The Placer High wrestling team has a newly renovated room on the Auburn campus and a new outlook for the 2010 season.

The program that was mired in mediocrity for several years is suddenly a Pioneer Valley League power. Back-to-back league titles and a lineup loaded with veteran wrestlers have raised expectations at Placer.

“We’ve got a lot of upper classmen this year and I know we’re all hoping to win sections, not just league,” senior Aaron Maddox said. “That’s our goal right now. We don’t want to be too cocky, but I don’t think anyone can compete with us in league.”

The Hillmen have the talent and experience to match their ambition. They return the majority of a team that went undefeated in the PVL last season, including PVL champions Andrew Naleway, Joe Thornton and Mitchell Maddox.

“It’s not like we’re going to sneak up on anybody anymore,” second-year coach Jess Stiff said. “We’ve developed a program. We’re not just a team. We’ve had some good individuals in the past, but this year as a whole, we’re solid. That’s comforting for me.”

Senior Dalton Richardson made it the furthest in the postseason last year, going 2-2 at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Meet. The 125-pounder is wrestling well early this season with his eye on a state berth to close out his career.

“I want to place at Masters and go to state,” Richardson said.

The Maddox twins are stronger and more experienced. Mitchell is the PVL favorite again at 130 while Aaron is wrestling at 145. Aaron maintains his goal for the season is always, “to just beat my brother, and go farther than he does.”

Junior Jordan Trout is fresh off an impressive second-place showing at the Coast Classic in Scotts Valley last weekend. At 112, freshman Zach Uvalle is performing well beyond his years. Naleway, a junior, is solid at 119.

Senior Carl Pavich was a runner-up at the PVL tournament last season and is back at 135. Thornton returns at 140.

Junior Steven Cox has stepped up two weight classes to 160 and freshman Michael Robinson has made an immediate impact at 171.

“He’s a great athlete and he works out hard, every day,” Stiff said.

Juniors Joe Spera and Zach Scott have improved at 189 and 215, respectively. Senior Jake Styler is bigger and stronger this season after a stellar football season. He’s wrestling at heavyweight after taking second in the PVL at 215 last year.

“Football definitely doesn’t really prepare me for the stuff we’re doing,” Styler said. “I’ve definitely got to get my wind back.”

Many of Placer’s wrestlers put in extra time with freestyle season and camps throughout the summer to prepare for what could be the best season in many years for the Hillmen.

Placer has never won a section team dual championship (held since 1986) or a section championship. Coach Bill Flake’s 1984 squad was runner-up to Bella Vista. Levi Fletcher (1999) was the last Hillman to win an individual section crown.

“For us this year, we’ve got our eyes on the Masters tournament and seeing if we can get somebody through finally to the state meet,” Stiff said. “Masters is a meat grinder of a tournament and our section’s really tough. But we’ve finally got the kids that have the experience where it’s not a big shock when they get there. We’ve still got to be a little lucky and wrestle really good, but it’s definitely a possibility for more than a few guys.”

Placer’s new wrestling room has given the team a boost. The Hillmen practiced in the school cafeteria last season after their old wrestling room was taken out when the lower gym was remodeled.

“We feel like we’re actually a legitimate program now,” Styler sai.d

There was talk of Stiff possibly leaving the Placer program after last season. But the talented, young coach is happy to be back guiding the Hillmen.

“It was a struggle last year,” Stiff said. “We were in the cafeteria and we did our share of finagling to get a new room. Our principal (Peter Efstathiu) helped us a lot and our booster club did a good job, going to the board and making our voice heard.”