by Lem Satterfield

Click here for Atholton's Brian Nance in county title match

Atholton coach Bruce Lindblad will have a luxury many would love, and it could work out to his advantage.

At the top of his lineup are three, quality wrestlers -- each of whom is a returning Howard County Tournament finalist, and each of whom is not only experienced, but athletic.

Malcolm Stenett, Mike Massarelli and Brian Nance, all seniors, could be virtually interchangeable, at times, over the course of the season at 189, 215 and 285 pounds.

Stenett, who was second at counties, second at regions and fifth at 2A-1A states at 215 pounds, is a muscular, sinewy wrestler with power, speed and some skill.

Massarelli, a county and region runner-up last season at 171 pounds, is also lean, but more of a leverage, mat wrestler.

Nance, a stocky, powerful , bull  of a wrestler, is a returning county and regional champion who competed, last season, at 215 pounds.

Their diverse skill levels should allow for some versatility in the decision-making of Lindblad and his assistants, Haroon Rashed and Sidney Billups.

In terms of the team chase, the Raiders are darkhorse contender for the Howard County title, behind frontrunner Glenelg, which defeated Atholton in last year's Class 2A-1A South Region dual meet finals.

The Raiders, who went 12-4 overall last season, should contend along with River Hill against a balanced field of county teams.

Stenett, Massarelli and Nance are among four returning county tournament finalists for the Raiders, who also have some youthful talent sprinkled within a roster that boasts six seniors.


In addition to county and regional runner-up, Bruce Steinel (135), a junior, the Raiders return senior county and regional runner-up Doug Carpenter (152), juniors Tony Chilcoate (112), Matt Benecky (119) and Jimmy Geiser (145), and seniors Kyle Werner (140) and Dono James (171).

Among the top newcomers for the Raiders are sophomore Kevin Beck (103) and freshman Adam D'Amico (130), who enter the lineup as a former junior league state champ and a former junior league state tournament third place finisher, respectively.

Junior Holden Dress (160) is up from the junior varsity, where he won a county title.