Atholton Raiders
Coach: Ron McMillan. 1993-94 record: 5-9.
Top wrestlers: Matt Radik, 171, Sr.; David Tangredi, 130, Jr.; John Pramik, 152, Jr.
Outlook: Radik is the only returning senior for the Raiders and Coach McMillan is hoping to gain the services of three more varsity-experienced wrestlers this weekend once they clear academic-eligibility requirements. Atholton will need a quick injection of veterans to compensate for the youthful mistakes it experienced in getting off to an 0-2 start. Atholton's opening match featured eight freshmen and sophomores, with the Raiders forfeiting the heavyweight classification in a 40-32 defeat to Centennial. Tangredi (18-10) and Radik (24-12) finished third in the county last season. Pramik was 3-0 as a varsity wrestler last season and compiled an 11-2 junior varsity mark. McMillan was not totally disappointed in a 42-25 loss to South Carroll on Tuesday, considering the Carroll County foe defeated the Raiders a year ago, 60-3. "I see us being in it if we get people back and can finish 8-6," said McMillan.
Centennial Eagles
Coach: Todd DeCrispino. 1993-94 record: 7-6.
Top wrestlers: Jason Nagle, 125, Sr.; Lance Rhodes, 112, Jr.; Kevin Heywood, 130, Sr.; Robert Rix, 145, Jr.; Joon Kim, 189, Jr.; Peter Farragut, 152, Sr.
Outlook: Centennial may be the sleeping giant in the county. Coach DeCrispino has a youthful (three seniors), but experienced, squad (28 returnees), with a large number of wrestlers remaining in the same weight classifications that they competed in last season. "I wouldn't count my team out. I wouldn't count any team out of winning a title," said DeCrispino, in his sixth year at Centennial. "I have high expectations because last season we had a lot of close matches that could have gone either way." Centennial's veteran corps of Nagle, Rhodes, Heywood, Rix and Kim will be joined by junior Matt Augustine (140),who DeCrispino said has "lots of potential to be a quality wrestler."
Glenelg Gladiators
Coach: Jeff Kent. 1993-94 record: 2-10.
Top wrestlers: Jeremy Lignelli, 152, Soph.; Jeff Feaga, 119, Sr.; Tim Monroe, 145, Jr.; Todd Fenner, 140, Sr.; Phil Stanton, Hwt., Sr.
Outlook: Besides the return of Kent as coach, the biggest surprise at Glenelg is the weight-classification jump Lignelli (19-6, five pins last season) will make this season. After winning the county tournament and the tournament's most outstanding wrestler award as voted on by coaches last season, Lignelli will vault from the 135 class to 152 as a result of bulking up to play tailback for the football team. "Jeremy seems to be adjusting to the different weight but his true test, as well as the team's, will come this weekend at the Chopticon tournament," Kent said. "But Jeremy works real hard and has lots of skills to be successful at the next level." Feaga (15-8), a county finalist at 112 last season, and Stanton, a third-year wrestler, will provide veteran leadership. Monroe (14-10) and senior Tate Fenner (140, 10-15) add additional experience to a roster loaded with freshmen.
Hammond Bears
Coach: Jeff Starnes. 1993-94 record: 14-2.
Top wrestlers: Mike Chang, 119, Sr.; Josh Zillmer, 130, Soph.; Jim Weston, 171, Sr.; Hansel Henry, 152, Jr.; Chris Williams, 160, Sr.
Outlook: While the ruling on whether last season's All-Metro and All-County Wrestler of the Year Chris Williams will be able to compete as a fifth-year senior at the 160 class remains up in the air, two-time county champion Hammond is expected to sit atop the county standings regardless. Former coach Bill Smith steps aside for Starnes, who returned from Texas last spring to find the program he built with Smith in the 1980s riding high after a record-setting performance at the county tournament. At the tournament, Hammond eclipsed Oakland Mills' points record with 244.5 and tied records with nine finalists and seven champions. In addition to Williams, Chang (30-5, 13 pins), Zillmer (23-3), and Weston (35-7, 14 pins) all took home county titles and return. Junior Hansel Henry, a third-place finisher at the county tournament, will fill the 152 weight class. Starnes expects sophomore Lee Barwick (103) and junior Mike Loula (119) to step in after making a few varsity appearances last season. Senior transfer Ben Barveldt rounds out Hammond's varsity experience 125.
Howard Lions
Coach: Joe Thomas. 1993-94 record: 11-3.
Top wrestlers: Eric Paskin, 145, Sr.; T.J. Bameron, 119, Jr.; Hyon Kang, 130, Sr.; Chris Poling, 152, Jr.; Frank Tortella, 189, Jr.
Outlook: Thomas, taking over for Freddie Bullock, will rely on Paskin to carry the leadership load early as a bumper crop of sophomores and juniors get their varsity feet wet after successful junior varsity campaigns a year ago. Paskin (30-1) captured county and regional titles at 145 last year and finished third in the state meet. After being recognized as the most improved wrestler last season, Paskin is a preseason choice as the county's top wrestler. Paskin, along with Bameron, Kang, Poling and Tortella provide Thomas with a formidable five. Whether junior Matt Tzuker (140, 9-1 JV), junior Matt Sartwell (11-0 JV, 2-2 varsity), sophomore Lucas Sartwell (10-2 JV), and sophomore heavyweight Brian Neal (12-1 JV) can duplicate their junior varsity successes will ultimately decide where the Lions finish.
Mount Hebron Vikings
Coach: Jeff Quinn. 1993-94 record: 1-16.
Top wrestlers: Tom Neimeyer, 103, Jr.; Pete Thomas, 130, Sr., Kenny Leitch, 160, Soph.; David Wheltle, 152, Sr.; David Jaeger, Hwt, Jr.
Outlook: Quinn, in his second year with the Vikings, labels his plan to get Mount Hebron wrestling back to the winning ways of 1969-74 as a "building process." "It's definitely not a rebuilding process because when I got here there was nothing to rebuild upon," said Quinn, who has just five wrestlers back from last season and a county-low turnout of 21. Quinn, however, expects improvement over a year ago when just 16 wrestlers finished the season and the Vikings forfeited four weight classifications every time the team took to the mat. The Vikings have filled 10 of the 13 weight classifications. For the Vikings, Neimeyer should contend at 103 and Leitch, a martial arts student with extraordinary flexibility and unique moves, may pose tactical problems for foes in the 160 class. Jaeger, after taking a year off from wrestling, moves up from 171 to heavyweight. If the Thomas brothers, sophomore James and senior Pete, together with senior transfer Wheltle, progress, the Vikings may be able to snap their 0-for-1994 losing streak before year's end.
Oakland Mills Scorpions
Coach: Brian Chadwick. 1993-94 record: 9-7.
Top wrestlers: Wade Mitchell, 130, Sr.; Matt Sutton, 135, Sr.; Scott Sheldon, 160, Jr.; Justin Robbins, 119, Jr.; Casey Mofett, 130, Jr.
Outlook: Chadwick moves up from coaching the Scorpions junior varsity to take over from Steve Carnahan. Behind two-time county champion Mitchell, Oakland Mills is expected to once again challenge for the county title, a crown the Scorpions wore 13 times from 1977-92. Oakland Mills struggled out of county last year, but finished a distant second in the county tournament, five points ahead of third-place Howard. Mitchell, 29-5 with eight pins a year ago in the 119 weight class, is the only county champion returning for Oakland Mills and is moving up to the 130 class. However, Oakland Mills returns three wrestlers who finished third at the county tournament in Sutton (regions), Moffett, and junior Justin Robbins (119). Senior Josh Crickard (152) also will .. provide leadership as a fourth-place finisher at the regionals last season. "The numbers at Oakland Mills kind of got down in the past as a couple teams graduated six or more starters," Chadwick said. "I think we're closer to Hammond than we've been in the last two years."
Wilde Lake Wildecats
Coach: Richard Jackson. 1993-94 record: 2-8.
Top wrestlers: Carlo Gerstenfeld, Hwt, Sr.; Darnell Kelly, 189, Sr.; Greg Siracusa, 103, Fresh.; Chad Tidgewell, 112, Jr.; Matt Shanna, 130, Soph.
Outlook: All-County wrestler Mike Green has graduated and Jackson believes his Wildecats are still a year away from seriously contending for a county title. However, Gerstenfeld (25-8) is the preseason favorite to dominate the county's heavyweight class and capture his first individual title after placing second last season. "He's at 230 right now and has looked real good in scrimmages against Landon and Linganore," Jackson said. Wilde Lake will be strongest in the heavier weight classifications with Kelly at 189. Siracusa, a freshman, has impressed Jackson at 103, a division Tidgewell (112) wrestled last season. Junior Alex Hernandez and senior Chris McCollum help fill out the middle weights for the Wildecats. "We're young with just three seniors, but we're three deep in all weight classes up to 130 and two deep everywhere else," Jackson 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.