"Just win, baby."

The motto made famous by former Raiders owner Al Davis has always been relatable for many athletes across a wide range of sports.While Davis didn't see many of his teams find great success near the end of his tenure, Times News area wrestlers have had no problem racking up wins in recent years.A total of nine area wrestlers have hit the 100-win mark either last season or this year, and several others are primed to reach the mileston e this postseason.Part of the spike in victories is due in large part to the changing landscape of the sport, where wrestlers now tally well over 40 or even 50 matches in a season, frequently wrestling four or five matches in various tournaments.Circumstances aside, several area wrestlers have made the most of the extra mat time. And that's a good thing."It's a team sport and we always stress that, but when you're performing as an individual, it's always nice to get those accolades," said Northern Lehigh head coach Steve Hluschak. "A hundred wins is nothing easy."And Hluschak should know.An accomplished wrestler in his own right, Hluschak amassed 147 career wins, three District 11 individual titles, and qualified for the PIAA Wrestling Championships four times, placing third twice and fourth once.Hluschak has already guided Northern Lehigh to great team success, winning a District 11 Class AA team title last season, and the individual accomplishments have been piling up for his wrestlers.Senior Matt Schmall became the first to reach 100 wins earlier this season, and now has 113 career victories. Teammates Colton Rex, Ryan Farber and CJ Young have 93, 93 and 90 wins, respectively.Schmall acknowledged that having a great team around him has helped him get to this point."It helps a lot," he said. "In order to be a champion you have to be surrounded by champions."We push each other every day. I can honestly say that I never have a bad day of practice."The ability to drill in the practice room each day with equally talented wrestlers is something that has helped a group of Lehighton seniors that grew up together achieve unprecedented success individually and as a team this past year.Connor Frey (134-28), Tegan Durishin (113-36) and Zach Kemmerer (103-40) have put the Indians on the map with record-setting performances that have continued to raise the bar for the program."It feels good. It helps us put our name out there," said Frey, who also set the school record for wins earlier this season. "A lot of people don't know what Lehighton wrestling is all about."It's great to be a part of something like this," added Durishin. "We've grown up together and it means just as much to see them having success as anything."Durishin was the second of the trio to reach the milestone, with Kemmerer doing so most recently in the District 11 Class AA team tournament, where Lehighton advanced to the final against Saucon Valley."When Connor (Frey) and I were in fourth grade, we entered a tournament in Hazelton and we won the team title," said Kemmerer. "I remember our dads' were saying that when we're seniors, we were going to win a district title."Though they came up short, the group has come a long way together since their careers started."To get to the level that they're at now, it's less of what I do as a coach and more about what they do as athletes," said Lehighton head coach Danny Williams. "They do all of the extra stuff. Their parents have been tremendous for us, doing whatever they need to do to have them compete at the next level."Two pairs of teammates have been able to work together to get to that level this season. Northwestern's Jarett White and Quentin Bernhard, and Panther Valley's Darren Goida and Ali Capobianco, all joined the 100-win club this season."It feels great," said White, who hit the milestone at the District 11 team tournament. "I think it brings everybody up and creates a really good energy, a positive atmosphere. It's just great to have everyone there with you."Bernhard captured his 100th career victory in the semifinals of the Colonial League tournament a week earlier against rival Northern Lehigh, something that made the triumph just that much sweeter."That made it even more exciting, to know that it was Northern Lehigh that I got it against," said Bernhard. "And it was awesome to get it as a pin."Goida pinned Catasauqua's Oscar Cordon in 16 seconds in their 126-pound consolation bout to become the fourth straight Panther Valley wrestler to reach the milestone win total at home when he captured his 100th career victory at the Coal Cracker tournament earlier this year. Lenny Ogozalek did it at the 2014 Anthracite Duals; Rian Shubeck accomplished the feat at last year's Coal Cracker Tournament; and Capobianco joined the club earlier this season at the Anthracite Duals."It was nice," Goida said. "Having it at home, there were a lot more people that were able to show up and see it, so it mans a lot."Capobianco was just as happy for his friend and teammate, who he frequently drills with in the room. The two were both state qualifiers last season."It's great to have someone like Darren to keep pushing me," said Capobianco. "He makes me better, and I think we both benefit from being able to work together."I think it also helps everyone else on the team to see your teammates have that kind of success. They know they can do it, too."Like Frey, Jim Thorpe's Kevan Gentile got his 100th career victory at last year's PIAA Championships, where he took fourth.Nearing 30 wins heading into the postseason, Gentile, who is currently 131-25, is looking for more than just another trip to Hershey this year."I have a lot of confidence," the senior said. "I feel like this could be my year and I can get to where I want to be. There's still a lot that I want to accomplish."And don't look now, but 100 wins is well within reach for Tamaqua junior Tanner McHugh, who should get there this postseason.*******OFF THE MAT UPDATE … The Times News area once again had a strong presence in Off the Mat's Feb. 9 (Issue No. 7) Class AA state rankings. Northern Lehigh continued to lead the way, with Colten Rex (120 pounds, 7th), Matt Schmall (138, 4th), Ryan Farber (160, 4th), CJ Young (170, 13th) and Cameron Kates (285, 12th) all earning recognition. Northwestern and Lehighton were close behind, as Matt Peters (113, 16th), Quentin Bernhard (126, 12th), and Caleb Clymer (152, 15th) were all honored for the Tigers, while Tegan Durishin (145, 16th), Connor Frey (195, 1st) and Wyatt Clements (220, 10th) made the list for the Indians. Panther Valley's Darren Goida (126, 14th) and Ali Capobianco (145, 13th) were selected as were Tamaqua's Tanner McHugh (126, 15th), Jim Thorpe's Kevan Gentile (106, 2nd) and Palmerton's Jared Mooney (182, 10th). In Off the Mat's Class AA dual meet rankings, Northwestern (19th) and Lehighton (22nd) both made the top-25.*******GENERATION NEXT … Tamaqua's Bronson Strouse (212) won an individual championship Sunday at the District 11 Junior High Wrestling Tournament at Parkland High School. Strouse pinned Nick Passamonte of East Stroudsburg North at 4:31 during sudden-victory overtime. Other place-winners from the Times News area were: Northern Lehigh's Dominick Bandle (4th, 252 pounds); Jim Thorpe's Dom Madera (5th, 147 pounds); Panther Valley's Eric Moyer (6th, 132 pounds); Lehighton's Lucas Sangiuliano (7th, 97 pounds) and Brett Gasker (7th, 212 pounds); and Tamaqua's Pierce Demetriades (8th, 92 pounds). Northampton won the team title with 328 points ahead of Easton Red (284) and Nazareth (250), who took second and third, respectively.*******SPEAKING OF WINS … Pleasant Valley graduate and King University (Bristol, Tenn.) redshirt senior Samantha Klingel went 5-0 over the weekend at the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA) national championships at 116 pounds in Oklahoma City, Okla. Klingel defeated top-ranked Rachel Archer of Oklahoma City University in the semifinals before defeating third-ranked Abby Lloyd of Simon Fraser 3-0 in the finals. Klingel (25-0)was one of three individual champions for the Tornado, who won their third straight WCWA national championship. The Kresgeville native, who didn't compete last season, went 10-1 during the 2013-14 campaign.*******CALM BEFORE THE STORM … There will be no matches this week as the eight Times News area teams prepare for the District 11 Class AA and AAA tournaments, which will be held next Friday (Feb. 26) and Saturday (Feb. 27) at Freedom High School and Liberty High School. Look for a preview of the tournaments in next week's column.