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Season
Record: 14-0
The 1974-75 Lancer team was one of the best
teams to ever grace the General McLane wrestling mats. This
group of talented grapplers finished the season with a perfect
14-0 record. Two of General McLane's first three state champions
wrestled for this team.
The 1974-75 Lancer team sported 5 section
champions in Phil Frndak (21-2), Al Kirdahy (25-4), Tim
Harrison (24-5), Gerry Goss (18-2) and John Byrtus (24-2).
Tim Harrison was 2nd at the District 10
tournament and 4th at Regionals. But, Harrison really shined
at the state tournament, where he wrestled his way into
the finals, before finishing as the PIAA runner up. He would
win the state title at 138 lbs. a year later.
Phil Frndak, only a sophomore this season,
would become the Lancer's second state champion at the end
of the 76-77 season.
Al Kirdahy won the 126 lbs. section crown,
was a district 10 runner up and 4th at regionals. He qualified
for the state tournament where he won his preliminary match,
then narrowly lost in the quarter-finals to the eventual
state champ.
Other Lancer standouts were John Byrtus
(Hwt.) and Gerry Goss (145), who were both section champions
and Henry Sauers who was a section runner up with a 17-2-1
record.
Steve Samol who had been at the helm of
the Lancer wrestling team since 1965, reached the 100
wins mark as a head coach and retired at the end of
the 1974-75 season.
His retirement marked the end of an era
of Lancer wrestling. Between 1972-1975, GM grapplers won
an incredible, record setting 38 straight matches,
had back to back undefeated seasons and won
three Erie County League titles. These accomplishments
will be difficult to top.
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