We caught up with wrestlers and coaches as they started their season just before Thanksgiving. Here’s a look at some of the names you’ll be hearing and the faces you’ll be seeing around high school wrestling mats this year, in no particular order. And be sure to watch as Alle-Kiski Today joins with Comcast to present high school wrestling again this year on Comcast on On-Demand

The Ironman: Apollo-Ridge Vikings’ Michael Coleman

Michael Coleman, a senior who lettered in FOUR sports last year, is the Apollo-Ridge wrestling team. He represents the school as an independent athlete, meaning he can bear the name of the school in WPIAL competitions. Independent athletes have to move some big mountains in order to compete, including training on their own. But it helps when you live with your coach. Michael’s coach is his dad, Michael, Sr. Coleman’s regimen includes a 5:30am mile run alone and wrestling with state-caliber wrestlers at private clubs.

It paid off. Last year, The Ironman finished third in the WPIAL at the 145lb weight class and went two rounds deep into the PIAA state tourney. “I’m hoping to accomplish what I did last year and better,” Michael says. How’s he going to get there? “I try to focus on what I have to do to accomplish my goal…it’s a lot of hard work and practice and dedication to what I want to accomplish…[It’s] the support of my family and my dad pushing me hard to do my best in everything.” Michael is the son of Michael and Robin Coleman and has two sisters, Amber, 19, and Ariana, 12.

Burrell Bucs

Coach Chris Como; 103lb Dylan Corey, soph; Chuck Makara, fr, 112lb Tyler Berger, soph; 119lb Nolan Greenwald, fr; 125lb Trevor Welsh, fr; 130lb Jordan Shields, jr; 135lb Shane Welsh, jr; 140lb Devon Maloney, sr; 145lb Bobby Speer, jr ; 152lb David Wills, sr; 160lb Derek Edwards, soph; Tyler Condron, jr; Steve Shank, soph; Tyler Gott, soph; 171lb Matt McKillop, jr; 189lb Damian Majocha, sr; 215lb Josh Micenko, jr; 285lb Joe Serluco, sr. Photo courtesy of Jim Kuhn Photography

Fox Chapel Foxes

Coach Ron Frank; Brian Letters, sr; Justin Mahon; Nick Letters; Joe Johnson; Tom Caldwell; Dean Smith; Jason Schmidt.

Franklin Regional Panthers

Coach Chad Roland; 112lb Will Hanna, jr; 119lb James Hanna, fr; 125lb Nick Galucci, soph; 130lb James Griffith, soph, Returning Starter; Jeff Lamouree, jr, Returning Starter; 135lb Jake Flynn, soph; 140lb Alex Wallace, soph; Nate Plonsky, soph; 145lb Ryan Mulraney, jr; Cory Shields, soph; Andrew Farbarik, fr; 152lb Brandon Lis, soph, Returning Starter; Jeff Moore, soph; 160lb Dave Hysong, sr, Returning Starter, WPIAL Qualifier; Mark Boettger, fr; 171lb Joe Fox, sr, Returning Starter, 3 Time WPIAL Qualifier, Section Champion; 189lb Sam Skupien, soph; Sam Smith, soph; 215lb Alex Fleming, sr, Returning Starter, 2 Time WPIAL Qualifier; HWT Mike Gearhard, sr, Returning Starter, WPIAL Qualifier, Captain; HWT Matt Ramey, sr.

Gateway Gators

Coach R.J. Santilli; 112lb Joe DeFazio, Tres Foster, 119lb Yashar Feizi, Eric Pelkey, Joe Petrakis, 130lb Brandon Airgood, 135lb Elliot Stewart, 140lb Marvin Stewart, Frank Franco, James Sallows 145lb Chad Stubenbort, Frank Kyazze, 152lb Daniel Anderson, Kedron Cook, Martin Culig, Mark Haugh 160lb Gabe Bacco, 189lb Justin Kuster, Chris Lammie, Andrew Cordisco, Andy Cummings, Alex Richmond, 215lb Jon Nemec, Sean Stubenbort 285lb Justin Mayberry, Mitch Duvall,

Highlands Rams

Coach Jeff Pollick; 103lb Mike Henderson, soph; 112lb Colton Drane , soph; Josh Howells, fr; 119lb Lance Flowers, sr; Ryan Eckenrod , jr; Justin Johnson, soph; Ron Festa, fr; 125lb Justin Nobilese, sr; Brad Kaczmarek, fr; 130lb Matt Fertig, sr; 135lb Nathan Wetter, jr; 140lb Jordan Toth, soph; 145lb George Stettmier, jr, Returning WPIAL Qualifier; 152lb Nick Glesk, sr, Returning WPIAL Qualifier; Mike Gent, soph; Mike Shoemaker, soph; 160lb Phil Scalise, sr, Returning WPIAL Qualifier; 171lb Aaron Sutara, jr; Troy Bertilino, jr; 189lb Mike Baker, soph; 215lb Cody Bertilino, sr, Returning WPIAL Qualifier; HWT Rob Rutkowski, sr;

Kiski Cavaliers

Coach Chuck Tursky; 103lb Tom Magness, 112lb Zach Cecchetti, 119lb Mike Spisak, 125lb Mike McCutcheon, 130lb Brandon Drobka / Josh McMillen, 135lb Tony Clark, 140lb Justin Harold, 145lb Zach Shannon, 152lb Jesse Brisco / Jay Jefferson, 160lb Jordan Moore / Matt Landowski, 171lb Jon Moore / Dane Mitcheson / Ian Musko, 189lb Jeff Krajci, 215lb Justin Delancy, HWT Dallen Kline / Nick Bucholz

Plum Mustangs

Coach Chuck Froehlich; 103lb Chuck Norrick, 112lb Jake Quinten, Jack Clair, 119lb Zach Zummo, Jeff Stagon, Dom Boyle, 125lb Cory Bonura, 130lb Nate Mazzotta, 135lb Andrew Hawkins, 140lb Kyle Schaefer, Jon Zeolla, 145lb Alex Brown, 152lb Ryan Soncini, Shane Stipancic, 160lb Gerald Tyler, Vada Dobbins, 171lb Travis Kuhn, 189lb Cory Blotzer, 215lb Richie Shook, Nick Tedesco, Garret Davis

Riverview Raiders

Coach Richard Bane is in his second year coaching the Riverview Raiders, and in his 38th as a coach. Right now, nine young men at the varsity level are getting the lion’s share of this former Gateway coach’s know-how. As the program rebuilds, wrestlers compete as a team but lose many matches because they do not have enough members to fill every weight. Still, they wrestle on; some will even advance into post-season individual tourneys. “I just can't say enough about these kids,” Coach Bane says. “I’m very pleased with what I’ve see in the varsity and the junior high.”

Coach Richard Bane; seniors: David Johnson, Jack Craig; juniors: Josh Dezort, Mike DeCocco, Josh Getty, Louis Rosen; freshmen: Mark Accetulla, Nick Bland; eighth grade: Matt Hutchings, Jerritt Young, Andrew Young, Graham McCollum, Anthony Munion, Troy Kumar, Anthony Munion; seventh grade: Conner Accetulla, Marcus Moloney, Justin Lezaric, Nicholis Fogarty, Mitchell Allan, Scott Nocca, Jeffrey Horston, Anthony Barbaro, Regis McGill, Josh DeFazio, Evan Scott, Dem Triusk, Zach Lear.

Valley Vikings

Coach Steve Ansani; 103lb Jordan York, soph; 112lb Jeremy Lookabaugh, sr; Norman Switzer, jr; 125lb Dre Johnson, fr; 130lb Kevin Enciso; soph; 135lb Chris Ignozzi, soph; Zach Hickman, jr; 140lb John O’Sullivan, soph; 152lb Alex Kowalski, fr; 160lb Mike Kuhns, soph; 171lb Kyle Dudly, fr; Nick Masi, soph; 189lb Kenny Massey, sr; 215lb Dylan Sorch, soph; Avery Beamish, soph; 275lb Vince Pallatto, soph.