Knoch senior Matt Steinmiller tries to get out from the bottom during a 160-pound bout with Butler's Jeremiah Bortmas last week. Steinmiller, who is 13-6 this season, has rebounded from an elbow injury to fill out a spot in the Knights' lineup.

BUTLER TWP — Matt Steinmiller's parents urged him to stop wrestling.

He was struggling to drop from 160 to 145 two years ago. It wasn't a healthy process.

“They didn't like me sucking weight and kept seeing me suffer,” said Steinmiller, who is a senior at Knoch. “Coach was on me and they were just like don't drop the weight and you're done.”

When he appealed that he loved the sport, his dad suggested he go to The Mat Factory in Lower Burrell.

During this offseason, Steinmiller trained hard there to recover from an elbow injury that cost him his junior season.

Steinmiller's 13-6 for the Knights this season.

Before starting at The Mat Factory, Steinmiller went down to the University of Pittsburgh to do some training.

He felt lost in a big room with a lot of wrestlers.

Steinmiller felt like he found the perfect spot for him at the Lower Burrell gym, which is led by Chris Como and Isaac Greeley, who were both Division II All-Americans at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.

Como also coached Burrell to four WPIAL Class AA titles and the program's only state title in 2008.

A friend and his parents convinced him to go. Before, Steinmiller said he didn't think he needed the extra practice.

When the weight issue came up, it was worth a try.

“I work out with Burrell guys, Penn State New Kensington, college wrestlers, MMA fighters and everyone down there,” Steinmiller said. “It's hard. It's like a college practice times 10. It's unbelievable.”

Steinmiller had his season end last year when he suffered a torn ligament and a tendon tear in his elbow.

He was allowed to lift and was given the OK to train again in the summer.

“I got cleared in June,” Steinmiller said. “After I got cleared, I hit it hard. I was going to the Mat Factory two or three times a week.”

First-year Knoch coach Steve Carney said he can see Steinmiller's confidence improving as the season goes along.

“Matthew's a very self-motivated individual,” Carney said. “At the beginning of the year, he was second-guessing himself and was slow off the whistle. Just because of that injury, but each match he's getting better.”

What Steinmiller hopes to accomplish now is fill in the holes in his game. He's hoping to earn a bid to the WPIAL Class AA tournament.

Carney is happy with the leadership ability that Steinmiller has displayed.

“He pushes himself to the max everyday and he pushes his teammates to the max,” Carney said. “There is no quit in that kid.”