After losing key wrestler Trent Schultheis, the team has been preparing to step up to take his place. Last season the team said goodbye to four seniors, Kenny Duscheck, James Happ, David Campbell and Trent Schultheis. However, the team is preparing for the upcoming season. Returners include juniors Tanner Millward and Trenton McCray, and sophomore Cody Patterson.

The team has been lifting and working with other teams as well. They have been keeping up with the junior high team and the youth levels as well. Many of the wrestlers are setting their own personal goals for the season as well. Many of them hope to make it to the state championship. 

“I think the team will be good and win a lot of matches individually,” Patterson said. Patterson had a total of six wins last season. He hopes to improve this number in the upcoming season.

“Last year I had a bit of a rough season, so this year I hope to gain more wins,” Patterson said. 

Patterson has been lifting with the team since June and trying to get in shape for the season. The team has also gained a few freshmen as well this year. This season, the varsity team has very few upperclassmen, with mostly underclassmen. Coach Zeke Stroupe says that they are poised to step up big time.

“However, our younger guys are poised to step up in a big way and propel us to success not only in the regular season, but in the postseason as well. Similarly, we have some wrestlers who have their eye on an individual state championship berth,” Stroupe said.

The team currently has freshmen Nathan Hronas, Gavyn McCray and Jason Shiring. With those key seniors graduating last year, the freshmen and the rest of the wrestling team have been preparing to step up for the challenge in hopes to make it to the state championship later on in the season.

“We have been learning some moves and lifting, but the biggest change was definitely the lifting,” Shiring said. 

With the junior high and the varsity wrestling teams practicing together, they use games to keep learning techniques and lifting fun. The teams have been working out together two days a week since June to get ready for the new season. Recently, they have bumped lifting up to three days a week, with actual practices starting on Nov. 19. 

The entire team has been training hard to get ready for a new season with new wrestlers. With technique training and lifting, they are ready to work hard for the season.