Shady Side Academy enters the scholastic wrestling season with what appears to be the most potent lineup in WPIAL history.

The Indians boast five individuals who have won a WPIAL title. No other team in the WPIAL's 72 years has entered a season with five previous WPIAL champions in its lineup. Canon-McMillan had four returning WPIAL champions going into the 1949-50 season, and all four repeated as winners.

"It's hard to believe that we're the first team in WPIAL history to have five WPIAL champions returning," Shady Side Academy coach Tim Giel said. "And all five are capable of winning another title."

Senior Dane Johnson heads the list. He is a three-time WPIAL Class AA champion who has a chance to become the 17th wrestler in WPIAL history to win four titles.

"I'm happy to say that Dane is staying home [to attend college]," Giel said. "He's accepted a scholarship offer from Pitt."

Johnson (49-2 last season) is also a two-time PIAA champion, the last coming at 125 pounds. He was joined on the WPIAL winner's platform by four Shady Side teammates, and all but one was an underclassmen. The other three underclassmen who claimed WPIAL titles last year were Geoff Alexander, Matthew Cunningham and Roman SanDoval.

Alexander (50-5) won the WPIAL Class AA title as a 103-pound freshman. Cunningham (48-3 at 152) enters his junior year as a two-time WPIAL champion. SanDoval (50-7), a senior, is the defending WPIAL and PIAA champion at 189 pounds.

Shady Side Academy's fifth WPIAL champion is Frank Martellotti, who won WPIAL and PIAA titles at 103 pounds in 2007. Martellotti (50-11) moved up to the 112-pound weight class last year and finished second in the WPIAL and third in the PIAA.

"We have all but one starter back from last year's team," Giel said. "We just need to stay healthy because we have very little depth."

Ten of Shady Side Academy's returning starters had 20 or more wins and six had 47 or more wins.

"Our goal is to win WPIAL and PIAA team titles," Giel said.

Burrell is the defending WPIAL team champion. The Buccaneers have made five consecutive appearances in the WPIAL title match, but will be hard pressed to retain their title as six starters have graduated, including a trio of WPIAL champions -- Shane Welsh, Jordan Shields, and Bob Speer, who combined for 444 wins in their careers.

But don't count out Burrell, as eight starters return, including three PIAA qualifiers, Jeremy Landowski (36-14 at 112), Travis McKillop (30-9 at 119) and Brian Beattie (34-15 at 285).

"With all but one starter back, Shady Side has got to be the early favorite," Burrell coach Chris Como said. "It's built up to this year for them. They have a very talented team coming back."

Burrell has won three WPIAL team titles -- 1997, 2004 and 2007. Shady Side Academy's only title came in 2001.

Shady Side Academy's fantastic five are among 10 returning WPIAL champions in Class AA. The others are McKillop, Keystone Oaks' Anthony Zanetta (40-0 at 112), Avella's Mitch Spencer (37-5 at 130) and Mount Pleasant's Colin Sheridan (36-10 at 130). Sheridan won his title in 2007; the others won last year.

In Class AAA, Penn-Trafford has made three consecutive appearances in the title match. The Warriors won their only title in 2006 and placed second the past two years.

"Penn-Trafford is a step above everybody right now," Hempfield coach Vince DeAugustine said.

The Warriors have 12 starters returning, including a pair of PIAA place-winners. Shane Young (44-0 at 112) has won back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA titles and opens the season with a 90-match win streak. Ryan Bohince (31-14 at 103) finished eighth in the state.

"Talent-wise, this could be the best team the school has ever had," Penn-Trafford coach Larry Hohman said. "But we have to prove it on the mat."

Bethel Park and Hempfield also have most of their wrestlers back. The Black Hawks have 10 returning starters, including nine who had 20 or more wins. The Spartans have 12 starters back, seven who were 20-match winners.

Young is one of seven Class AAA wrestlers who have won a WPIAL title. The others are Franklin Regional's Nico Megaludis (37-1 at 103), West Allegheny's Troy Reaghard (33-7 at 152), Hempfield's Jake Kemerer (46-1 at 160), and the West Mifflin duo of James Fleming (36-2 at 145) and Sam Sherlock (35-3 at 125). Fleming has won three WPIAL titles in a row.

Shady Side Academy, Hempfield and Mount Pleasant each have two wrestlers who begin the season with 100 or more career victories.

They are Shady Side's Johnson (129-10) and SanDoval (102-23), Hempfield's Kemerer (126-21) and Jack Bachman (112-35) and Mount Pleasant's Sheridan twins, Zach (104-30) and Colin (103-36). Six other WPIAL wrestlers have already joined the century club. Penn-Trafford's Young (111-18), Keystone Oaks' Zanetta (110-13), Latrobe's Nathan Pennesi (107-21), North Allegheny's Joe Waltko (103-19) and Avella's Mitch Spencer (100-23).

Thirteen schools enter the season with new coaches. Two are returning after a long layoff. Jason Carpetta has taken over at Peters Township, while Joe Murphy returns to Riverview. Carpetta coached at Fort Cherry from 1998-2003 and led the Rangers to a WPIAL Class AA title. Murphy was the Raiders' coach for eight years, but stepped down in 2000.

Section 2-AA has the most prolific coaching turnover as four schools have new coaches -- Bentworth's Albert Thomas, Mount Pleasant's B.J. Mikeska, Washington's Josh Barrette and West Greene's Curt Hughes.

The other new coaches in Class AA are Burgettstown's Chris Day, Carlynton's Jason Knox and South Fayette's Michael Ladick.

The other new coaches in Class AAA are Plum's Michael Supak, Central Catholic's Sanshiro Abe, Ambridge's Mike Fitzpatrick and Blackhawk's Ed Braddock.