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By Wayne Catan
October 2004

Blair Academy Goes for Five Consecutive National Titles

NEW JERSEY PREP SCHOOL “STRIVES FOR FIVE IN 2005”

Last year the team mantra was “Total Team Effort,” due to the fact that there weren’t any real standouts – no Steve Mocco’s...no Zack Esposito’s...no Mark Perry’s...no Cory Cooperman’s.

Turn the clock ahead one year, and my, my how things have changed in Blairstown, New Jersey.

Today, Blair has several blue-chippers and nationally-ranked athletes on its squad. The Blair Bucs will vie for its fifth national title in-a-row. Quite an accomplishment – if they do it.

This year the mantra is “Strive for Five in 2005.” Leading the way for the Blair Bucs is Adam Frey, who is ranked #1 in the USA at 130 lbs. Frey placed in both styles in Fargo this past summer (5th in freestyle and 4th in Greco-Roman); he’s a top-20 recruit and will go to the college of his choice. Enter Eric Medina at 145 lbs.; Mr. Medina won a National Prep title last year and then captured the 145lb. crown at the Asics/Vaughn Cadet Nationals. Travis Blasco, a two-time national prep champion will vie for his third title 135 lbs. or 140 lbs. A young Kellen Russell won a national prep title and will be relied on heavily for bonus points this season at 112 lbs. (Russell should enter the season with a top-10 national ranking.) A tough Ross Gitomer (third at national preps) will stand ready at 119 lbs. Gitomer has been working hard in the off-season and looks tough heading into the early tournaments.

Enter stage left is the Team Thespian – Hudson Taylor – a two-time National Prep champion and cadet national champion. Mr. Taylor is touted by many as one of the nation’s top 189-pounders. He’s exciting to watch and will put a lot of points on the board. The talent keeps coming: Cadet and Jr. National champion, Rollie Peterkin, will be needed in tight matches against teams such as Easton, Great Bridge and St. Paris Graham (Ohio) at 119 or 125 lbs. Mario Mason, a stellar freshman, should crack the line-up and break into the national rankings at 125 or 130 lbs. Mason is a Tulsa National Champion and has strong mat acumen. Coach Buxton sees glimpses of “Zack Esposito and Cory Cooperman” in this young Blair warrior.

“I am excited about the upcoming year as we have some young bloods that are looking forward to our challenging schedule. I am not concerned about what we’ve done in the past – I am concerned about what we are going to do this year,” said Blair Head Coach Jeff Buxton. “We want to take one tournament at a time, and that’s exactly what we will do. In addition, our seniors are looking forward to this year and don’t want to falter on their watch.”

Max Shanaman and John Mangini (both Cadet All-Americans) will be counted on too. Their weight classes will be determined during wrestle-offs later this month and in early November. Newcomer Grant Paswall will also be in the thick of things. Again, wrestle-offs will determine his spot on the team.

Jim Powers, just a junior, will be the anchor for the Blair Bucs at heavyweight. Powers is young...but strong...and a hard worker. Look out for Powers. Mike Guttilla will be counted on at either152-160 lbs. Guttilla is a Cadet All-American and added valuable team points for Blair in 2004. At 215, Coach Buxton will look to Kyle Manley, who has waited his entire career for this opportunity. Tyler Thurgood (4th at Cadet Nationals) will weigh in at 145 or 152 lbs.

Blair begins the season with the Wilson Invitational, which will be held at Wilson Area High School in Pennsylvania on Dec. 4. Then Blair heads to the toughest tournament in the nation – The Ironman, which will be held on December 11-12 at Ohio’s Walsh Jesuit High School. The Beast of the East (which is held in Newark, Delaware) follows on December 18 and19.