Remarkable.

That word best describes the still-budding wrestling career of Seneca Valley sophomore Alejandro Herrera-Rondon.

The Raiders' 113-pounder begins the quest to add to his legacy this weekend as the Section 3AAA individual section tournament takes place in Fox Chapel.

No doubt, he will succeed.

Herrera-Rondon is as technically sound on the mat as anybody. The kid rarely, if ever, gets taken down.

And he's piling up wins at an alarming rate.

Herrera-Rondon enters the individual postseason with a 38-1 record this season. No other wrestler in his section weight class has more than 27 wins — and that kid, Bradley Stipetich of North Allegheny, has 12 losses.

After losing in the 106-pound WPIAL finals as a freshman a year ago — a 1-0 decision to unbeaten Kurtis Phipps of Norwin — Herrera-Rondon went on to win the PIAA championship.

Also a section champion last year, this guy has an opportunity to become an incredibly-decorated wrestler before he's off to college.

Four section championships? Three WPIAL crowns? Three or four state titles?

Don't bet against him.

His sophomore season isn't even close to over yet and Herrera-Rondon has 84 career high school wins. He will likely hit the 90-win plateau before putting away his Seneca Valley singlet for the year.

Butler graduate Cole Baxter holds the Butler County record of 160 career wins. Herrera-Rondon, barring injury,will shatter that figure.

Slippery Rock graduate Jeff Becker won 136 matches in high school. Seneca Valley grad Mark Barron won 125.

Baxter, Becker and Barron were top of the line in terms of success on the mat in this area. Butler County has never seen mat success at the rate of Herrera-Rondon.

This kid is all about wrestling. He's soft-spoken and at times does not appear to be aggressive on the mat. But he excels at counter moves and defensive skills.

Simply put, he doesn't need to put together much offense to beat you.

But he can if he has to.

Seneca Valley has a tremendous wrestling team right now and that is reflected in the seeding for the Section 3AAA tourney. The Raiders have seven matmen seeded either first or second in their respective weight classes.

That includes Dylan Chappell, a sophomore sporting a 32-4 record who is seeded No. 1 at 106 pounds in this tournament.

Undoubtedly, Chappell and Herrera-Rondon have had their battles in the practice room at Seneca Valley. Those two guys going at each other every day has to have had a positive affect on both.

The more a good wrestler is pushed, the more he pushes back.

Hererra-Rondon just keeps pushing forward.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle