I’m a sucker for lists. Lists about TV, music, movies, athletes. Any and all lists I consume like a Thanksgiving dinner. And we all know I love a good Thanksgiving dinner.

One of the things I dread doing, however, is making lists. It’s so much easier to sling arrows at the people who take the time to research and formulate lists than it is to actually research and formulate lists. And let’s be honest, I’m not really good at dodging arrows which have been slung in my direction.

But as my colleague, Chris Masse, has done with his boys and girls basketball columns this week, I’ve decided to make an all-decade team of area high school wrestlers. It’s an idea which was born out of a couple reasons: 1) There wasn’t much actual wrestling this week which I was able to cover, and I don’t have much material to write about. And, 2) I still love lists.

Making a list of this magnitude came in a multitude of steps. First, I had to make a list of the best from District 4 over the last decade. Then, as part of a discussion I had with Northern Tier League radio personality Shane Wilber, I had to make an all-decade team for the NTL. So finally, I had to take the step to make a list for our area.

We’re uniquely positioned here in Williamsport. The Sun-Gazette is the lone newspaper in District 4 which has teams competing in all three sectional tournaments. The added influence of having Central Mountain as part of our coverage area only makes a list like this more difficult to parse.

But, the presence of a program like Central Mountain, which is the only school in the coverage area to win a wrestling team state championship this decade, makes a list like this deeper. Earning a spot among these 14 wrestlers means having a resume which resides among the best to have ever wrestled in this area.

Consider this, of the 14 wrestlers on this list, nine of them won a combined 14 state championships in their careers. They combined for 41 career state medals. And consider this, there are two area state champions who did not make the list. It’s because of that last little tidbit I expect to see a fair share of arrows flying toward my face. Luckily, Patches O’Houlihan taught me the basics of dodging items.

I wrestled — Get it? Wrestled. I kill me — with the idea of naming a Wrestler of the Decade, but equating the value of multiple state championships won by the Alton brothers at Central Mountain versus the three won by Gavin Hoffman of Montoursville versus the two won by Ryan Solomon at Milton was so terribly difficult, and probably unfair. We could talk about how the Alton twins were two of the three-best college recruits in the country as seniors in 2010. But we could also counter that argument with both Hoffman and Solomon being the top recruit in their weight class as seniors. And what kind of credit do we give to Brian Brill who won a state championship as a junior at Central Mountain and lost to some guy named Chance Marsteller as a senior?

So without further ado, let the arrow-slinging begin.

SUN-GAZETTE AREA ALL-DECADE WRESTLING TEAM

106 pounds

Geo Barzona, Central Mountain

A three-time state qualifier who twice walked away from the state tournament with a sixth-place medal, Barzona is currently wrestling at Bucknell University. Barzona was a key contributor to the Wildcats Top-8 finish at PIAA Team Wrestling Championships in 2017. Finished with 122 career victories and won at least 24 matches in each of his four varsity seasons.

113 pounds

Wyatt Lutz, Montoursville

Two-time Class AA state medalist, including a third-place finish as a junior which included maybe the best wrestling of his career. His 154 career wins are tied for the 10th-most in area history with former teammate Keith Batkowski. Provided an important balance in the lightweights of the lineup, which was at times top heavy with the Hoffman brothers in the upper weights. Currently wrestling at West Virginia University.

120 pounds

Logan Everett, Williamson

Was Williamson’s only third-ever state medalist when he took fifth at 120 pounds in 2012. A three-time state qualifier who is still the Warriors’ career leader in wins with 143. Went on to a successful career at Army West Point where he was a four-year starter and appeared twice at the NCAA tournament and was ranked as high as 11th in the country as a senior.

126 pounds

Jordan Rich, Central Mountain

One of the most underrated wrestlers in the area over the last 10 years, Rich was a key cog in the Wildcats’ state championship in 2010 who graduated as a three-time Class AAA state placewinner. Finished fourth as both a sophomore and a junior, losing both times to the eventual state champion. His 156 career wins are ninth-most in area history, and fourth-most in school history.

132 pounds

Joe Klock, Muncy

Made his one season at Muncy worth it as he was crowned the Class AA 132-pound state champion despite wrestling in the postseason with a knee injury. One of just six state champions in school history, he was the best wrestler on an Indians team which became the first in Lycoming County history to medal at the PIAA Team Championships, taking fourth.

138 pounds

Luke Frey, Montoursville

One of the most sublime careers in area history, Frey was a four-year starter who never lost a match to a District 4 wrestler. Of his five career losses, four came at the state tournament. His 157 career victories were a school record when he graduated. One of just two wrestlers in school history to place at the state tournament four times, he was a two-time state finalist and a one-time champion who went on to wrestle at Penn State.

145 pounds

Andrew Alton, Central Mountain

Was the top-ranked 145-pounder in the country after a senior season in which he won his second state championship. A four-time state placewinner, his 178 career wins are still the most in area history. Finished third both his freshman and sophomore seasons. His state title in 2010 helped the Wildcats win the team title. Wrestled at Penn State where he was a multi-time NCAA qualifier.

152 pounds

Dylan Alton, Central Mountain

The consensus No. 1 recruit in the country at his weight after winning his third state championship in 2010. Was a four-time state medalist, joining his brother, Andrew, as the only four-time medalists in Central Mountain history. Is second on the school’s career wins list with 176, and went 139-1 over his final three seasons. Was an All-American at Penn State as a freshman, finishing third in the country.

160 pounds

Brian Brill, Central Mountain

Transferred from Wellsboro following his freshman year and ended up being a three-time state placewinner for the Wildcats. Placed fifth as a sophomore before winning the state championship at 145 pounds as a junior. His only loss as a senior was in the state final to Chance Marsteller. His 158 career wins are third-most in school history and seventh-most in area history. Wrestled for three seasons at Penn State.

170 pounds

Nathaniel Brown, Lewisburg

A three-time state placewinner was a two-time state finalist and a one-time state champion. Won the 171-pound Class AA title as a senior after finishing second as a junior. Finished his career with 149 career wins, second-most in school history behind Derek Reber, and 12th-most in area history. Was a three-time district and three-time regional champion who was a two-time All-American at Lehigh, including a national runner-up in 2015.

182 pounds

Garrett Hoffman, Montoursville

Reached the state final as a senior after upsetting defending state champion and nationally No. 1-ranked Dakota Geer in the semifinals. Finished his career as a three-time state placewinner who finished sixth, eighth and second in his final three years. A concussion forced him to forfeit final two matches at states as a sophomore. Graduated as the school’s career wins leader with 167 which is now fourth-most in area history. Currently wrestles at Bucknell.

195 pounds

Gavin Hoffman, Montoursville

One of the most decorated scholastic careers in area history, he was District 4’s first three-time state champion in 20 years when he won his third consecutive 195-pound title in 2018. His 176 career wins are tied for second-most in area history and the most in school history. Finished sixth in the state as a freshman and helped Montoursville to a Top-6 finish at the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships in 2016. Currently wrestling at Ohio State.

220 pounds

Ryan Solomon, Milton

Graduated as the nation’s No. 1-ranked 195-pounder in the country after winning his second consecutive state championship. Was a three-time state finalist who finished second at 215 pounds as a sophomore before winning the 195-pound state championship as both a junior and senior. His 142 victories are the most in school history. Was a four-time NCAA qualifier at Pitt.

285 pounds

Zach Corl, Central Mountain

One of the most dominant heavyweights in recent memory finished his career with 144 victories, including 84 falls. Was a two-time state placewinner who finished eighth as a sophomore and second as a junior. Was also a three-time state qualifier. Is fifth in Central Mountain history in career victories, and the only heavyweight in the Top-20 in area history in career victories.

WRESTLER OF THE WEEK

Derek Keen, Central Mountain, 113 pounds

A big part of the reason Central Mountain still has never lost a conference match since joining the Heartland. Keen went 3-0 at the Heartland Quad last week as the Wildcats picked up wins over Williamsport, Shikellamy and Shamokin. Keen, a returning state qualifier, posted three falls in his three bouts, coming in 55 seconds, 42 seconds and 2:26. Keen is now 13-3 this year after a third-place finish at the Top Hat and a fourth-place finish at the King of the Mountain.

CAN’T-MISS MATCH OF THE WEEK

Midd-West at Montoursville, Thursday, 7 p.m.

An absolutely phenomenal dual a year ago, the Mustangs picked up seven six-point wins to take a 47-30 victory. This dual is once again going to prove important in deciding the Heartland-II champion. A potential matchup at 170 pounds between Cael Crebs and Josh Rodriguez could prove pivotal. Less than a week removed from competing at the Powerade, it’ll be interesting to see how Montoursville responds after running that gauntlet.

Mitch Rupert covers wrestling for the Sun-Gazette. He can be reached at 326-1551, ext. 3129, or by email at mrupert@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Mitch_Rupert.