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Shippensburg wrestlers expecting a big season


 

Shippensburg Greyhounds

Coach: Tony Yaniello, seventh year, 77-32 (.706). 

Last year: 7-5 (3-3 Mid Penn Colonial Division).

Returning starters: Chandler Olson (sr., 126, 38-4, 4th-place PIAA medal, District 3 runner-up); Cameron Tinner (sr., 220, 34-2, District 3 champion, 1-2 at states); Cole Forrester (jr., 195, 29-9, district qualifier); Nick Kubala (sr., 285, 21-17); Collin Dolbin (sr., 170, 18-14); Levi Shoemaker (sr., 160, 18-14); Ian Reed (jr., 138, 12-12); John Adams (sr., 126, 15-18); Eddie Ocker (jr., 152, 10-18); Sterling Shetter (jr., 160, 7-17); Kole Cornman (so., 113, 10-18); Colten Runshaw (so., 106, 2-12).

Other top wrestlers: Brennen O'Brien (sr., 120, 14-7 as a sophomore); Philip Torres (jr., 145, 2-2); Dylan Ramsey (fr., 120); Colton Musser (fr., 182); Jeffery Russell (fr., 106).

Outlook: Yaniello said, "We have a veteran team with lots of experience in the postseason and in dual meets. With the addition of a couple key freshmen and a few underclassmen from last year improving, we are looking to be a very good team in tournaments and duals. We do have a tough schedule, with some big dual meets (Boiling Springs, Big Spring) and some good tournaments (Cumberland Valley)."

Notes: The Greyhounds are also entered in Chambersburg's Trojan Wars ... Shippensburg returns 12 starters ... O'Brien moved to Chambersburg last year but did not wrestle, and is now back in Ship ... Olson already has three medals in the PIAA Tournament ... Tinner was 34-0 until he went 1-2 at states.

Season opener: Friday and Saturday in the Cumberland Valley Tournament.

James Buchanan Rockets

Coach: Matt Gordon, 11th year, 71-157 (.311).

Last year: 0-11 (0-6 MPC Colonial).

Returning starters: Derek Pine (so., 113, 13-12); Aaron Frick (so., 126, 1-6).

Other top wrestlers: Hunter Adkins (sr., 152); Jae-Lin Carmack (jr., 132).

Outlook: The Rockets will begin the season with only four wrestlers, so dual meets will be impossible to win ... "At the beginning of the season, I thought I'd have around 15, but they kept dropping out," Gordon said. "We have a group of 16 freshmen but because the team is so light, I decided not to bring any of them up this year. I want to get them some more experience. I don't know if it'll work, but they may not have been able to compete on varsity this year. Adkins came here from Cumberland Valley - he got in a lot of practice time with them and he has CV skills, so he'll do well. We're back down to 2A this year and I think at least three of our kids could make it districts."

Notes: Carmack wrestled at Shippensburg last year and was 1-3 ... At least three underclassmen who started last year did not come back out ... Former JB standouts Alex Buterbaugh and Derek Straley are both coaching in the program now, and the numbers in lower grades are good.

Season opener: Dec. 15 at Greencastle-Antrim, 7

Greencastle-Antrim Blue Devils

Coach: Drew Allshouse, first year.

Last year: 5-11 (1-5 Mid Penn Colonial Division).

Returning starters: Thomas Richmond (sr., 138, 22-11); Nick Wolf (sr., 195, 9-17); Noah Ezolt (jr., 152, 8-16); Dylan Neikirk (jr., 126, 6-17).

Other top wrestlers: Kaylee Hengst (so., 106); Josh Pine (so., 120); Dwayne Henning (so., 120); Ryan Marconi (so., 126); Ethan Zimmerman (fr., 132); Wesley Medina (so., 195); Rolandas Green (so., 285).

Outlook: "It's going to be a young group," Allshouse said. "We only had five back from last year and one's out with a concussion. With the 11th and 12th grade we couldn't talk all the kids into coming back out. We have a lot of positives in the program, but not in the two upper grades. Our season will be determined by how well our young wrestlers make the transition from middle school to high school. Zimmerman has the most upside of the new kids - he was 20-2 last year in middle school and he's had a lot of success at the youth level."

Notes: Allshouse, who has been the G-A middle school coach for four years, takes over for Rich Binkley, who was 13-35 in three years ... Allshouse is from Greencastle, but attended Westtown School on a Lenfest Scholarship and wrestled there for four years ... Aurelius Dunbar of Greencastle, who is ranked as one of the top five freshmen in the state, is now attending Mercersburg Academy.

Season opener: Dec. 15, at home vs. James Buchanan, 7.

Waynesboro Indians

Coach: Dan Craig, second year.

Last year: 13-4 (4-2 Mid Penn Colonial Division).

Returning starters: Seth Egolf (sr., 195, 23-13); Laken Rouzer (so., 120, 27-11, district qualifier); Matt McCann (so., 120, 13-5): Dalton Mowen (jr., 145, 7-12).

Other top wrestlers: Brady Dick (jr., 160); Adam Wertz (fr., 138); Donovan Warner (fr., 106); Corbyn Fogelsonger (so., 106); Bryan Layman (so., 113); Zach Crider (so., 126); Mason Fogelsonger (sr., 132); Noah Carmack (sr., 152); Bryce Mull (so., 152); Kegan Lohman (fr., 160); Landon Brown (sr., 170); William Crutchfield (so., 182); Raul Shatzer (so., 220); Joseph Baker (so., 285).

Outlook: Craig said, "Because we're so young, it'll be a year of growing, but we'll still have the same expectations. We just need to limit our mistakes. We're going to go hard on conditioning to make up a bit for our youth. McCann and Rouzer had good seasons last year and they'll move around some. Egolf has potential for a big year, too. Among the new guys, Wertz and Warner could do well, and Brady Dick is a former wrestler who came back this year he could surprise some people - he's really strong."

Notes: The Indians lost 14 seniors to graduation, one returning starter broke his foot and another did not come out ... Craig said he had over 30 wrestlers out, but sent down some freshmen and now has 26 ... 'Boro will compete in the Carlisle and Conestoga Valley individual tournaments.

Season opener: Saturday, at Ephrata Duals, 8 a.m.