competition, teams are prepared for the regionals and states at the end of the regular season."
Severna Park coach Ralph Toomey said: "Anne Arundel County is the state's wrestling hotbed. Sure,
Northern of Calvert and Frederick are good, but overall this county has the most competitive group of schools. And Old Mill and Northeast are the powerhouses."
In the Maryland State Wrestling Association's preseason rankings, Old Mill is second behind Northern in 3A-4A and Arundel, though not in the top six, received honorable mention. In 1A-2A, Northeast is tied for third with Smithsburg behind Damascus and Owings Mills.
Broadneck's Mayberry said Northeast "could be the strongest team in the state," and Eagles coach Al Kohlhafer doesn't shrink from that assessment.
"The strongest state tournament last year was 1A-2A," Kohlhafer said. "Anne Arundel is competitive with any county in the state. We can hang with anybody."
Scott Jacoby, in his first year at Meade, echoes the other coaches, "Anne Arundel probably has the best wrestling in the state because it has a lot of strong teams."
He mentions Northeast twins
Marty and Mike Kusick (No. 1 in the preseason rankings at 119 and No. 2 at 125, respectively), Severna Park's Jamie Kuch (tied for No. 3 at 125), Southern's Tyrone Neal Jr. (No. 1 at 130), Old NTC Mill's Nick Basta (No. 2 at 130), Old Mill's Paul Hultgren (tied for No. 5 at 135), Arundel's Mark Chesla (No. 2 at 160), his own Adam Butts (No. 6 at 171), Southern's Troumaine Graves (No. 4 at 189) and Old Mill's Don Patterson (No. 4 at heavyweight).
Arundel coach Buddy Hepfer took three wrestlers to the state tournament last year, finishing fourth with them. Phil Meenan and Mark Chesla won and John Noon was runner-up. Only Chesla is back.
Although he has a powerhouse of his own, Hepfer gives "the nod" to Old Mill.
"They've got tradition and a great feeder system, and the kids wrestle year-round," Hepfer said. "It's tough to take a kid as a freshman and make him a state champion in four years. You need the kids with five or six years in the junior leagues."