Wyoming Seminary coach John Gordon knows all about leading and how to turn his team into a winning machine -- but he isn't exactly the perfect guest.

He and his team are not the retiring types. They don't sit quietly in the living room waiting for their host to direct them to dinner. Instead, Wyoming acts as if it is starving -- devouring its host and other guests and smacking their lips along the way.

Gordon brought his Knights here to defend their 2009 title and they are doing it with passion. On Friday, all 12 of his wrestlers feasted on the competition to advance to Saturday's quarterfinals.

"First, we're glad to be back," Gordon said. "It's a great opportunity for us to see schools from DC, Maryland and Delaware that we don't get to see."

But that's not to say Wyoming doesn't get around. Over the past month the team has traveled to Ohio, Delaware, Wisconsin and Virginia for meets.

"Our kids are battle-tested," Gordon said. "Our kids are ready to compete. Of course, there is a risk of some fatigue and we are a little beaten up. But we hope to win this championship."

The odds are with him, but St. Mark's coach Jay Bastianelli said he believes his team, which is ranked 10th nationally, is perfectly positioned to upset Wyoming, ranked fifth nationally, for the Mount Mat Madness team title.

He added that his team is really disappointed Wyoming's heavyweight Mike McMullan, No. 1 nationally, is out after surgery.

"He beat our heavyweight Bobby Telford by one point in the final of the Beast of the East Tournament," Bastianelli said. "We really wanted that rematch."

Wyoming coach John Gordan smiled when he heard, but said McMullan, who has signed with Northwestern, and Telford, who is going to Iowa, will have "plenty more meetings" in their Big Ten careers.

Meanwhile, Mount St. Joseph heavyweight Karl Green said he is wrestling not just to win, but to have fun.

"I enjoy it no matter what happens in a match," said Green, after smiling his way through his last match of the night, pinning Hopewell's Jacob Roark in 49 seconds.

Green, who is No. 5 in the country, said he is looking forward to meeting Telford, who beat him at the War on the Shore tournament earlier this season.

McDonogh had a pleasant surprise when unseeded sophomore Roman Braglio pinned No. 6 seeded senior James Yohe of Spring Grove in 1:56. That win and others helped the Eagles move up the team chart to No. 12 going into Saturday's quarterfinals.

John Carroll's team also had a good outing, ending the day ninth over all.