SpringfieldNewsSun.com

MECHANICSBURG — Despite having the most successful wrestling season in Mechanicsburg history, the Indians still had to play second-fiddle to the state record-shattering Graham team.

"That comes with being in the same county as they are, I guess," said Mechanicsburg fifth-year coach Brady Hiatt, whose team is finally in the limelight after being named the 2008-09 News-Sun Area Wrestling Coach of the Year.

"They earn everything they get, so there's no begrudging them, that's for sure."

In fact, Hiatt says his program benefits from having Graham so close by.

"It pushes the programs that have a very strong commitment to trying to win and be better," he said. "The only way to ever have success yourself is to try to go after them. And you try to do your own thing at your own school.

"Realistically, we're not going to beat them in a dual meet unless the whole team has the flu. But we have plenty of opportunities to train with them at night and over the summer. That's what has let a lot of guys make their leap to the next level."

The next level is where Hiatt's Indians went this season. They finished a school-record fifth at last weekend's state tourney, with the most qualifiers (six) and placers (four) in team history — including Mechanicsburg's second-ever state champ, senior Bryce Baker.

Add to that another Ohio Heritage Conference title and team runner-up finishes in the sectionals and districts, and the banner year is there for all to see.

"That's what I push a lot — everything is preseason until sectionals," said Hiatt. "If you go out and do the things you have to do and lose early, I'm fine with that — as long as you are doing those things.

"It may cause them to have some losses early in the season, but that's OK. I may push them so hard they can't stand me sometimes. But I know that is what they need to have at the end."

He also makes sure his wrestlers are well-rounded off the mat.

"One of the big things I've always thrown out all the years I've been here is you care about them as kids first, then as wrestlers," he said. "When you treat other people right, regardless of your success or lack of success, those relationships will last a lot longer than you knowing where your medals are stored.

"That's what made the state tournament really special. When Bryce won it, my wife was in the stands, (former assistant) Coach (Andy) McGill and his wife were in the stands, (assistant coach Scott Wasserman, who brought me in here, was there beside me. And Blaine (Klaus), Zach (Ziegler) and Adam (Salyers) were all there, for their brothers and for the team.

"Those are the type of relationships that wrestling lends themselves to building."

The type that create memorable seasons.

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t

er at (937) 328-0364 or krowe@coxohio.com.