HESKETT NAMED WRESTLING COACHFormer Ohio State Assistant, Four-Time All-American Joins Black Knights
 
WEST POINT, N.Y.  – Joe Heskett, a four-time All-American, national champion and former U.S. World Team member who spent the past four years as an assistant at Ohio State University, has been named the head wrestling coach at Army Athletics Director Kevin Anderson announced.Heskett, a 2001 graduate of Iowa State University, replaces Chuck Barbee who resigned following his 10th season to pursue other interests.
 
“I am very excited to have one of the young talents in collegiate wrestling as our head coach,” said Anderson. “Joe comes highly recommended from Athletic Director of the Year Gene Smith of Ohio State has unmatched credentials on the mat and his passion and dedication to the sport should pay immediate dividends. He has continued to advance his career and we are confident he can lead us to wins over Navy, EIWA Championships and national qualifiers.”
 
Heskett, who won the 165-pound national championship in 2002, is the ninth head coach in program history.
 
"Life will often surprise us with outstanding opportunities,” said Heskett. “I am humbled and honored to be able to lead and represent the Army wrestling program. I am inspired by what West Point represents and I graciously accept the challenge to mentor and motivate the cadet-athletes, improve their technical and tactical skills on the mat and to beat Navy. I would like to thank my family, Kevin Anderson, the West Point search committee, specifically Associate Athletic Director Gene McIntyre for his time and energy and the entire USMA athletic department."
 
Heskett, the eighth four-time All-American at Iowa State, graduated with a degree in speech communications and a career record of 143-9.
 
He was a three-time national finalist, winning one championship and finishing second and third. Heskett captured three Big 12 Championships, won the prestigious Midlands event on three occasions and graduated third on Iowa State’s all-time wins list.
 
Following his decorated collegiate career, Heskett earned a spot on the 2007 U.S. World Team after winning the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials. He represented the United States at the ’07 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan with a fifth-place finish. He dropped a tough, three-period battle with a two-time world champion from Russia in the semifinals before wrestling back to finish fifth and was one of five wrestlers to qualify at his weight for the Olympics. Earlier that summer, he won a silver medal at 163 pounds at the 2007 Pan American Games.Less than a week after returning from the World Championships, Heskett was forced to retire from competitive wrestling due to an injury and joined the Ohio State staff.Hired as the volunteer assistant in 2006, Heskett was training for the Olympics while assisting in recruiting, team academic support, cultivating donor and alumni relations and other operational duties. Shortly after his competitive retirement, he was promoted to full-time assistant on Tom Ryan’s staff as the chief recruiter. In addition to his work on the mat, Heskett also assumed responsibility for practice plans, academic progress and community service initiatives.
 
During his tenure at Ohio State, Heskett helped the Buckeyes to four top-10 team finishes at the NCAA Tournament, three NCAA champions and 15 All-Americans. He played a large role in securing the nation’s top recruiting class in 2006 and helped sign a host of top prospects.
 
Heskett began his coaching career at Cal Poly University where he was the head assistant wrestling coach an also earned his master’s degree with honors in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Athletic Administration. He assisted in all facets of the program, including fundraising, and helped the Mustangs to their highest NCAA placement in nearly 20 years.
 
Leadership and leadership training is another passion of Heskett’s. He was Iowa State’s representative at the NCAA Leadership Conference, a board member of the Children’s Body Image, a former member of the Major Ray Mendoza Leadership Fund and an Ambassador and Public Awareness Speaker for the Ohio State Medical Center. He is the founder and Chief Visionary Officer for h Leadership in Columbus, Ohio, a firm with an array of industry expertsA native of Akron, Ohio, Heskett and his wife Tara have two daughters, Olivia and Ava, and are expecting a son in late July. They will reside at West Point.

"The Ultimate Fighter 12" head coach Josh Koscheck has added two more names to his staff of assistant coaches, MMAjunkie.com learned on Thursday.

According to sources close to the fighter, Koscheck has brought on Strikeforce heavyweight Daniel Cormier as a wrestling coach and Teddy Lucio as his boxing coach.

Cormier and Lucio join Bob Cook, Javier Mendez and Dave Camarillo as Koscheck's assistant coaches on the lightweights-only season of the UFC reality show, which debuts Sept. 15 on Spike TV.

The 2003 graduate would replace Jason Magditch as head coach.

View full sizeExpress-Times File ...

On May 22nd in Vicksburg, Mississippi, the SPF will hold the River City Push/Pull at Warren Central High School. Says Chad McMullin, the head coach of Warren Central HS Powerlifting: "this meet is potentially a big fund raiser for our team. Jesse (Rodgers-SPF President) is being nice enough to donate a portion of the entry fees to our team, so obviously the more lifters we have, the more funds we can raise for the team".

The entry form, as well as all meet information for the SPF River City Push/Pull can be found here.

Pre-fight interviews with Brett Rogers, Roger Gracie, Antwain Britt and Alistair Overeem’s head coach.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Brett Rogers not falling for any of Alistair Overeem’s “tricks.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Roger Gracie predicts opponent Kevin Randleman will not want to take the fight on the ground.

More interviews after the jump

Click here to view the embedded video.

Antwain Britt say’s a victory over would put him in the #1 contender status.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Alistair Overeem’s Head Coach, Martijn de Jong on Alistair’s title defense against Brett Rogers.

HT: Strikeforce.com

NEW YORK (May 10, 2010) – Popular, unbeaten welterweight Jesse Finney (5-0) of St. Louis will try to cash in against Justin DeMoney (14-2-1) of Ottumwa, Idaho, in the top non-televised undercard fight when Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) returns to The Gateway City with STRIKEFORCE St. Louis: Heavy Artillery at Scottrade Center this Saturday, May 15.

The remaining six non-televised fights will include nine fighters from St. Louis or the surrounding areas: The St. Louis fighters are Michael Chandler (2-0), Tom Aaron (6-2), Eric Steenberg (3-0) and Matt Ricehouse (1-0). The others are Darryl Cobb (3-1) of East St. Louis, Lee “Manimal’’ Brousseau (4-1) of Wood River, Ill., Booker DeRousse (2-2) of St. Genevieve, Mo., Sal Woods (4-7) of Granite City, Ill., and Greg Wilson (pro debut) of Cobden, Ill.

Chandler throws down with Woods at 170 pounds; Aaron takes on Steenberg at 185 pounds, Ricehouse battles Wilson at 125 pounds, Brousseau faces Francisco “Kiko” France of Rio De Janiero, Brazil, at 205 pounds and Cobb meets DeRousse at 145 pounds.

In the final undercard bout on a stacked fight card, STRIKEFORCE newcomer Vitor “Shaolin’’ Ribeiro (20-3) of Rio De Janeiro will face undefeated Lyle “Fancy Pants’’ Beerbohm (13-0) of Spokane, Wash., at 155 pounds The aforementioned matchups will precede a five-fight telecast on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

Doors will open at 6 p.m. CT on May 15. The first preliminary bout is at 6:30. Tickets are on sale at Scottrade Center ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

Finney, a graduate of Affton High in St. Louis, has been victorious in all his fights in the first round, including a 1:55 submission (keylock) over Josh Baumgarner on the last STRIKEFORCE event in St. Louis on June 6, 2009.

Before MMA, Finney went unbeaten as a kickboxer (23-0) and is 8-2 as a pro boxer. Finney also is the head coach of the St. Louis Enforcers of Chuck Norris’s World Combat League.

“I know DeMoney is a super tough guy so this should be my biggest test in MMA,’’ said the six-foot, 35-year-old Finney who is the owner and head instructor of his own gym, Finney’s MMA in St. Louis. “He says he likes to stand and trade. If he really wants to do that, I look forward to the challenge of banging it out. I think I match up well with him in every area. Keys to getting this win are just being the athlete I am, and using my size and strength. I think I can beat him anywhere it goes.’’

To better concentrate on the upcoming fight, Finney trained in Las Vegas for a month.

“I chose to leave and go to Vegas just to be able to train and that’s it,’’ he said. “I have a few businesses in St. Louis and I am very thankful for that, but trying to run them and train full-time was just too much. This is crazy but believe it or not, my wife talked me into going to Vegas. It turned out to be one of the best things I have ever done.

“I think most people think I am a kickboxer doing MMA and that’s simply not the truth anymore. I focus on my weaknesses every day and try to stay sharp on my strengths. My future in MMA is whatever Scott Coker wants. I’m a team player for STRIKEFORCE and always will be.

“I am not going to let anybody down on May 15.’’

DeMoney has remained extremely active since turning pro in 2007. A seven-time Extreme Challenge veteran, he fought six times that year, four times in ‘09 and on five occasions in ’08.

This will be DeMoney’s 2010 debut. He has gone unbeaten in his last nine starts (8-0-1). His last five victories have come inside the distance, including a second-round submission (punches) over Jesse Sanders in his last outing on Oct. 17, 2009.

Chandler, a former teammate of top prospect Tyron Woodley and a NCAA Division I All American, is a super-aggressive fighter who possesses great athleticism and speed, but his most impressive attributes may be his work ethic and ferocious tenacity. The 5-foot-8, 24-year-old has won both his starts by TKO (punches).

In his last effort, Chandler defeated Richard Bouphanouvong in the second round at a STRIKEFORCE event last Nov. 20. Chandler dispatched Kyle Swadley at 3:30 of the opening round in his pro debut on Aug. 8, 2009.

Woods is a hard-working, determined fighter looking to regain his winning ways. “I’m really looking forward to this fight and I know we will put on a great show,’’ said Woods, who lost to Woodley on June 6, 2009, at Scottrade Center. “MMA is not for everyone; it’s all about hard work and I’ve put in all the work for this fight.’’

Aaron , a 5-foot-8, 31-year-old who fights out of Finney’s MMA, has won two out of three, including a TKO over Calvin Simmons in his outing on Nov. 21, 2009. Aaron went 6-0 in the amateurs.

Steenburg has won all three of his efforts in the second round. He ended matters with James Marino in his last start on Aug. 28, 2009, with a head kick 11 seconds into the session.

Ricehouse, who is making his STRIKEFORCE debut, registered a third-round KO (punches) over Tim Thomas in his pro debut on Jan. 30, 2010.

Cobb has been triumphant three consecutive times since losing his initial MMA fight. After winning two straight inside the distance, he won last time out on a split decision over Gary Tapasua at the STRIKEFORCE event on Nov. 20, 2009. DeRousse, who scored a first-round TKO over James Wade on June 6, 2009, at Scottrade Center, lost his last fight to Lee Brousseau on Oct. 3, 2009, via submission.

Brousseau is making his first start since defeating DeRousse. His three victories, which include a 0:18 KO (punches) over Greg LoFink on April 11, 2009, have totaled just 5:34. France is a highly touted grappling specialist who has won all his fights via first-round submissions: Total cage time: 3:39.

Ribeiro, a 30-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist, is among the top lightweights in MMA. He’s won the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship four times, once as a purple belt in 1996 and three times as a black belt in three consecutive years (1999-2001).
Beerbohm is a top up-and-coming fighter who literally started MMA on his way home from prison after he spent a year and one day at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla as a result of felony convictions, all related to his crystal meth addiction.

In the May 15 main event, STRIKEFORCE World Heavyweight Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem (32-11) will defend against heavy-handed knockout artist Brett “The Grim” Rogers (10-1). Former world champions Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (15-7) and Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (13-2) are matched in another heavyweight confrontation.

In other televised fights on SHOWTIME: Unbeaten Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sensation Roger Gracie (2-0) will make his STRIKEFORCE and U.S. MMA debut against two-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion and former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin “The Monster” Randleman (17-14) in a light heavyweight scrap, middleweight superstar “Jacare” Souza (11-2) will face determined, hard-hitting Joey Villasenor (27-6) and Antwain “The Juggernaut” Britt (11-3) will collide with Rafael “Feijao’’ Cavalcante (8-2) at 205 pounds.

Shamrock Promotions is assisting STRIKEFORCE with local marketing for the event.

Boiling Springs' Joe Spisak, top, was one of four midstate state champions

-

(The Patriot-News)

Most all-star selections are numbers-driven.

This Patriot-News' Big 14 Team is no different. Early this season, Central Dauphin head coach Jeff Sweigard said it best when he stated, "There is a lot of talent here" in reference to the local wrestling scene.

He wasn't kidding.

The 2009-10 edition racked up unfathomable numbers, finishing with a combined record of 535-50. Each was so dominant at his weight that he carved out a spot somewhere on the podium in front of a packed house at Giant Center nearly three weeks ago.

There were four state champions. Line Mountain freshman Zain Rutherford (103) and Boiling Springs senior Joe Spisak (130) carried the banner in Class AA, with Central Dauphin's dynamic duo of senior Marshall Peppelman (160) and junior Kenny Courts (171) racking up a combined 92-0 mark in putting gold around their necks against stiff Class AAA competition.

But numbers aren't all that distinguished this team over a grueling 14-week season. Along with great individual achievements, there was unmatched leadership surrounded by acts of class on and off the mat.

Peppelman, Courts and senior Tyler Buckman (130) put their individual aspirations aside temporarily to hoist their CD teammates on their backs and lead them to a third straight team title in February.

And who could forget Buckman's gut-wrenching loss in the state finals to McDowell's Steve Spearman and his sportsmanlike handshake at the end? That show of class alone made the Rams senior a deserving member of this team.

Cumberland Valley might have had a sub-par season by normal standards, but seniors Shawn Greevy (135) and Tristan Warner (171) showed perseverance and excellence in securing state runner-up finishes.

Struggles were also overcome by Juniata's Seth Beitz (140) and Middletown's Bo Candelaria (145), both seniors. Beitz shook off a pair of losses to Annville-Cleona's Dylan Killian and managed to score a runner-up finish at states. Candelaria put aside family issues and nailed a third-place finish in a loaded 145-pound weight class.

But quality wasn't cornered by the senior class. Seven underclassmen showed earned postseason accolades and Big 14 recognition.

Rutherford and Courts led this contingent. But juniors Zachary Nye (East Pennsboro), Dereck Enders (Big Spring) and Jayshon Wilson (Carlisle) showed they will be in contention for a state title next season.

The sophomore and freshman classes were also well represented, with Susquehanna Twp. sophomore Averee Robinson and Cedar Cliff freshman Christopher Vassar placing at states.

2009-10 wrestling season-in-review links:
>> The Patriot-News wrestling Big 14 team
>> Big 14 wrestling squad showcases wealth of midstate grappling talent, by JEREMY ELLIOTT
>> 2009-10 midstate wrestling all-stars and league champions 

A scholastic track and field athlete can only win a state medal in Shippensburg in May. But the process of getting an athlete to reach his or her peak performance in May starts in March, even before the first meet begins.

In any sport, coaches generally want their athletes to play their best at the end of the regular season and through the postseason. But track and field coaches have to approach this a little differently.

A basketball or baseball team wants the team in general to be on an upward trend. If a couple athletes hit a slump late in the season, it might be balanced out by the performance of their teammates.

Track competitors, except in relays, stand alone. When postseason meets arrive, they have to be at their best individually.

Cedar Crest boys track head coach Rob Bare has been finding ways to do that for a generation of Falcon athletes. But he does not have a one-size-fits-all approach to it.

“It’s important for us to look at the team and student athletes we have,” Bare said.

One factor is the number of boys Bare has our for the team. Bare does not give away dual meets in the name of individual results.

“It depends on the depth we have too,” Bare said. “We’ll tell kids that they’ll run four different events one day, or we’ll tell them that they’ll run in just one or two events, then come back in 48 hours and work them really hard again.”

But one thing Bare does look for, year in and year out, is for his athletes to be working hard in the preseason, but not putting up top-notch performances yet.

“Some or our more talented athletes looked good [in practice on Monday], but they didn’t look dynamite yet. I like that,” Bare said. “They’re working hard, but it’s tough to look that good all year, to run, throw and jump for that long at that level...Our job is to run well, throw well and jump well in May.”

One of the keys for Bare is to keep an athlete’s head up in the first half of the season if a throw is still a few feet short of that athlete’s expectations. But usually, Bare said, the Falcons are able to keep their eyes on the prize.

“If the student-athlete buys into the philosophy, it works really well,” Bare said. “For the athletes we’ve been working with for the last 15 years, the vast majority of them did buy into it.”

Among the former Cedar Crest athletes who flourished under this patient approach was Thomas Jordan.

“He was one of the better throwers in the country [in 2003], but he was playing second fiddle to Brad Zimmerman from Warwick,” Bare said. “At the Penn Relays, Zimmerman won it, but Thomas had the second, third and fourth best throws of the meet.”

Those consistent throws were a good omen for Jordan, who finished the year by winning the Lancaster-Lebanon, District 3 and PIAA gold medals with meet records that still stand.

Another Falcon who had his best performance on the biggest stage was Tobias Robinson, who was a 300-meter hurdle silver medalist at the 2006 District 3 Meet, was seeded fifth at states and went on to win the PIAA gold.

"His kind of happened in the last week of the season," Bare said.

Other state champions Bare has coached include Jaren Hayes (2002, 100) and Pete Habegger (2004, long jump).

The first track meets in Lebanon County will be held on March 29th.

LEBANON COUNTY NOTES

- Maddie Hoch provided the lone state gold medal for Lebanon County this winter when she won the PIAA Class AAA girls 500-yard freestyle at Bucknell University with a 4:51.03. It was one of three medals Hoch claimed at the state meet. She also won the 200 freestyle and was part of the Falcons’ 400 freestyle relay team. Hoch, a freshman, had won the 500 freestyle at the District 3 Meet as well.

- Lebanon Catholic’s run at state gold came to an end in last Friday’s quarterfinals, which they lost to Greenwood 45-30. In the Class A playoffs, districts and states combined, the Beavers were 0-2 against the Wildcats, and 5-0 against everyone else.

- Dylan Killian of Annville-Cleona was the only Lebanon County wrestler to compete in the PIAA wrestling tournament. Though he lost his first two matches there in the Class AA 140 competition, Killian still finished the season with a 35-10 record and a District 3 silver medal.

Dave Crowell has coached dozens of top-shelf wrestlers
during his 25-year career as a head coach, at Easton Area
High School and Wilson Area High School before his current
position at Nazareth Area High School.
So when he said that Blue Eagles junior Zach Horan is
most technically advanced wrestler I have ever
coached, that represents enormous praise.
I can say (that) without any reservation,
Crowell said. He can go with a wide variety of
takedowns, hes good at counterattacking; upper body
moves, lower body moves -- hes just very good
technically. Zach has advanced to be similar to a college
wrestler now.
Horan, who wrapped up a 38-2 season with his third
consecutive runner-up finish at the PIAA Class AAA
championships, has been named The Express-Times Wrestler of
the Year.
Horan boasts a 120-12 career mark to go with those three
PIAA silver medals. He has never lost to a District 11
opponent, a fact he takes justifiable pride in. But he
wont be satisfied until he stands atop that medal
stand in Hershey.
I was very disappointed, Horan said. The
goal was to win, though I thought I wrestled pretty well
throughout the tournament. But Im frustrated, I want
to win -- I have never liked getting second.
Of course, as Horan noted, you have to consider who he is
finishing second to. In 2008, it was unbeaten Mark Rappo of
Council Rock South at 103 pounds. In 2009, it was unbeaten
Nico Megaludis of Franklin Regional at 112. This year, it
was -- you guessed it -- unbeaten Mitchell Port of
Bellefonte at 125.
Combined, that trio went 141-0 in the years Horan met them.
In those weight classes, second in Pennsylvania may have
meant second in the nation.
I havent had gimme matches in the
finals, Horan said. In the last three finals,
Ive wrestled the No. 1, No. 1 and No. 2 guys in the
finals.
Hes never been the favorite, Crowell
said. This year, Zach had lost to (Christiansburg,
Va.s) Devon Carter at the Beast of the East, and Port
had handled Carter.
Its hard to believe Horan wont be the PIAA
favorite next season in whatever weight class he lands in.
In addition to his high school accomplishments, he won a
freestyle national championship as a freshman and was a
runner-up last year.
My favorite is the freestyle; that might be what I
am best at, Horan said.
Whatever he needs improvement on, Horans work ethic
is impossible to overestimate.
Zach might be the most committed wrestler I have ever
coached, said Crowell of the Nazareth native. He
is fully committed in the offseason. Hes competed all
around the country since he was very young. Hes such
an experienced kid; hes been in big-time matches
against big-time kids, he just handles and deals with
them.
Horans favorite matches of the season came against
St. Marks (Del.)s Sean Boylan, who he defeated
2-1 at the Beast of the East virtually on Boylans home
turf in Newark, Del., and 3-2 at the Bethlehem Holiday
Wrestling Classic.
Looking back it was the matches against Boylan I
liked the most, Horan said. He beat me all the
time when we were younger and now I am beating him.
Crowell pointed to another match at the Beast of the East
as his fondest memory of Horan this season.
Zach was beating a kid from Central Dauphin (Kevin
Gooding, in a third-round match) and he was taking (Gooding)
down and the kid caught Zach in a cement-job kind of thing
and really had Zach good, Crowell said. And Zach
fought that off and came back to win (13-10). In that
situation, where youre favored and bad things happen,
that can rattle you and make you lose your composure. You
dont want bad things to happen to you as a wrestler,
but when they do and you deal with them, it matures you
somewhat.
Speaking of maturing, Horan said that the thing he liked
most about wrestling as a younger boy (he started at the age
of five) was the sports solitary, individual nature.
Now, he revels in the idea of a team.
Most of my friends are on the wrestling team, and I
like helping guys on the team and making them better,
Horan said. Seeing the other guys win, seeing all that
hard work pay off, that makes me happy.
Crowell has noticed.
Zach didnt wrestle for our junior high; he was
a club wrestler and the first time he was on a real team was
in ninth grade, Crowell said. Hes
developed into a really good team person. Hed wrestle
heavyweight if we needed him to for the team. Thats
very important to me; I think its good for kids to be
part of something bigger than themselves.
Horan and Crowell agree on what he needs to improve on to
become the only bigger accomplishment left -- a
state champion.
I would like to see him open up more on his feet and
start to throw the kitchen sink at people, Crowell
said. I mean, hes a great wrestler now but to
reach the next notch higher, he needs to keep going, every
minute, and never back off.
I agree with that, Horan said. In the
postseason, when I knew I facing a tough kid, Id slow
it down a little, get a lot more conservative.
I know I need to keep going hard no matter who I am
wrestling. Sometimes in the postseason Id get a lead
and sit on it (such as in the PIAA semifinals, when he led
South Westerns Cameron Throckmorton 9-0 and wound up
surviving in a hair-raising 9-7 decision). I wont keep
going. I cant do that.
Crowell said theres a side of the intense, driven
Horan that fans dont often see.
He seems like a quiet and composed guy, but this year
he has developed a real sense of very dry, very
straightforward humor, a very good sense of humor. I
appreciate that.
Horan, who can laugh at himself in a way some wrestlers
cant, said wrestling has been very good to him.
Its great to wrestle; it gives you a lot
opportunities, he said. It helps with everything
in life. And if you can succeed at wrestling, youll be
in good shape because theres nothing youll ever
do thats really harder.
Brad Wilson can be reached at 800-360-3601 or
bwilson@express-times.com. Talk about sports in the region
at lehighvalleylive.com/forums.

Marshall Peppelman of Central Dauphin will be remembered

-

(JOHN C. WHITEHEAD, The Patriot-News)

Walking out of Giant Center late Saturday night and into the bluster and drizzle, it was the perfect time to reflect on the events that occurred over the high school wrestling season.

At first, there was some anxiety taking over for longtime wrestling writer and colleague Rod Frisco, someone who has a limitless knowledge of the sport and has been a staple for 25 years.

But after a while, things settled down and I was able to get a grasp of what was going on. Along the way, the wrestling community was patient and provided great moments that won’t soon be forgotten, at least not from this side of the room.

My mind wondered to an epic dual meet between Central Mountain and Central Dauphin in the state semifinal dual that many experts rank above and beyond anything they have ever seen. That match alone sold me on team wrestling.

But by the time I reached down to open my car door, my thoughts shifted to what was witnessed on the floor of Giant Center over the last three days during the PIAA Wrestling Championships, where members of the 2009-2010 class of local wrestlers made memorable runs and solidified legacies.

It will be a long time before anyone forgets Central Dauphin’s Marshall Peppelman.

The 160-pound superstar displayed his power by standing West Allegheny’s Troy Reaghard straight up on his back like one of those buoys that bounced up and down in the ocean and pinned him in 3:02.

It was the perfect end to a career that included three straight individual state titles, six team titles, Powerade and Beast of the East championships and a district record 181 wins.

All were accomplished with a touch of class.

"I can’t name one moment out of all the success I had — the team titles, the individual titles — each is a moment all in itself," Peppelman said. "These are all memories that I can look back on that will last a lifetime."

Potential was also realized and completed in the Rams’ camp during this state tournament.

Kenny Courts came in as a highly touted freshman, got hurt and missed states and then came back to finish second last year as a sophomore. You could just sense at the beginning of this season, he was going to complete his mission.

He did, beating Cumberland Valley’s Tristan Warner in the final — not an easy task — to give the Rams back-to-back gold medals at 160 and 171.

"It’s been an amazing ride," the lightning-quick Courts said. "I’ve worked so hard since last year’s loss, especially on improving on the bottom, and it feels great to get something that I’ve worked so hard for."

And no one will forget CD’s Tyler Buckman and his unbelievable match against McDowell’s Steve Spearman in the 130-pound final. It was easily the best match of all the finals, Class AA or Class AAA.

Watching Buckman on the mat is fun any time. Whether he is leading or trailing, this guy can pull athletic moves that just captivate and wow a crowd.

"It’s been a pleasure coaching these kids," CD head coach Jeff Sweigard said. "They earned everything they got. Besides all the medals, they go out and work hard.

"They came up through the program together. They do the extra training, the extra lifting and they are all buddies and get a long."

But this season wasn’t just about Central Dauphin and its wrestlers. Not by a long shot.

How about Cumberland Valley’s Shawn Greevy? Was there a wrestler that showed more guts and moxie this season than this guy, coming back from an ugly knee injury in December to get a silver medal at 135?

No way.

The Eagles’ Warner should be commended for his efforts. He lived in Courts’ shadow most of the season and kept racking up impressive wins. He never wilted under pressure and if not for Courts, he would be the one celebrating a state championship.

A new star also stepped to the forefront this season in the form of East Pennsboro’s Zachary Nye.

Some speculated —- we took a wait-and-see attitude —- that he feasted on Capital Division competition and didn’t have the chops to hold up against the heavy hitters in Class AAA.

Wrong.

Fact is, Nye is legit. His speed and his tactical wrestling ability netted him a silver at states. One more offensive flurry or counter, and he beats Selinsgrove’s Spencer Myers for the gold.

"It was a goal, and is really everyone’s goal, to win a state title," Nye said. "But my expectations weren’t exactly to be a state runner-up.

"I’m proud of what I did this year. I’m disappointed with the end, but happy with the season."

Don’t worry, Zach, you will be in the hunt next season. And no doubt it will be fun to watch.

A special thanks also goes out to Boiling Springs’ Joe Spisak. This kid is classy and took some tough defeats in three seasons before reaching the top of the podium on Saturday afternoon at 130.

No one deserved it more.

The regular season was also dotted with great team matches. Big Spring and Mechanicsburg, Mechanicsburg and Chambersburg and Big Spring and Mechanicsburg again. See the trend here? That young Wildcats squad is going to be a handful during the 2010-2011 season.

Stay tuned.

Central Dauphin to Cumberland Valley, Middletown to Mechanicsburg and all the wrestlers in between, it was a great season.

And I can’t wait for the next one.