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Eastwood will have one of the best teams in the Suburban Lakes League this season, but if the Eagles hope to win a league championship they'll have to do it with nary a senior on the roster.
“It's odd not having any seniors, but everybody will be back next year,” second-year coach Joe Wyant said. “The only thing it hurts a little bit is not having that senior leadership. Now you have to have juniors step up and be leaders. That's the hardest part, finding leaders that other kids will listen to. Other than that, I'm happy. They're young, but we still have a lot of experience.”
The Eagles were picked by the SLL coaches to finish second behind defending league champion Elmwood for the second straight season.
“I'd like to finish first,” Wyant said. “That's our No. 1 goal.”
Eastwood returns nine district qualifiers from a team that scored 15 points to finish in a five-way tie for 34th place at the Division II state tournament. Seth Hoffman, who placed fourth at 160 pounds at last year's tournament, has graduated.
The returning district qualifiers are juniors Justin Burket at 125, Nick Mommers (140), Chase Beam (145), Casey Horn (152), Jacob Welch (160), Bobby Brooks (189), and sophomores Brad Radabaugh (130), Randy Caris (135) and Joe Nauman (285).
Burket had a 37-13 record at 119 a year ago and won an SLL individual title.
“He works really hard,” Wyant said. “He's one of the hardest working kids we have. He's maybe not the fastest, strongest kid but he wrestles hard.”
Mommers went 37-16 at 140 last season and placed second in the SLL.
“He was only one match from placing at districts,” Wyant said. “I just hope he gets more consistency. He can look good, but then he'll make one bad move. If he gets more consistency, I think he can be really good.”
Beam, a transfer from Fostoria St. Wendelin, had a 25-17 record a year ago.
“Chase was all-league in football and he's a really hard worker and a good kid,” Wyant said. “His work ethic is really good. He has done well fitting in over here with everyone. I think he could have a big year.”
Horn, an SLL runner-up last season, moves up one weight class after compiling a 34-12 record as a 145-pound sophomore.
“Horn is probably the best athlete I have on the team,” Wyant said. “He's a very good athlete and he has everything you need to be a good wrestler. If things go right for him, I think he has a shot to be a state qualifier.”
Wyant is also confident that Welch, an SLL champion who went 35-14 at 152 last season, will have a big year.
“He is a real hard worker who doesn't say anything,” the coach said. “He does a good job in the offseason. Going up to 160 this season shouldn't be that much of a change for him. He's solid in everything he does. Just a solid wrestler.”
Brooks, a 171-pounder last year, looks to improve on his 23-14 record. Nauman, who was 26-21 at 189 last season, will wrestle at 215 and heavyweight this year. Caris returns at 135 after putting together a 26-23 record as a freshman.
Radabaugh, who was 23-24 at 130 last year, is battling for the starting nod at 130 with junior Tyler Bourdo and sophomore Brandon Gefft.
The rest of Eastwood's lineup includes Johnny Shumay, who returns at 103 after going 19-20 there last season, freshmen Victor Kern and Kyle Klatt at 112 and 119, respectively, and sophomores Kyle Patterson (171) and Adam Wolf (215). Patterson was 6-5 at 160 last season.
“We want to get as many kids to the district as possible to have a chance at having state qualifiers,” Wyant said. “We're young, but we have a lot of varsity experience. We look to be competitive with everybody we wrestle with.”
The Eagles have a new assistant coach in Bryan Lippert, who was the head coach at St. Wendelin for the previous eight years.
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