By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

THE COACH

Shane Kuberry

2nd year

9-10 career record

THE TEAM

Coaching Staff: Andy Mesaros, Mike Richeson, Barry Sapp, Owen Martin, Mike Kemble.

2022-23 Record: 9-10.

Returning Lettermen (9): Preston Bello, sr.; Lauren Carver, sr.; Deian Longgood, jr.; Kian Romeo, jr.; Brice Schoenbaechler, jr.; Dominic Kemble, soph.; Braeden Martin, soph.; Landon Durstine, soph.; Shade Stevens, soph.

Lettermen Lost (2): Adam Peelish, Joe Kline.

SEASON OUTLOOK

“We have a nice mix of returning letterwinners, strong leadership and a lot of freshmen and new wrestlers to the team,” Kuberry said. “We have quite a few solid wrestlers that will really be battling for spots between 138 and 157 pounds all season long.

“While this will probably lead to keeping solid wrestlers out of the lineup, it is really going to help our growth and competitiveness in the room. We have a core of solid lightweights and while we are thin in the upper weights, we have a solid, reliable anchor at heavyweight.”

Kuberry sees the team’s success centered around “growth both individually and as a team.”

“We have a wide variety of goals, and I feel that if we work hard toward these, the season is a success regardless of the outcome.”

LIGHTWEIGHTS

There are a large number of wrestlers that are expected to make a huge impact for the Pirates both on the mat and with their leadership.

District-qualifying alternate Braeden Martin, alongside Shade Stevens, have shown growth while also setting a great example, according to Kuberry.

Dominic Kemble is a returning district qualifier.

“He has put in an impressive amount of work this off-season, and we are looking forward to seeing how his season plays out.”

Junior Cameron Dye has the potential be a district qualifier, freshman Trey Follen has been described as a “great addition to the room,” while freshman Jacob Doty has also been in the mix.

Freshman Sig Leichliter and junior Van Leichliter are new faces to the program, but have been working hard.

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Lauren Carver is a returning state qualifier for the Pirates.

“She has established some goals for herself that she can surely achieve with hard work. It will be special to see her senior year play out.”

Deian Longgood, a junior, is a returning letterman and also a returning district qualifier. He is new to the middleweights class, as is junior Kian Romero.

“They have been working hard with each other.”

Junior Bride Schoenbaechler pushed himself to improve throughout the off-season, and according to Kuberry, it has shown in the room throughout the preseason.

“We are looking forward to seeing his work blossom.”

Freshmen Lucas Willett and Korbin Klatka have impressed early.

“They are wrestling very hard and they are working even harder. It has been great to see this group of young men pushing each other.”

Freshmen Jack Corll and Bruce Nelson have shown poise, as well as an “unmatched toughness” in the room.

Junior Avery Giuffre is expected to be in the mix all season, as will freshman Dylan Dorsey, freshman Zander Freitag-Huffman and freshman Nyaire Weeks.

UPPERWEIGHTS

Senior Preston Bello is the core leader of the group. He is a returning district qualifier.

“He is coming off a special football season and is focused on his goals for the wrestling season. We are looking forward to seeing Preston’s season.”

Sophomore Landon Durstine is another wrestler that had a nice football season.

“He put in a lot of work in the off-season and it is paying dividends.”

Freshman Shaman Mishra has started to develop, while new wrestler Jeremy Knight has been working his way through an injury to prepare himself for the season.

WHAT MAKES THE TEAM SPECIAL?

“Their potential. We have some young men and women, who have the potential to make some serious noise at the state level. We have freshmen who have the potential to be very solid varsity starters, and we have new kids and young kids who have the potential to develop into solid wrestlers and be part of a special team.”

UNDERCLASSMEN TO WATCH

Braeden Martin, Dominic Kemble, Trey Follen, Korbin Klatka, Lucas Willett, Landon Durstine.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN

“We are very young and the season is a grind. I think the concern stems from that. When you have not gone through a full varsity wrestling season before, it is hard to prepare for it. We will be working to add experience and learn from moments as the season progresses and build off that to get where we want to be.”