North Hills High School wrestling coach Jose Martinez enters the 2008-09 season with the challenging task of replacing the most successful trio in school history.

Alexander Martinez (131-29), Adam Harold (121-42), and Corey Perrotte (113-26) have graduated after combining for 365 victories. The trio were among six senior starters on last season's squad, which shattered the school record for team victories with its 23-5 record.

"We have some big holes to fill," Martinez said. "We are a very young team. We have 20 kids and only four are seniors. We do have a good group of returning starters who should provide good leadership."

North Hills has five starters returning who recorded 20 or more wins last year, Kraig Esswein (30-13 at 103), Cameron Weber (30-12 at 112), Ben Amrhein (29-12 at 152), Adam Muehlbauer (23-9 at 171) and Tom McElwaine (33-7 at 189). Four of the five were WPIAL qualifiers last year, with Muehlbauer just missing the district tournament.

"Our first big test comes this weekend at the Chartiers-Houston tournament," Martinez said. "This is our first appearance. They have a good mix of quality teams from both Class AAA and AA."

Albert Gallatin, West Allegheny and Norwin are the top Class AAA entries, while Chartiers-Houston, Jefferson-Morgan and South Side Beaver are the top Class AA teams.

"Albert Gallatin and West Allegheny are loaded," Martinez said. "They have to be considered the favorites."

Also entered in the 24-team field are: Avella, Bentworth, Beth-Center, Center, Charleroi, Chartiers Valley, Elizabeth Forward, Fort Cherry, Freedom, Jeannette, Keystone Oaks, Kittanning, South Fayette, South Park, Southmoreland, Uniontown and Upper St. Clair.

"Twenty-four is the most teams we've ever had," Chartiers-Houston coach Bill Sutton said. "We have two gyms. I'm in charge of one and Frank [Vulcano Jr., the athletic director at Chartiers Valley] runs the other. Frank does a great job running the tournament."

A pair of PIAA champions are among four returning champions. Keystone Oaks' Anthony Zanetta and South Side Beaver's John Prezzia are the headliners. Zanetta won the PIAA Class AA title at 112 pounds last year. Prezzia won the Class AA 103-pound state title in 2006, but has spent the past two years battling injuries.

Zanetta is a two-time Chartiers-Houston tournament finalist who won at 112 last year after placing second in the same weight class the previous year. Prezzia is a two-time Chartiers-Houston Tournament champion. He won at 103 as a freshman, missed his sophomore year with an injury, then won at 119 last year.

The other two returning champions are West Allegheny's Aaron McKinney and South Side Beaver's Colin Checkan. McKinney claimed the title at 130, while Checkan won at 140.

Also back are five of last year's runners-up, Kittanning's Keith Cornman (103), South Side Beaver's David Demor (125), Avella's Mitch Spencer (135), Albert Gallatin's Dan Karpency (145) and West Allegheny's Troy Reaghard (160). Reaghard is a two-time runner-up.

"We will have a new team champion," said Sutton, referring to the fact that defending champion Shady Side Academy opted to compete at the Powerade Tournament this year.

The tournament begins tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. with the quarterfinals to begin at 9 p.m. Action resumes Saturday morning at 10 a.m. The consolation finals will be at 5 p.m. with the Parade of Champions and finals to follow at 6:15 p.m.

Good showing for Shady Side

Shady Side Academy tied for 10th place in the 15th annual Ironman Tournament, which took place over the weekend at Ohio's Walsh Jesuit High School. The Indians had four individuals earn place-winner status by finishing among the top eight in their weight classes. The Ironman Tournament is considered one of the five strongest tournaments in the country.

Dane Johnson placed third at 140 pounds for the Indians. Johnson, a three-time WPIAL champion, lost, 6-1, in the semifinals to eventual runner-up Collin Palmer of Cleveland St. Edward.

Also placing for Shady Side Academy were Roman SanDoval (fifth at 189), Frank Martellotti (eighth at 130), and Matthew Cunningham (eighth at 160).

North Allegheny tied for 22nd in the 57-team field. Joe Waltko was the Tigers' lone place-winner. Waltko placed second in the 32-man bracket at 135-pounds after posting a 4-1 record. Waltko, who was seeded No. 6, dropped a 16-3 decision in the title match to David Taylor of Ohio's St. Paris Graham.

Burrell finished 16th in the team standings. The Buccanneers had one place-winner, Dave Makara (6th at 125).

Eastern uprising

Seneca Valley, Pine-Richland and Shaler Area opened the season at the 21-team Eastern Area Invitational, which took place over the weekend at Gateway High School, but the three teams failed to place among the top 10.

Seneca Valley finished 12th with 81.5 points and had three place-winners.

The Raiders had two wrestlers advance to the finals -- Jordan Williams and David Bonetti -- but both had to settle for silver medals. Williams lost to Penn-Trafford's Matt Grupp, 12-4, in the 215-pound final. Bonetti lost in the 285-pound final to Norwin's Don Rhodes, 7-1.

Nathan Cully placed fifth for Seneca Valley at 145.

Pine-Richland finished 14th with 68 points and had three place-winners. Placing for the Rams were: Ross Orler (fourth at 112), Jordan Brennan (sixth at 140) and Jake Heintz (fourth at 189).