For the first time since winning in 1977, Northeast enters today's Anne Arundel County wrestling tournament as defending champs.
"But that was last year, which means absolutely nothing," said coach Al Kohlhafer, in his 25th year. "And as far as I'm concerned, it's a whole new ball game."
No. 4 Northeast prevented No. 2 Old Mill from winning an 11th tournament title last year, 199.5-174.5, with Broadneck being a distant third and Arundel four points behind the Bruins.
Kohlhafer likes the fact that this year's Eagles have 11 wrestlers seeded among the top four in their weight classes compared to six each for Old Mill, Broadneck, Arundel and Chesapeake.
But he is wary of overconfidence, considering that Northeast was in a similar situation two years ago when it blew a 25.5-point lead over the Patriots en route to a runner-up finish.
"It looks like we're sitting pretty good," said Kohlhafer. "But I think we'll see it's a well-balanced field where things can backfire if you're not careful."
Northeast is led by the defending state champion Kusick twins, Marty (112 pounds) and Mike (125), ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the state, who are looking for their fourth county crowns.
Their once-beaten, sixth-ranked teammate Jay Queer (135, 17 pins), last year's county runner-up, is the solid front-runner in a category featuring no other returning place-winners.
Old Mill's best bets are returning champs Nick Basta (140) and second-ranked Don Patterson (189), who were second and third, respectively, in last year's state tournament, returning county runner-up Mike DiLeonardi (145), a regional champ last year, and Mike Hines (160), a county champ two years ago.
Broadneck has No. 1 seed Arto Vartanian (Hwt., 17 pins), and Arundel boasts fifth-ranked returning champ Mark Chesla (152) and sixth-ranked Isaac Haertel (145). Chesapeake's unbeaten regional champ Travis Gottlich (103), ranked fourth in the state, is heavily favored having pinned second-seed Ben Helbig (Broadneck), third-seed Justin Beeler (Arundel) and fourth-seed Glen Mosco (Northeast).
Gottlich, a third-place finisher, could face Mosco in the semifinal if Mosco wins his quarterfinal bout against Old Mill's Jarod Marquardt, whom he lost to, 6-2, earlier.
Mike Kusick expects to see Broadneck's Todd Betz (fourth last year) in the semifinals, followed by Severna Park's top-ranked Jamie Kuch, the No. 2 seed, in a rematch of last year's county final won by Kusick, 5-1.
But Kuch, who has placed second and third in the last two 3A-4A state tournaments, must get past either Chesapeake's third-seed Matt Howard or Southern's Tommy Inzer, a runner-up last year at 103.
Marty's toughest opposition should come in the finals where he expects to see South River's second-seed Gene Reid, last year's 103-pound county champ. Reid first would have to get past Severna Park's third-seed Mike Stewart, a fourth-place finisher last season.