Mike Boettcher

Curley's Paul Boettcher gave the No. 1 Friars an insurmountable lead, winning his 152-pound bout, 10-4 over Mike Swann, in a 38-19 victory over visiting sixth-ranked Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association rival Gilman yesterday.The win by Boettcher, who is ranked No. 2 in the state with a 22-1 record, put the Friars (9-0, 5-0) ahead, 35-7, with four bouts left, rendering moot victories by Gilman's No. 2-ranked superstars, Damian Davis (189) and Mike Faust (heavyweight). Davis improved to 24-0 with a 5-4 decision over J.D. Mislak, and Faust, to 31-0 with a 3-1 overtime decision over Brad Charvat.

The young Archbishop Curley squad continued to grow yesterday -- at Loyola's expense.Sparked by victories from Sal Aquia, Mike Boettcher, Bob Lader and Ben Verner, host Archbishop Curley defeated No. 12 Loyola, 39-24, and wrapped up first place in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Division.Archbishop Curley (6-3, 4-1) wins the division by tie-breaker. Curley, Gilman and Loyola each have one division loss, but the Friars' 15-point victory over Loyola gave them the title by point differential.

Boys' Latin's top-ranked, three-time MIAA champ Jason Leneau (171), a two-time National Preps runner-up and a two-time state champion, brings a 44-1 record into tonight's 16th annual Senior All-Star Wrestling Classic at Johns Hopkins University.The University of Virginia-bound Leneau will try to lead the private schools contingent to only its second-ever victory in the event against counterparts from the public school 1A-2A and 3A-4A classifications at the Newton H. White Center. Action starts at 6: 45 p.m.The 3A-4As lead the series, having won their eighth classic two years ago. They will be led by Bel Air's third-ranked heavyweight state champion Jeremiah Albright (24-0)

The Hanover (Pa.) Hawks were looking for their fourth straight McDonogh Tournament title yesterday in as many trips to the Owings Mills campus.But in the first time the event has been conducted in McDonogh's Rollins-Luetkemeyer Fieldhouse, their dominance was ended, 192-164.5, by a DeMatha squad coached by Columbia resident Dick Messier that boasts one senior and was missing two starters.Champs for DeMatha were Kyle Beckerman (112, 7-0, six pins), No. 5 Willie Harris (119, 13-1, seven pins)

McDonogh's Will Filbert and Curley's Sal Aquia finished first in their weight classes and Mount St. Joseph's Dan Mattson third among local private school wrestlers who competed in Saturday's National Preps Tournament at Lehigh University.Filbert (103 pounds), Aquia (160) and Mattson (145) are all state private schools state champions. Filbert and Aquia are ranked No. 1 in the state by the Maryland State Wrestling Association, and Mattson No. 2.Also finishing third were Calvert Hall's Chris Hanlon (103)

When facing No. 1 Mount St. Joseph, a perennial power in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association, there's little room for error.And after yesterday's 47-12 rout at St. Joe (12-0), in which the visitors won just three bouts, No. 6 Curley (12-2) can attest that a slip against the Gaels usually leads to a fall.A Curley wrestler fell flat on his back after coach Alan Gephart's move at 130 pounds backfired.Curley was within 11-6 after Ken Willson (125, 32-6) scored his 19th pin of the season off a front-headlock to a corkscrew.

The young Archbishop Curley squad continued to grow yesterday -- at Loyola's expense.Sparked by victories from Sal Aquia, Mike Boettcher, Bob Lader and Ben Verner, host Archbishop Curley defeated No. 12 Loyola, 39-24, and wrapped up first place in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Division.Archbishop Curley (6-3, 4-1) wins the division by tie-breaker. Curley, Gilman and Loyola each have one division loss, but the Friars' 15-point victory over Loyola gave them the title by point differential.

Archbishop Curley owned the close bouts to post a decisive victory yesterday.Winning four bouts by a total of five points, the No. 2 Friars turned away visiting No. 5 McDonogh, 33-18. Curley (7-0) pulled out three of those bouts by breaking ties heading into the third period, including two escapes in the final minute."I have a lot of respect for McDonogh and certainly regarded them as a dangerous team," Curley coach Alan Gebhart said. "Anyone who takes them lightly is an idiot. But one pin for us in an entire dual meet is very unusual."

Howard's Chris Poling (160) is playing the spoiler role this season.Last week, he edged Friends' Ethan Goldberg, 13-12. Goldberg was a Maryland Scholastic Association champion last year, and over the weekend was a runner-up at the Independent Schools State Tournament.Poling also owns a pin over Lackey's Billy Yeager, last year's Southern Maryland Athletic Conference champ, and two decision victories over Eastern Tech's Rex Marshall, a defending Baltimore County champ.Poling's only losses are against Arundel's defending 3A-4A state champ, Mark Chesla, by 7-5, and by 8-7 to Hammond's Hansel Henry.

Curley's Tom Boettcher (145) beat South Carroll's state champion, Bryan Hamper, 12-3, in the semifinals and led, 8-0, before North Carroll's two-time state champion, Fran Jackson defaulted with a knee injury at 2:51 of their title bout of last night's 17-team, Anne Arundel Christmas Tournament. Boettcher led the No. 2-ranked Friars past runner-up River Hill, 268.5-208.5, and also kept alive a family tradition of winning at the Arundel tournament. Brother Mike Boettcher, 20, won three titles at Arundel, and Paul Boettcher, 19, won four titles.