Butler has a senior wrestler headed to Eastern Michigan. Slippery Rock has one headed to Edinboro.

Knoch is primed for a breakthrough season and Mars returns nine wrestlers with winning records.

It all adds up to a highly competitive season on the high school mats in 2012-13. The campaign begins with various tournaments this weekend.

“North Allegheny and Seneca Valley are back in our side of the section this year,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “That's the way it should be. We're renewing some old rivalries there.”

The Golden Tornado return plenty of talent from a team that was 19-6 in dual matches last year. State qualifier Blake Caudill — who signed early with Eastern Michigan — is back for a senior season at 120 pounds that will likely conclude with him at No. 2 on Butler's all-time victory list. Caudill is 93-20 entering this year.

Other standout Tornado matmen include Korey Caudill at 126, Will Bortmas at 160, Ryan Hannon at 171 and Zach Weaver at 182.

Two of last year's seniors — Zach Reges and Nick Sutton — are wrestling in college at Gannon and Thiel, respectively. Sutton is starting at 133 pounds for the Tomcats.

“We have a lot of potential at other weight classes, including Cody Houston (27-14 as a freshman) who couldn't win in wrestle-offs last year and Damian Wheeler, a first-year senior at heavyweight,” Stoner said.

“We're very athletic, but a few guys will have to step up their game if we're going to succeed in duals.”

Knoch's program is in its seventh year, all under Mark McLaughlin. The Knights have a full lineup, led by Blaine Elliott (24-11 last year) at 132 pounds.

“Every year, we seem to send a couple of kids to WPIALs,” McLaughlin said. “I'd like to get that number to five or six this year. We can definitely do that.

“We want to build off our winning season from last year.”

Knoch was 15-12 in dual matches a year ago.

Mars was 13-6 in duals and was anchored by freshman Richie Boeh (25-5). Boeh will be at 126 pounds in this his sophomore season. Ryan McMahon was a 20-win wrestler for the Planets last year and will be at 160 this year.

Zach Maisner, an assistant coach under Ray Machusko last season, takes over the head reins. Machusko will be his assistant.

“All of our guys are coming back and that's huge for us,” Maisner said. “We finished third in the section last year and made the WPIAL team playoffs. We definitely want to do that again.”

Seneca Valley (4-11 last year) sent five wrestlers to the WPIAL meet and all five were underclassmen. They include Nick Zoria (23-8), Brennen O'Shea (13-8), Austin Leon (22-9), Tyler Schillero (15-12) and Jacob Eaton (10-20).

“We're gaining experience and that's important,” second-year Raider coach Kevin Wildrick said. “Our guys who went to WPIALs last year got over the hump that way. The nervousness of being at such a big tournament will be gone now. They've already been there.”

Tyler Allen is in his third year at Slippery Rock and has some anchors in heavyweight Forrest Christmann (37-4, 22 pins, signed early with Edinboro), Dave Huselton (27-5) at 113 and Tim Kerr (20-12) at 195.

The Rockets were only 5-9 in duals last season. They lost 30-win wrestler Gordon Bieber, now starting at 125 pounds for Waynesburg University.

“We're still a young team, but we've got some strong individuals,” Allen said. “Overall, we've got a group of hard-working athletes who are definitely capable of making good and building up this program.”

Marty Ruley is in his 35th year at Grove City and loses Wes Phipps, a state champion who is now at Penn State. The Eagles bring back four regional qualifiers in Kenny Bable at 126, Trey Maher at 145, Chet Simoni at 152 and Luke Walter at 132.

“We've got some inexperience, but we're loaded in the seventh- and eighth-grade classes,” Ruley said. “The current group has a good work ethic and I think we'll hold our own.”

Summit Academy has a new team annually and veteran coach John McCloud has three matmen — Trent Maffei at 152, Charles Wilbonger at 170 and Zach Aquilina at 125 — who “have some knowledge of wrestling.”

McCloud expects to send a few wrestlers past the sectional meet, however.

“The potential is there, but we have to stay injury-free,” he said.

Prospective LineupsButler106-Matt Stanaker (Fr.);113-Conor Foust (So.) 25-16; 120-Blake Caudill (Sr.) 35-6; 126-Korey Caudill (Sr.) 35-10; 132-Cody Houston (Jr.) 27-14; 138-Xavier Bennett (Sr.) 2-10; 145-Jeremiah Bortmas (So.) 7-14; 152-David Slomers (Jr.), Zach Schultz (Sr.), Grant Ferrari (Sr.) 2-3, Cyle Covert (Jr.) or Ben Hassler (Jr.); 160-Will Bortmas (Jr.) 27-17, 170-Ryan Hannon (Jr.) 26-11; 182-Zach Weaver (Sr.) 34-10, Nick Gibson (Sr.) 14-17) or Zach Raible (Jr.) 1-3; 195-Same as 182; 220-J.D. Bojanac (So.); HWT-Damian Wheeler (Sr.)

Grove City106-Chad Bable (Fr.); 113-None; 120-Alex Brocetti (Fr.); 126-Kenny Bable (Jr.), 132-Luke Walter (Jr.); 138-Jared Sample (Jr.); 145-Trery Maher (Sr.); 152-Chet Simoni (Jr.); 160-D'Andre Byers (Fr.); 170-Zion Scriven (So.); 182-None; 195-Stephen Boyle (Sr.); 220-Dylan Zahniser (So.); HWT-Austin Stelene (Fr.)

Knoch106-John Emminger (Fr.); 113-Zach Wilson (Fr.); 120-Garrett Rosencrance (Fr.); 126-Jake Borland (Fr.) or Devan Chapman (Fr.); 132-Blaine Elliott (Sr.) 24-11; 138-Brandon Yobst (Fr.); 145-Matt Steinmiller (So.); 152-Tyler Hlibiczki (Sr.) 15-12 or Charlie Cook (So.); 160-Trevor Hilliard (Jr.); 170-Ben Nowicki (Jr.); 182-Bailey Savage (So.) 13-15 or Dalton Ashton (Fr.); 195-Brian Mowry (Sr.) 15-15; 220-Kevin Kidd (Fr.); HWT-Phil Schneck (So.)

Mars106-Matt Hulak (Fr.); 113-Noah Kohl (Fr.); 120-Silas Bender (So.); 126-Richie Boeh (So.) 25-5; 132-Drew Schultheis (Sr.) 10-8; 138-Chris Lorch (So.) 8-11, 145-Ryan Barnes (Fr.); 152-Andy Selker (Sr.) 14-11; 160-Ryan McMahon (Sr.) 20-15; 170-Alex Grosso (Jr.) 14-11; 182-Nathan Bair (Jr.) 16-14; 195-Jeremy Hughes (So.); 220-Johan zan Wik (Sr.) 12-10; HWT-Trey Turnblazer (Jr.) 16-10

Seneca Valley106-Alex or Ben Lynch (Fr.); 113-Same; 120-Nick Zoria (Jr.) 23-8; 126-Zane Skalos (Jr.); 132-Seth Schiever (Jr.); 138-Brennen O'Shea (Jr.) 13-8; 145-Austin Leon (So.) 22-9; 152-Tyler Schillero Sr.) 15-12; 160-Stephen Rudolph (Jr.); 170-Brad Hensler (So.); 182-Jake Eaton (Sr.) 10-20; 195-John Proper (Jr.); 220-Tyler Miller (Jr.); HWT-Brady Moore (So.)

Slippery Rock106-Jake Shipton (So.), Adam Johns (Fr.) or Kelsey Brendlinger (Jr.); 113-Dave Huselton (Jr.) 27-5; 120-Mitchel Grossman (So.); 126-Matt Andrascik (Jr.); 132-Chris Rensel (So.); 138-None; 145-Chris Redfoot (So.) or Manny Johns (So.); 152-Dustin Griffith (So.) or Donnie Jones (So.); 160-Dalton Hilliard (Fr.); 170-Shane Slater (Fr.); 182-Zane Wolf (So.) 15-10; 195-Tim Kerr (Sr.) 20-12; 220-Jacob Kerr (So.); HWT-Forrest Christmann (Sr.) 37-4