This column originally ran in the Feb. 2, 2011 edition of The Mercury.

After a week of reading or listening to the criticism of just about anyone who had anything to do with the District 1-AAA Team Duals Tournament (including some serious sobbing over the seedings and ridiculous ranting over rankings), and reading or listening to all the nameless whimps whining about anything else that came to mind, it was rather refreshing to be over in Bucktown last Saturday night.

Thanks to the Wildcat Wrestling Booster Club’s ingenuity and a couple of very good wrestling teams – namely Owen J. Roberts and Spring-Ford – it was as if someone scripted a wrestling sequel for Back to the Future … a standing-room-only audience, a lot of junior varsity bouts and, what most want but don’t necessarily get all that often, a very physical and very, very competitive varsity match.

And in between was a well-organized and well-deserved salute to Owen J. Roberts’ past.

First, wrestling fanatic and WWBC energizer Mark Petrocelli acknowledged 47 former Owen J. Roberts wrestlers – all a little older and most a wee bit heavier – as the featured guests of the first Alumni Night. And while most in attendance applauded their presence, you couldn’t help but notice how current head coach Steve DeRafelo, his staff and every one of his wrestlers turned around to face the alumni and added some noticeable volume to the resounding applause … a class gesture.

Then Petrocelli presented plaques to Fred Foller and Howie Sage, the first two inductees into the WWBC Hall of Fame. Foller may have been short in stature, but he was among Southeastern Pennsylvania’s coaching giants after starting up the OJR wrestling program in the early 60s and leading the Wildcats to five straight Ches-Mont League championships. Sage followed Foller, led the program for the next 35 years – guiding OJR’s only state champion (Don Kulp) and adding another Ches-Mont banner to the rafters – and never once let any sort of ego get in the way of helping DeRafelo for the past nine years. Again, one resounding applause was followed by another … a class gesture.

Then the Wildcats and Rams, the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s lone remaining unbeatens this winter, took center stage. And they didn’t disappoint a soul, with the possible exception of those who bleed Blue and Gold.

Fourteen bouts, most with a smack to the face here and a hard cross-face there, even an occasional elbow to the back of the neck or head, sure had a few fans tossing and turning in their seats (not to mention offering some

earsplitting opinions to the official). You bet it was physical, even more entertaining.

Of the 14 bouts, four ended in pins (two for each side, for the record), and another ended with a technical fall. Pins get everyone out of their seat, but it’s the close ones –where a simple move here and there can make the difference – like the nine others Saturday night, that keep everyone fidgeting in their seats.

Needless to say, there was a lot of restlessness until it all ended, nearly four hours after the entire affair began with the first of those nine junior varsity bouts.

There wasn’t a hint of disappointment, nor should there have been.

It isn’t often you get to see those who will be on the mats in the years to come; see so many who entertained us on those mats throughout years past; see two men who gave nearly 50 years to the sport; and see two teams go toe-to-toe with one another with a league championship on the line. It isn’t often you get all that in one night.

Petrocelli and his booster club did a great job promoting the event. DeRafelo and rival Tim Seislove did a great job coaching. And the Wildcats and Rams did a great job wrestling.

What a show.

So good it helped you forget all the bickering … at least for four hours or so.

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Speaking of bickering…

Last week’s seedings for the District 1 duals drew considerable criticism, actually a lot of questions about the PAC-10 getting six entries in the 24-team field. Not including Monday night’s (snowstorm-delayed) segment over at Hatboro-Horsham, it seems the PAC-10 represented itself rather well with five teams going a combined 5-3 – and two of those losses were to PAC-10 rivals.

No. 24 Pottsgrove got bumped out right away by No. 9 Boyertown, which proceeded to eliminate No. 8 Council Rock North; No. 12 Methacton ended mighty Ridley’s hopes first before falling to No. 5 Rustin; No. 4 Owen J. Roberts pummeled Pennsbury; and No. 15 Perkiomen Valley humbled Central Bucks East before falling to No. 2 Spring-Ford … all of which means the PAC-10 will have three – and depending how No. 6 Upper Perkiomen fared Monday night, possibly four – of the eight quarterfinalists when the duals resume Friday night over at Council Rock South.

Not bad at all.

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Up in the Berks Conference, Daniel Boone was eliminated in the first round of the BCIAA Team Duals by Governor Mifflin, 44-25. It was almost a carbon copy of the Blazers’ league-opening 45-31 setback to the Mustangs. … The Blazers also came up short in the power ratings for a spot in tonight’s opening round of the District 3-AAA Duals Tournament. Unbeaten Central Dauphin (16-0), Solanco (11-1), Spring Grove (18-1), and Garden Spot (16-1) drew the first through fourth seeds, respectively. Berks will be represented by No. 8 Mifflin (18-3) and No. 15 Wilson (14-4). … With just Twin Valley remaining on the regular-season schedule, the Blazers will have a number of contenders – namely Colin Martucci (25-6) at 152, Ken Bock (26-3) at 189 and Sam Batchelor (26-4) at 215 – when the postseason kicks off with sectionals. … The Hill School, which is quietly having a solid season, and Perkiomen School, which has been hurt by a lack of numbers but plugs along thanks to head coach Tim Klavon’s passion for the sport, are still nearly three weeks away from the state prep tournament, set for Feb. 18-19 at Westtown.

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OJR’s Mike Lenge and Pope John Paul’s Conor Myers earned a moment under the spotlight last week. Lenge, the plugger-mugger who has filled in and filled in quite well at 152 and 160 for DeRafelo this winter, is likely to get squeezed out of the postseason. Lenge, 14-8 (with five of those losses by two points or less) can’t get to 145, and isn’t likely to overtake Jordan Moser at 152 or Gordon Bolig at 160. The junior’s response: “Whatever is best for the team. I’m concerned about the team, not me.” Myers surprised returning state qualifier T.J. Demetrio of Pottsgrove in overtime during their dual Saturday, or less than 24 hours after Demetrio got the best of Boyertown’s very good Jon Neiman in district duals. In other words, Myers sure put an interesting twist into today’s new area rankings at 152.

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Perkiomen Valley’s Gavin Milligan can tie the school record for career wins on Wednesday when the Vikings host Boyertown. Milligan (110) is one away from the late Tim Smith’s mark. … Martucci is eight away from tying Daniel Boone’s mark of 116. … Three other wrestlers – Methacton’s Rob D’Annunzio (93), Pottsgrove’s Demetrio (92) and Phoenixville’s Ken Cenci (90) moved closer to the 100-win mark. Spring-Ford’s Matt Krueger (89) and OJR’s Jonathan Dempsey (86) could reach the milestone before season’s end, too. … Methacton’s Brandan Clark (130), Boyertown’s Jeremy Minich (121) and Pottsgrove’s Zach Robinson (117) are the area’s active leaders going into this week.