Worth hoping a little swagger pays off for WHS grapplers
By Brian Questel
November 27, 2010
359
The Wooster High School wrestling team moved into the upper half of the Ohio Cardinal Conference last year, and its a spot where WHS wrestling coach Troy Worth wants to stay.
Worth, in his third season as head coach, has seen solid improvement in his first two campaigns and that has carried into this preseason. With a veteran cast – he has 10 lettermen on his 20-man roster – Worth has seen a positive change in attitude that he hopes will lead to better individual and team results this season.
Weve been wrestling really well in practice, said Worth. Im pleased with the enthusiasm. We finally have a little confidence and a little swagger to us.
Wooster finished third in the OCC last year and finished above .500 in the dual meet portion of its season. Even with 10 lettermen, the Generals best days may be ahead of them since five out of that group are sophomores.
Of the seven sophomores, five are letter winners, said Worth. Two letter winners are juniors, two seniors lettered and one (senior) lettered before as a sophomore, and hell do well.
Worth will have to replace three key performers in District qualifiers, Keith Yost and Jordan Boreman, as well as Justin Hughes.
We lost three good seniors. They were our point getters and they were positive people in the room most of time, said Worth.
Wooster does have a District qualifier returning in senior Zach Ellsworth (160), while classmate Anthony Catanzarite (152) just missed advancing a year ago. Matt Baumgartner (145) failed to letter last year, but he picked up a varsity W as a sophomore, and that trio will provide the captainship this season.
Anthony is a young man who is wonderful to have in the room. I enjoy him and I know how hard he is to wrestle, said Worth. Zach is the same way. Hes strong enough and fast enough – he has a nice blend and the technique and drive to do it. Theyre two seniors who know the postseason. Anthony made Districts as a sophomore and Zach is a two-to-three-time District alternate or qualifier. Were excited about them.
We picked our captain from 45, 52 and 60 weight classes, he added. Those are the ones who dedicated themselves over the summer. We looked at what they did over summer, what they did at open mats and in the classroom. Those are the three things that personify what we want in a captain. If they challenge themselves in the classroom, then there is a tendency to challenge yourself on the mat.
Those three will be joined by a trio of 12th-grade newcomers in Talon Miller and twins Jordan and Marcus Cremer, who are supplying leadership as well.
A pair of junior letter winners should provide strength in their weight class in DeVonta Anderson (171) and Nate Stebbins, who wants to do 112, but will wrestle 119 if he doesnt, said Worth.
Nick Miller, a transfer into Wooster, will step in and wrestle 215, while fellow juniors Tim Clark and Thomas Dail are also out.
Tim will wrestle 130 or 135. He has a natural gift for knowing where he is, said Worth. Im not sure where Thomas Dail is going fit in behind Zach and Anthony right now.
The sophomore class is the biggest one, noted Worth.
Logan Gable will wrestle at 103 or 112, Drew Worth will be at 119 or 125, Ethan Keck at 30 or 35 and Trever Chapman will be at heavyweight, said Worth, along with Tom Zeigler (152-160) and Adon Montes (HWT). We also have three freshmen - Phillip Wentz (103), Todd Williams (140-145) and Blake Hofacker (140).
While there are some holes to fill and experience to be gained, Worth is looking forward to what the Generals can do this season.
Were excited, he said. Ive been talking with (assistant coach) Don Rammel about what the kids can do and how the kids are starting to buy into our philosophy. Weve told them you have to be mean for six minutes and then shake hands and be friends after. Thats a mentality thats starting to stick. Its starting to get physical in room... but theyre all upbeat about it. Im excited when I see that stuff.
Im excited about the season. One of our goals is to have multiple state qualifiers, but that always depends on how the seeds fall out at Sectionals and Districts. You need a little luck... but we have four to five kids that if everything lines up right, they could be down there.
Weve done our personal goals, he concluded. We dont want push if they dont feel they can reach them, but theyre young and they need that. If they reach them, well challenge them to step up and hit their goals quicker and quicker... so we can take that step to the postseason.
Wooster opens its season Dec. 4 in the Coke Classic at Mansfield Madison.
