Shippensburg's Collin Dolbin making most of senior season
A year ago, Collin Dolbin had an 18-14 record for the Shippensburg wrestling team, and lost quite a few close bouts.
But in his senior season, Dolbin has turned it around and has already put up an 8-1 record. By going 5-0 and winning a Carlisle Holiday Tournament title, Dolbin earned the Public Opinion Male Athlete of the Week award.
"He's just matured as a wrestler," Ship coach Tony Yaniello said. "Last year he battled trying to get down to his weight, but this year he's built himself up again and he's actually undersized at 220."
Dolbin said, "By the end of last wrestling season, I was down to about 165, but I got back up to about 195 for football this fall. I'm right around 190 now.
"But I'm in a good place around there because of all the good guys I get to train with. Working in practice with Cole (Forrester), Cam (Tinner) and Nick (Kubala) really helps me out a lot."
Forrester (195), Dolbin and Tinner (285) give the Greyhounds a formidable 1-2-3 finish, with the heaviest weights combining for a 25-3 record so far.
Yaniello said, "I think Collin has taken advantage of that."
He is also adjusting better to wrestling at a heavier weight. When he came up as a freshman, he was at 145 and the style is much different there than as a heavier wrestler.
"I was used to wrestling at 145 and it's really fast-paced," Dolbin said. "At the heavier weights it slows down, and it's a very different kind of wrestling. You can't take as many chances. The one thing I have worked on is getting off the bottom - I'm trying to be more explosive on my standup."
Dolbin has good wrestling lineage - his father Steve is a former District 3 champion at heavyweight for the Hounds. He'd like to use that to perhaps reach the state tournament and to help Ship gain a place in the District 3 team championships.
"That's something we're striving for," he said.
Collin Dolbin, Shippensburg
Sport: Wrestling
Grade: Senior
Weight: 220 pounds
Height: 6-foot
Parents: Steve and Robin Dolbin
Interests: Dolbin played football for the Hounds and will compete in track & field.
Surprising fact: Dolbin is an avid gardener, and he grew a large amount of watermelons last year, donating many of them to area food banks.
Statistics: Last week, Dolbin earned a 3-2 win against Boiling Springs, then captured first place in the Carlisle Tournament ... At Carlisle, he scored 2 pins and a technical fall, and a default victory in the final ... For the season, Dolbin is 8-1 with five pins.