Maryann Minella, past president of the Chartiers Valley wrestling boosters, retrieved 40-plus years of lost records and statistical data detailing the storied history of the program last spring.

Now that they finally know where they've come from, members of the 2004-05 Colts are optimistic about where they can go as they embark upon the new season.

Or more specifically, how far they can go.

Chartiers Valley (10-3 in 2003-04) enters the season with 13 grapplers returning to the varsity lineup.

The squad only graduated four – Vince Minella, Brian Mox, Jim Slack and Alby Lowman – from a roster that lost to Penn-Trafford in the first round of the WPIAL team tournament last year.

"We feel that we have a nice core of upper weights and we're pretty solid between 130 and 140 (pounds)," said Colts coach Mike Johnson. "We hope we can surpass last year's success."

The big guns that Johnson is referencing are seniors Adam McKnight (heavyweight), Nick Hursky (215), Ross Ventrone (140), Rick Minella (135) and sophomore Cory O'Keefe (130-135).

McKnight won the WPIAL 275-pound championship last season and posted a 32-7 mark, but was double-eliminated from the PIAA tournament.

He'll have his sights set on finishing stronger this year.

"I've been working really hard and can't wait to start wrestling," McKnight said.

Hursky went 36-5 at 215, finishing second at WPIALs and fourth at states.

Ventrone amassed a 24-10 record at 119 pounds last year.

Rick Minella went 23-14 at 130 and O'Keefe finished 19-14 at 112.

Other returning wrestlers include seniors D.J. Woodall (119) and Bob Brown (171), juniors Jim Sinkevich (125-130), Andy Gmitter (130-135), Nate Carr (152), Ryan Boynes (160) and Ryan Ziner (189) and sophomore Chris Lytle (112).

Woodall and Lytle, who were WPIAL qualifiers in 2004-05, give Chartiers Valley a solid one-two punch in the lightweights.

Big things are also expected out of Brown this season.

"We're actually pretty solid across the board," Johnson said. "Each and every year we try to get better. The kids are hard works, and we've been fortunate to have wrestlers that are really talented."

Johnson would like to see some of their names added to the record books that have recently been assembled.

"Now that the kids can see what past wrestlers have done, it gives them a goal to shoot for," he said.

The Colts open their 2004-05 campaign at home against Upper St. Clair Friday.