High School. Dec. 18, Wrestling Season Preview. a special section of. The Derrick. The News-Herald

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1 High School Dec. 18, 2018 Wrestling a special section of The Derrick. The News-Herald Season Preview

2 2 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - CRANBERRY Oil City joins Cranberry program By RYAN KUNSELMAN Staff writer The onset of the wrestling season brings with it a co-op between the Cranberry and Oil City teams, a change that will benefit both squads. Heading into last season, the Oilers had no entry in five separate weight classes but was able to advance a pair of wrestlers to the regional meet. The Berries, meanwhile, featured just one class with no entry but didn t have the same individual success. So, joining forces under the Cranberry umbrella could provide the best of both worlds. It couldn t be going any better, head coach Dustin Wenner said of the merger. I think it s bad for the sport of wrestling as a whole, but for the kids, it s been a good thing. We ve got a lively wrestling room and they re really getting along and pushing one another. The roster of 27 is split almost evenly with 14 wrestlers hailing from Cranberry and 13 from Oil City, including its two regional qualifiers in Carter Stanley and Mitchell Rossey. Stanley, a junior, qualified at 120 pounds a year ago but he ll make the jump up three weight classes to 138 this season while Rossey stays put at 132 pounds for his senior campaign. They re both tough wrestlers with good histories, Wenner said of the duo, both of which have reached the regionoal meet in each of the past two seasons. Wenner is also hoping that a pair of wrestlers he s more familiar with can have that same kind of success in Cranberry seniors Jesse York and CJ Shreffler. Jesse is a solid kid who has put a lot of time in during the offseason. He wrestled and lifted a lot over the summer, Wenner said of York, who will stay put at 182 pounds for his senior season. He s very tough on his feet and he s good at turning his opponent. He s also like a leech on top. He s tough to get away from. He s just tough all-around. Shreffler, who made it to regionals two seasons ago as a sophomore, bumps up from 145 to 152. He s been making some big improvements and is working really hard, Wenner said of the senior. Also locked in as the starters are Jacob Umstead (106), Mike Stanley (113), Evan Hepler (120), Mike Helpling (126), D.J. Clark (145), Eben Wry (160), Eithan DeLoe (170), Seth Yeager (195), Brayden Crocker (220) and Trey Wright (285). Also vying for mat time will be River Perry (132), Nick Clark (138), Gerret Hogue (145), Kody DeLoe (145), Cam Walney (152), Sean Stack (152), Gus VanWormer (160), Scott Carter (170), Jacob Kuney (182), Alex Fike (195), Patrick Retzer (220), Nate Daly (285) and Xavier Barton 285). I m looking for a good season out of these kids, Wenner said. We ve got a pile of seniors on the team and our numbers are oustanding for the first year combining. They re working hard and improving and I love what I ve seen in the wrestling room. We have some kids that have the potential to do well, but they have to stay healthy and continue to work hard. But that doesn t mean there isn t plenty to work on for all parties involved, no matter which school they re coming from. There are a lot of kids that have bad habits that need fixed, Wenner said. But every night we continue to work on technique and skills and staying in good position. And it appears as though the work ethic is there to continue to improve throughout the season. They give me all they have, night-in and night-out. Xavier Barton Scott Carter DJ Clark Nick Clark B. Crocker Nate Daly Eithan DeLoe Kody DeLoe Editor s Note: Many of the photos in this special section were provided by athletic directors at area schools. Others were provided by Dave Cyphert of PA Please call us today and let us build your dream home! Westland Homes, LLC General Contractor Find us on Facebook Alex Fike Mike Helpling Evan Hepler Gerret Hogue About the Cover Referee D.J. Persing starts a wrestling match between Jesse York (left) of Cranberry High School and Justin Bailey of Sheffield High School in this photo from last season. York pinned Bailey in 3:42. Closing December 18th, Reopening January 4th The Indian Museum 7519 Mentor Ave., Suite A112, Mentor, OH (440) Gift Shop Library Group Tours by Reservation Closed Major Holiday Weekends Admission: $4 Adults $3 Senior Citizens $2 Students K-12 Preschool FREE Featuring: Arts and Crafts of Prehistoric Indians of Ohio - 10,000BC-1650AD, Today s Indians 1800-Present from Whole North American Continent NEW EXHIBIT: Eastern Woodland Cultural Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat & Sun 1pm-4pm

3 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - CRANBERRY CRANBERRY BERRIES ROSTER Jacob Kuney River Perry Patrick Retzer Mitchell Rossey 106 Jacob Umstead, Jr. 113 Mike Stanley, Fr. 120 Evan Hepler, So. 126 Mike Helpling, Sr. 132 Mitchell Rossey, Sr.; River Perry, Jr. 138 Carter Stanley, Jr.; Nick Clark, Sr. 145 D.J. Clark, Sr.; Gerret Hogue, Jr.; Kody DeLoe, Jr. 152 CJ Shreffler, Sr.; Cam Walney, Jr.; Sean Stack, So. 160 Eben Wry, Jr.; Gus VanWormer, So. 170 Eithan DeLoe, Sr.; Scott Carter, Jr. 182 Jesse York, Sr.; Jacob Kuney, So. 195 Seth Yeager, So.; Alex Fike, Jr. 220 Brayden Crocker, Fr.; Patrick Retzer, Sr. 285 Trey Wright, Jr. ; Nate Daly, Sr.; Xavier Barton, So. CJ Shreffler Sean Stack Carter Stanley Mike Stanley CRANBERRY BERRIES SCHEDULE acob Umstead Gus VanWormer Cam Walney Trey Wright Dec. 15 at Armstrong tournament Dec. 21 at Johnsonburg Dec. 29 at Erie High Duals Jan. 5 at Indiana tournament Jan. 10 at Franklin Jan. 15 WARREN Jan. 19 at Howland tournament Jan. 25 at Fred Bell tournament Jan. 26 at Fred Bell tournament Feb. 7 REDBANK VALLEY Feb. 15 at Sheffield Eben Wry Seth Yeager Jesse York 2436 Mercer St Stoneboro, PA State Rt 8 Harrisville, PA State Rt 208 Clintonville, PA Hazlett Sheet Metal & Fabrication Custom Sheet Metal Work & Welding Services Commercial - Industrial Stainless Aluminum Steel Galvanized Custom Fabrication 640 N. Seneca St Oil City, PA

4 4 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - FRANKLIN Knights will build a different mindset By ED BRANNON Sports Editor When John Heckathorne took over as Franklin s wrestling coach this season, he knew what he was signing up for a Knights team that graduated three 20-win wrestlers and a relatively inexperienced group of returnees. This year is going to be all about building a different mindset, said Heckathorne, who was a former Franklin wrestling standout. Hopefully, we can develop a nice core group and go from there. We re encouraging the kids to not be afraid of trying new things and we re definitely not going to worry about how many wins or losses we have as a team. The Knights went 4-6 a year ago under coach Dale Jones, who went in his two seasons at Franklin. Hit hard by the graduation of three stalwarts from last year s squad Matt Vincent, Gage Shoemaker and Zack Baughman this year s squad has some holes to fill. As of the team s first match, the Knights have no wrestlers at four weight classes 113, 120, 132 and 220. Three of those weight classes were manned last year by the graduated seniors Vincent (113), Shoemaker (120) and Baughman (220). However, there s still some talented wrestlers returning, including District 10 qualifier Holden Cook (195 pounds), Christian Alcorn who went last year before bowing out in the quarterfinals. Holden s only a junior and he s doing well, Heckathorne said. He was picked as captain by his peers, so that says a lot about his leadership skills. He s very good at locking up and has good hips. He s especially dangerous in the bottom position, but he s also very good in the neutral position. We think he can really surprise some people this year. Another key returnee is junior Josh Nettles at 285, who went 13-9 last season. Josh is a strong, athletic kid who s kind of the new wave of heavyweights, QUALITY BRANDS, COMPETITIVE PRICES! Major Appliances, HVAC, Televisions, Hearth products, Windows! Don t forget we also carry Weber Grills and The Big Green Egg! Whirlpool, Maytag, Kitchen Aid, GE, Frigidaire, LG, Bosch, Hoover, Oreck, Bryant, Sony, Samsung, Speed Queen and Many More! Friedhaber s Sale and Service Months 0% financing! All Major Credit cards also Accepted Justus Baker Holden Cook Heckathorne said. He s not like the oldfashioned heavyweights who kind of lumbered along. He s quick and agile, allowing him to maneuver faster than most heavyweights. Both Cook and Nettles recorded pins in the Knights season opener last week against Commodore Perry. Franklin s other five returning letter winners include junior Skylar Knox (126), junior George Coon (145), sophomore Justus Baker (152), junior Austin Sanford (160) and senior Christian Alcorn (182). Knox went 7-8 last season at 106 pounds, but has moved up to 126 this year. Being this is only her second year, she s really concentrating on learning the sport, Heckathorne said. She s pretty athletic and once she picks up the moves, she s going to surprise some folks. Coon is slotted at 145 pounds and despite going just 1-17 last year, he already matched his win total by registering a pin in the season opener. George is coming along and his technique has improved, Heckathorne said. He s also improved in the top position. Baker finished 6-11 as a freshman and is penciled in at 152, along with sophomore Conner Jones. Justus has improved his agility and moves much more fluidly than last year, Heckathorne said. He needs to work on his conditioning. Sanford also picked up a major decision in the season-opening loss to Commodore Perry after going 6-9 last year. Austin s a tough kid who just needs to be more consistent in his training and execution, Heckathorne said. George Coon The other returnee is Alcorn, who was 2-8 a year ago. Christian came to the sport late, but he listens and works hard, Heckathorne said. He s just lacking experience. The Knights top newcomer is freshman 170-pounder Carson Wible, who also notched a pin in his varsity debut last week. I ve coached Carson since elementary school and we re excited to have him, Heckathorne said. For a freshman, he s a big, strong and athletic kid who s very coachable. He has mat sense and is very determined. The rest of the lineup consists of freshman Trevor Hamilton at 106 and sophomore Patrick Teslovich at 138. Trevor s a hard worker and just needs to learn mat sense, Heckathorne said. Patrick wrestled junior high last year and he s working on his footwork. Physically, he s pretty strong. Since he figures to do a lot of teaching this season, Heckathorne has put together a knowledgeable coaching staff, including varsity assistants Dalton Matthews and Brian Greenlee, as well as volunteer assistants Scott Ziegler, Dan Baker, Chad Doyle and Charlie Carbaugh. I m being realistic when I say it s going to be an uphill battle this season, Heckathorne said. We re in a brutal region with Reynolds, Greenville, Conneaut Area, Conneaut (Ohio), Commodore Perry, Titusville and Jamestown. Getting experience and improvement is our main focus. Our sights are set more on sections, districts and regionals, he concluded. We re expecting big things from Wible if he s up to the varsity competition and we feel both Nettles and Cook have the potential to get to districts as well.

5 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - FRANKLIN FRANKLIN KNIGHTS ROSTER 106 Trevor Hamilton, Fr. 113 no entry. 120 no entry. 126 *Skylar Knox, Jr. 132 no entry. 138 Patrick Teslovich, Soph. 145 *George Coon, Jr. 152 *Justus Baker, Soph.; Connor Jones, Soph. 160 *Austin Sanford, Jr. 170 Carson Wible, Fr. 182 *Christian Alcorn, Sr. 195 *Holden Cook, Jr. 220 no entry. 285 *Josh Nettles, Jr. Trevor Hamilton Conner Jones Skylar Knox * denotes returning letter winner. Dec. 12 lost to Commodore Perry, 6-28 Dec. 18 at Jamestown Dec. 20 REYNOLDS Dec. 22 at Sharpsville Duals Jan. 2 at Conneaut Area Jan. 4 at Tool City tournament Jan. 5 at Tool City tournament Jan. 9 TITUSVILLE FRANKLIN KNIGHTS SCHEDULE Jan. 10 CRANBERRY Jan. 16 at Conneaut, Ohio Jan. 18 at Mercer tournament Jan. 19 at Mercer tournament Jan. 23 at Greenville Jan. 25 at Fred Bell tournament Jan. 26 at Fred Bell tournament Feb. 5 at Grove City Feb. 6 LAKEVIEW Josh Nettles Austin Sanford Carson Wible WELLNESS GIFTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS WE WELCOME NEW CUSTOMERS FLU SHOTS AVAILABLE CBD OIL IN STOCK S. Martin St., Next to Titusville Beverage Open Mon.-Fri. 9:00am-6:00pm Sat. 8:30am-12:30pm Closed Sundays & Holidays Community Proud Clarion Hospital has helped neighbors in many communities, being there in emergencies. You can help us help your neighbors by donating to the Clarion Hospital Foundation. (814) Clarion Hospital Foundation Ollie s Bargain Outlet, Dunham s Sports, Label Shopper, The Movies@Cranberry & more! Shopping Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 9pm Sundays Noon - 5pm 6945 US Route 322 Cranberry, PA Be sure to visit us on Facebook! (814)

6 6 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - COCHRANTON Cardinals roster full of experience, success By JOE HENDERSON Staff writer With three returning Northwest Regional qualifiers and two more returning District 10 qualifiers, coach John Svirbly s Cochranton Cardinals could be in store for another strong season on the mat. A pair of seniors return to lead the Cardinals this season in Dalton Boozer (220) and Kalob Brown (152) as both reached regionals during their junior campaigns. Boozer posted a record last year and sports a career mark while Brown recorded an mark last season and has a career record. Shane Peterson, a junior competing at 120 pounds this year, is also a returning regional qualifier after registering a mark last season. He owns a career record. Shane is healthy this year and this will be the first time he s been ready to go since day one because of injuries. Dalton and Kalob are seniors, so this will be their last chance to see what they can do, Svirbly said. These guys all work hard, so they just need to buckle down and work a little bit harder and realize the potential that they have. The Cardinals roster also features a pair of returning D-10 qualifiers in senior Brendan Ace (145) and junior Justin Boozer (138). Ace recorded an record a year ago while Boozer was Also returning to the team is a trio of letterwinners in seniors Shane Hoban (132) and Brandon Richter (170) and junior John Benninger (195) while the rest of the upperclassmen are senior Justin Adams (220) and sophomores Bryant Douglas (182), Kyle McDivitt (145) and Tino Nieves (285). But, the Cardinals also have a strong class of six freshmen to add to their experienced roster and Svirbly thinks they will have a big impact on the team s success this year. We have some talented freshmen coming up and they will be a big part of what we do, so a big key for us is having the older guys teaching the younger guys and setting an example for them, he said. The freshmen class features twins Jack Martinec (106) and Stephen Martinec (113) as well as Stetson Boozer (152), Louden Gledhill (160), Jacob Cape (126), CJ Maynard ( ) and Willis Morrell (126). Jack and Stephen Martinec are seasoned veterans as far as I m concerned and they re not afraid to go toe-to-toe with a senior, Svirbly said. My biggest concern is getting these guys mentally ready for a long season. We need to get these guys to understand that every match until February is a building block for the end of the season. The Cardinals opened the season on Dec. 8 at the Greenville Duals and they posted a 1-4 record, but Svirbly isn t too concerned with the slow start. I was pleased with how the kids wrestled, he said. We didn t do well in the team scoring, but that doesn t really matter. If you have something good to talk about after each match, then it s not a bad thing. As far as the team s goals are concerned, Svirbly is focusing more on improving his kids as individuals and less on how they perform in the team standings. Brendan Ace Kalob Brown Shane Hoban Dalton Boozer Jacob Cape Jack Martinec We don t talk to the kids about team goals, he said. I m mean it s nice to get the recognition and to be invited to the D-10 duals. If it happens, it s awesome, but if it doesn t, then it Justin Boozer Bryant Douglas Stephen Martinec Stetson Boozer Louden Gledhill CJ Maynard doesn t really matter. If each of these guys can get better every single day, then they ve given themselves a better chance to be successful at the end of the season. Rt. 8 North, Titusville STOP IN TO SEE WHAT DEAL WE CAN GIVE YOU Mon & Thurs 8am-8pm Tues, Wed & Fri 8am-5:30pm Sat 9am-1pm Stoneboro, PA Give us a call for your next fundraising event! Store: Home:

7 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - COCHRANTON COCHRANTON CARDINALS ROSTER Kyle McDivitt Willis Morrell Tino Nieves 106 Jack Martinec, Fr. 113 Stephen Martinec, Fr. 120 Shane Peterson, Jr. 126 Jacob Cape, Fr.; Willis Morrell, Fr. 132 Shane Hoban, Sr. 138 Justin Boozer, Jr. 145 Brendan Ace, Sr.; Kyle McDivitt, So.; CJ Maynard, Fr. 152 Kalob Brown, Sr.; Stetson Boozer, Fr.; CJ Maynard. 160 Louden Gledhill, Fr. 170 Brandon Richter, Sr. 182 Bryant Douglas, So. 195 John Benninger, Jr. 220 Dalton Boozer, Sr. 285 Tino Nieves, So.; Justin Adams, Sr. Shane Peterson COCHRANTON CARDINALS SCHEDULE Dec. 8 at Greenville Duals Dec. 14 UNION CITY Dec. 18 at Youngsville Dec. 20 EISENHOWER Jan. 2 at Saegertown Jan. 4 at Tool City tournament Jan. 5 at Tool City tournament Jan. 9 MAPLEWOOD Jan. 11 at Lakeview ALLEGHENY TOYOTA Franklin - Oil City Road, Franklin, PA See our website at WINTER WORKS WINTER WEATHER PACKAGE Brandon Richter Jan. 16 CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS Jan. 18 at Mercer tournament Jan. 19 at Mercer tournament Jan. 23 at Corry Jan. 25 at Fred Bell tournament Jan. 26 at Fred Bell tournament Jan. 31 at Girard Feb. 5 SHARON ONLY $ tax This service includes a lube oil and filter change*, tire rotation, a multi point inspection including the air and cabin air filters, brake system, load testing the battery and testing charging system. *UP TO 5 QUARTS TOYOTA SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL EXTRA. COUPON EXPIRES 1/31/19. FIRST UNITED NATIONAL BANK the FUN Bank Proud Supporter of Hometown Sports FRYBURG Route NEW BETHLEHEM 224 Wood St CLARION 400 Liberty St OIL CITY 1 Central Ave FRANKLIN 1153 Liberty St CRANBERRY 112 Hoss Dr Member FDIC

8 8 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - TITUSVILLE Rockets coach sees improvement in roster By JAKE DEEMER Staff writer Fifth-year head coach Joel Stearns and the Titusville Rockets will try to continue their winning ways after finishing the past two seasons with at least four district qualifiers and 14 wins as a team. In , the Rockets (14-4) watched five wrestlers qualify for districts after seeing four the year before. Among the five, junior Seth Donovan (113 pounds) has qualified in each of his first two seasons. Last season, Donovan finished He s improved a ton, Stearns said. Big things are going to happen for him this year. Hunter Thompson, a senior wrestling at 126, will look to qualify for districts for the third straight year to cap off a high school career in which he is nearing the 100-win plateau. He begins the season with 96 wins. He s setting his goals high, Stearns said. And he s looking to get a state medal this year. Thompson also qualified for regionals, but was forced to sit out due to a concussion after going 31-6 with 19 pins. After qualifying for districts in his sophomore season, Levi Nosko (170 pounds) will look to continue his success as an upperclassman. He s got a different style of wrestling, so it s hard for kids to wrestle him, Stearns said. Nosko s unconventional style seemingly throws a curveball at his opponents. But, it s a style his coach feels will work in his favor. He puts kids in situations they re not used to and they don t really know what to do, Stearns added. At heavyweight and rounding out the district qualifiers is Caleb Dunlap, who will look to cap off a career in which the senior has wrestled all four years in the same weight class. As long as he gets some confidence, he can do some big things, Stearns said. Slated to wrestle at 132 is freshman Richard Baker. He s young and a little inexperienced, Stearns said. We re going to try to make him better this year. I think if he gets a good number of matches and some wins under his belt, the confidence will come. Newcomer Aric Burleigh, a junior, is set to wrestle at 138 after not participating last year. However, Stearns feels as if the missed year will not effect Burleigh. He s wrestled his whole life, Stearns said. He s working hard and it doesn t seem like he s lost a step. Jesse Titus, who also missed last season due to injury, will be at the 152 spot in his senior year. Stearns hopes Titus can reach his full potential in his final season. Hopefully he goes out and accomplishes his goals as a senior, Stearns said. He s a tough kid and qualified for districts when he was a sophomore, so, I m hoping this year good things happen and everything works out. After finishing last season at 5-6, James Titus will wrestle at 145 for the Rockets. He s a scrapper and a tough kid. He s improving every day and works hard in the room, Stearns said. James Titus will make the transition from 132 to 145 in his junior year. Hunter Titus, a sophomore wrestling at 160, will look to have success at the next level after reaching junior high states last season. He s got the experience, now he just has to jump into the high school level to get that confidence, Stearns said. Home Cooking for Breakfast & Lunch Fish Fry Every Friday GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE Open Monday - Saturday 6am-3pm Sunday 7am-2pm 116 Diamond St., Titusville Richard Baker Aric Burleigh Jade Bush Seth Donovan Kaleb Dunlap Parker Harvey Rounding out the Titus is Sebastian Titus, who will attempt to have success in a weight class he s used to, 182. He wrestled at 195 last year just, so he could get in the lineup, Stearns said. With Parker Harvey moving up to 195 from 182, Sebastian Titus will drop back down to his preferred weight class. (Harvey) had some good success in football this year and I m hoping he takes that to the mat, Stearns said of the 195-pounder. Stearns will slot Joe Jacobson at 220, who struggled as a freshman with a record of He was way undersized as a freshman at 220, Stearns said. But this year, he s a legitimate 220-pounder. He s not giving up a lot of weight, so I expect him to do a lot better. We have to keep improving every day, Stearns said of his team s overall goal this season. We re trying to keep the kids motivated and having fun while making sure they improve one percent each day. GOOD LUCK AREA WRESTLERS Pulaski Club 62 Spruce St. Oil City

9 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - TITUSVILLE Joseph Jacobson Levi Nosko Jarrod Rodgers TITUSVILLE ROCKETS ROSTER 106 *Zach Rodgers, Jr. 113 *Seth Donovan, Jr. 120 no entry. 126 *Hunter Thompson, Sr. 132 Richard Baker, Fr. 138 Aric Burleigh, Jr. 145 *James Titus, Jr. 152 Jesse Titus, Sr. 160 Hunter Titus, Soph. 170 *Levi Nosko, Jr. 182 *Sebastian Titus, Soph. 195 *Parker Harvey, Sr. 220 *Joe Jacobson, Soph. 285 *Caleb Dunlap, Sr. * denotes returning letter winner. TITUSVILLE ROCKETS SCHEDULE Dec. 7 at Williamsport tournament Dec. 8 at Williamsport tournament Dec. 12 at Jamestown Dec. 15 at Ridgway Duals Dec. 18 GREENVILLE Dec. 20 at Commodore Perry Dec. 28 FORT LeBOEUF Jan. 2 REYNOLDS Jan. 4 at Tool City tournament Jan. 5 at Tool City tournament Jan. 9 at Franklin Jan. 16 CONNEAUT AREA Jan. 19 at Warren Jan. 23 CONNEAUT, OHIO Jan. 25 at Fred Bell tournament Jan. 26 at Fred Bell tournament Jan. 30 at Saegertown Zach Rodgers Gage Sutton Hunter Thompson Hunter Titus James Titus Jesse Titus Sebastian Titus Quality Work at Affordable Prices Owner: Bill Myers 1364 Pittsburgh Road Franklin, PA 16323

10 10 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - CLARION Bobcats will focus on one-on-one competition By RYAN KUNSELMAN Staff writer Camden Boggess While wrestling can be billed as a team sport, at its core it comes down to one-on-one; it comes down to the individuals. And that s the aspect that Clarion s wrestling team will be focusing on during the season. With just eight wrestlers on the squad, the Bobcats are going to have a tough time matching their 11-5 record in dual meets from last season. But, in those eight wrestlers, third-year head coach Brian Luton has some potential standouts. I ve got good kids with good attitudes, Luton said. I d like some more numbers, but I m really happy with the kids that I have. And he should be, starting with Tyler VanTassel. The 195-pound VanTassel returns as a three-time regional qualifier, but all three of those times came with the Keystone program. This year, VanTassel will co-op with the Bobcats and hopefully continue that run of success once he overcomes an early-season injury. He s currently out with an injury, Luton said. But once he s on the mat, we re really looking forward to what he can accomplish this year, with the ultimate goal of getting to the podium in Hershey. I really believe that he can compete with anybody. Luton also believes that three more of his wrestlers could be bound for the postseason this year in Cam Boggess, Cutter Boggess and Login Dehner. All three will be moving up in weight this season with Cam Boggess jumping from 170 to 182, Cutter Boggess from 138 to 152 and Dehner from 113 to 126. Cutter is a sophomore, but he wrestles much more mature than his age. As the season moves forward, we can see this being a really big growth year for him as far as what he s able to accomplish, Luton said. And Cam is a big, strong kid that has really been focused on the technique side of things early in the season. You can really see that senior mentality coming through, where it s his turn to prove something. And Login has been in our program since he was just a little kid, Luton added. He s a senior now, so we re hoping everything comes together and clicks for him to make a run into the postseason. Meanwhile, Colton Zacherl (junior) will be competing at 132, Donovon Edmonds (junior) at 160, Carl Welch (sophomore) at 170 and Zach Kellerman (senior) at 285. We have some newer kids who don t have a lot of experience, Luton said. Kellerman was an all-conference lineman for Keystone s football team, and he s a guy that, if we can get him coached up quickly, he can be competitive at that weight. He s definitely athletic enough. And Edmonds is a strong kid who could have a nice season if RANCHES CAPES TWO STORIES SPLIT LEVEL RAISED RANCH Lot Clearing, Driveways, Garages, Superior Wall Foundation, Etc., Custom Plans with Additions, Excavation, Site Prep., Landscaping (814) Cutter Boggess Login Dehner Zack Kellerman he gets a couple of breaks. Overall, it s a group that Luton has high hopes for, and part of the reason for those high hopes goes beyond just their skills on the mat. This team has a really good attitude and they all get along really well, which isn t something you always have, he said. They re going to be able to lean on each other throughout the dual-meet season. And, while dual-meet success is going to be hard to come by, their attitudes will CLARION BOBCATS ROSTER 106 no entry. 113 no entry. 120 no entry. 126 Login Dehner, Sr. 132 Colton Zacherl, Jr. 138 no entry. 145 no entry. 152 Cutter Boggess, So. 160 Donovan Edmonds, Jr. 170 Carl Welch, So. 182 Cam Boggess, Sr. 195 Tyler VanTassel, Sr. 220 no entry. 285 Zach Kellerman, Sr. Tyler VanTassel really help them on the individual side. As for goals this season, on that front, the Bobcats will also be focused on the individual level. We re going to come in and do our jobs and do what we re supposed to do, Luton said. Individually, they all have achievements that they want to accomplish, which is the situation that we re in. CLARION BOBCATS SCHEDULE Dec. 12 BROOKVILLE Dec. 21 at Johnsonburg Dec. 29 at Redbank Valley Tournament Jan. 3 BROCKWAY Jan. 5 at Indiana Tournament Jan. 10 KANE Jan. 11 at Falconer (N.Y.) Tournament Jan. 17 at Punxsutawney Jan. 25 at Fred Bell Tournament Jan. 26 at Fred Bell Tournament Jan. 29 at Curwensville Feb. 7 at Ridgway Feb. 12 at Redbank Valley Feb. 22 District 9 championships at Clearfield Feb. 23 District 9 championships at Clearfield March 1 Northwest Regionals at Sharon March 2 Northwest Regionals at Sharon March 7 PIAA championships at Hershey MONTGOMERY INSURANCE, INC. Insurance and Financial Services 3302 N. Main Street, Sandy Lake, PA tom@montgomeryins.com Celebrating 33 Years of Service to the Community Colton Zacherl

11 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - REDBANK VALLEY Redbank Valley could have big year By JOE HENDERSON Staff writer A big season could be in store for coach Mike Kundick and his Redbank Valley Bulldogs as the team returns five wrestlers who posted more than 20 wins, including a state qualifier and four regional qualifiers, for the season. Despite some early injuries and illness, the Bulldogs are already off to a fast start with a first-place finish in the Hickory tournament and victories in their first two dual matches of the season in Warren (48-22) and Curwensville (48-16). Returning to lead the Bulldogs is senior Mason Songer (120) after he posted a record last year and qualified for states after placing fourth at the District 9 and Northwest Regional meets. Also returning for the Bulldogs are regional qualifiers in seniors Brayden Altobelli (120) and Hunter Martz (138) and sophomores Aiden Gardner (182) and Trenten Rupp (113). Altobelli finished with a mark last season and reached regionals after placing fourth at districts. Martz recorded a record and qualified for regionals after finishing second at districts. Gardner compiled a record and reached regionals after finishing fourth at districts while Rupp had a mark and finished third at districts to reach the regional meet. The Bulldogs roster also includes veterans in seniors Caleb Snyder (145, 8-18) and Travis Crawford (160), as well as juniors Ethan Wiant (132, 7-3) and Chase Bish (170) and sophomores Hudson Martz (1822, 11-16), Kobe Bonanno (182, 8-13), Josh Smith (113, 6-5), Colton Bartley (170, 7-17), Dalton Bish (132) and Gage Snyder (138). Redbank Valley s roster also has an influx of new talent as a total of six freshmen give the Bulldogs a nice mix of youth and experience. Leading the group of newcomers for the Bulldogs is Chris Shaffer (145), who posted a 22-2 record last year and qualified for the junior high state tournament. Also adding depth to the Bulldogs roster are freshmen in Ridge Cook (106), Brenden Schreckengost (113), Noah Anderson (170), Ray Schreckengost (195) and Kolby Barrett (285). REDBANK VALLEY BULLDOGS SCHEDULE Dec. 7-8 won Hickory tournament Dec. 11 def. Warren, Dec. 13 def. Curwensville, Dec. 29 REDBANK TOURNAMENT Jan. 3 BROOKVILLE Jan. 5 at Coudersport tournament Jan. 8 at Punxsutawney Jan. 15 BROCKWAY Jan. 17 RIDGWAY Jan. 22 at St. Marys Jan. 25 at Fred Bell tournament Jan. 26 at Fred Bell tournament Feb. 1 at Sharon Feb. 7 at Cranberry Feb. 12 CLARION Custom Screenprinting & Embroidery Titusville, Pa REDBANK VALLEY BULLDOGS ROSTER 106 Ridge Cook, Fr. 113 Trenten Rupp, So.; Brenden Schreckengost, Fr.; Josh Smith, So. 120 Brayden Altobelli, Sr.; Mason Songer, Sr. 132 Ethan Wiant, Jr.; Dalton Bish, So. 138 Hunter Martz, Sr.; Gage Snyder, So. 145 Chris Shaffer, Fr.; Caleb Snyder, Sr. 160 Travis Crawford, Sr. 170 Noah Anderson, Fr.; Colton Bartley, So.; Chase Bish, Jr. 182 Hudson Martz, So.; Aiden Gardner, So.; Kobe Bonanno, So. 195 Ray Schreckengost, Fr. 285 Kolby Barrett, Fr. Happy Holidays to all our customers, family & friends The Area s Only Gold Class Repair Facility 688 Bradley Road (Hendersonville) Stoneboro, PA Phone (814) or (724) NOW SELLING GREEN MOUNTAIN PELLET GRILLS We Make Hydraulic Hoses

12 12 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - MAPLEWOOD Tigers coach deals with depleted roster By JAKE DEEMER Staff writer It s not easy for any team in any sport that is forced to play with a deficit of players on the roster. Yet, for Maplewood s head coach John Parker, it s something he s dealt with before and won t let it affect the team s psyche. As a coaching staff, we can t really be mad when we lose a match because we re giving up 30 points right off the bat, Parker said. Our goal is to try to win each individual match. So, if we had nine kids wrestle, we want to win nine individual matches. Maplewood will be forced to forfeit the first four weight classes and heavyweight for the majority of the season until Brad Roae returns from an injury. At 132 pounds, freshman Tucker Urey will be called upon to rack up some wins for Parker and the Tigers. He can wrestle, for sure, Parker said. He s coming along, though, he s starting to work harder and get hungry for some wins. He just needs to put everything together at once. After not seeing much time his freshman season, Austin Parker is slated to wrestle at 145. Coach Parker feels Austin has a lot more to prove in his second season. He need s some confidence, coach Parker said. He needs to open up a little more on his feet and take more shots. Senior Jesse Parker is set to wrestle at 152 after tearing his ACL 10 matches into last season. I think he s hungry, too, coach Parker said. He s working hard in the room and putting things together. Jesse Parker is in his career coming into this season. Returning letterman Lucas Kennedy will wrestle at 138 for the Tigers after going in He s in a tough weight class, Parker said. He meets a lot of tough kids. I want him to keep working hard and try to get Chevy Blake Lucas Kennedy his confidence up, Parker said. Parker stresses the idea of confidence in the game of wrestling to his players, saying the game of wrestling is 75 percent mental. If you believe in something, you re going to make it happen and that will transfer into the match. First of all, you have to believe in yourself. If you don t, you re beat before you even go out. See MAPLEWOOD, Page 13 Ganon Blake Joey King Tanner Carson JD McFadden HUMES Logan Gross Jesse McFadden Rt. 19 & 97 WATERFORD 9 Miles South Of Millcreek Mall (814) Happy Holidays From Our Home To Yours INTERNATIONAL WAXES, INC East Main St., Titusville, Pennsylvania, U.S.A We ve come a long way since horse-drawn carriage, but our commitment to family traditions and old-fashioned values remains the same. Happy Holidays to our many new friends and customers in the Tri-County Area!

13 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - MAPLEWOOD Jesse Parker Dylan Reed Tucker Urey Jonathan Woge Maplewood Continued from Page 12 At 170, freshman Jesse McFadden raws glowing remarks from his coachng staff. He s a fun kid to coach, coach arker said. He won t quit on the mat. e goes six minutes and goes right to the nd. He gives it every ounce of energy he as the whole time, Parker added. Jesse s older brother, J.D. McFadden, s slated in the 182 spot after a successful campaign in which the junior as one match away from making it to tates in regionals. J.D. McFadden massed 30 wins to lead the team last ear. Parker, however, knows his success s no fluke. He pays attention in practice nd uses some of the things we show im, he said He s got a lot of talent. J.D. is motivated and focused to get ack where he was last year. I think ou re going to see big things from him his year, Parker added. Looking for another successful year after going while making districts is senior Chevy Blake. Parker feels Blake is at his best in the neutral postion while using the power of his hips to his advantage. He doesn t lose too many battles of the hips, Parker said. He s good on the bottom too, but, he just has very good mat awareness with his hips. He knows where he s at all the time. Freshman Logan Gross is set to wrestle at 160 after weighing 124 last season in junior high. I m seeing a lot of good stuff out of him, Parker said. He just needs to grow into his body a little. Although Gross is making a big jump from one weight class to another, his coach feels it won t affect him negatively. He needs to get a little stronger, but he s looking good and showing a lot of potential, Parker added. Rounding out the Maplewood lineup is Joey King. After winning 18 matches in his freshman campaign, King will wrestle at 220 again. We re working on him in the room, Parker said. He s a very likeable kid. We just have to keep him pointed in the right direction. Maplewood will host Cochranton on Dec. 19. HIGLEY S ARCHERY HWY 8, CENTERVILLE, PA Mon., Tues., Thurs. & Fri. 12-7PM Wed. 9-5PM (Seasonal) Sat. 9-5PM MAPLEWOOD TIGERS ROSTER 106 no entry. 113 no entry. 120 no entry. 126 no entry. 132 Tucker Urey, Fr. 138 *Lucas Kennedy, Jr. 145 Austin Parker, Soph. 152 *Jesse Parker, Sr. 160 Logan Gross, Fr. 170 Jesse McFadden, Fr. 182 *J.D. McFadden, Jr. 195 *Chevy Blake, Sr. 220 *Joey King, Soph. 285 no entry. * denotes returning letter winner. Serving Oil City and Cranberry School Districts School Bus & School Van Drivers Needed. Call To Apply Cranberry Bus Co. MAPLEWOOD TIGERS SCHEDULE Dec. 7 at Hickory tournament Dec. 8 at Hickory tournament Dec. 12 at Cambridge Springs Dec. 18 at Eisenhower Dec. 20 CORRY Dec. 22 at Sharpsville Duals Jan. 4 at Tool City tournament Jan. 5 at Tool City tournament Jan. 9 at Cochranton Jan. 10 UNION CITY Jan. 16 at Saegertown Jan. 18 at North East tournament Jan. 19 at North East tournament Jan. 23 YOUNGSVILLE Jan. 29 GIRARD Jan. 31 MEADVILLE Feb. 4 at Commodore Perry Your Kids Are Safe With Us! P.O. Box 01550, Seneca, PA (814)

14 14 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - LAKEVIEW Sailors squad must deal with inexperience By ED BRANNON Sports Editor Over the course of his nine years as wrestling coach at Lakeview, Tom Tingley has taken quite a few wrestlers to Hershey for the PIAA state championships. In addition to all those state qualifiers, the Sailors have also had a number of district and regional qualifiers during that time. That string of success may be tested this season as the Sailors return just three lettermen from last year s squad, which finished 6-9 overall and 4-5 in Region 1. Lakeview was hit hard by graduation, losing regulars such as Doug Lumley and Danny Mouck, along with district qualifiers Zac Tingley, Sawyer Daugherty and Greg Ferlin and state qualifier Tyler Zebrovious, who went 2-2 at Hershey and finished his stellar career with 99 victories. But, an even bigger blow was the loss of another state qualifier, Max Wills, who transferred to Greenville. It s definitely going to be a different situation for us this year than it has been in a long time, Tingley said. We re going to face a lot of challenges this year from a team aspect, because of all the forfeits we re going to take. Plus, there s just an overall lack of experience. A bright spot is that all three returnees were District 10 qualifiers in seniors Wyatt Zebrovious (126 pounds) and Dallas Barber (138), along with sophomore Ryan O Polka (132). Zebrovious finished with a mediocre record last season. Wyatt s had a full year of experience Dallas Barber Christian Dosch Sebastian Hensch and we re hoping he can build on that this year, Tingley said. He s worked hard in the offseason on positioning and his takedowns. He s also one of those kids who never stops wrestling, no matter the score. Barber is coming off a campaign. Dallas doesn t have a lot of postseason experience and in the past, he gets himself out of position, Tingley said. But, he s worked hard on body control and we re thinking he could really surprise some people this season. As a freshman, O Polka recorded a respectable mark a year ago. See LAKEVIEW, Page 15 John Martin Ryan O Polka Rt. 8 North, Titusville STOP IN TO SEE WHAT DEAL WE CAN GIVE YOU Mon & Thurs 8am-8pm Tues, Wed & Fri 8am-5:30pm Sat 9am-1pm

15 THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald: Tuesday, Dec. 18, Wrestling - LAKEVIEW Lakeview Continued from Page 14 Ryan s another kid who had a full ear as a freshman. He learned a lot nd got plenty of experience, Tingley aid. He s a very motivated kid and e s solid both on his feet and on the at. Plus, he s worked hard in the offeason on his takedowns. The rest of the Sailors lineup will nclude sophomore Rachel O Polka at 06, sophomore Robert Reiser at 120, reshman Trevn Schaffer at 145, senior atrick Bence at 160, freshman John artin at 170 and freshman Sebastian ensch at 285. Lakeview will be giving up forfeits t 113, 152, 182, 195 and 220. Bence is a good, solid wrestler ith a lot of potential, but he s coming ack after taking a year or two off, ingley said. He has good fundamenals and he s athletic. Both Schaffer and Hensch are in heir second year and both are picking p things pretty well, he added. Since this season figures to demand lot of teaching, Tingley has put ogether a star-studded coaching staff hat includes former Lakeview standut Sam Breese, who won back-toack PIAA state titles in , long with two-time state qualifier teve Oliver. Also serving as volunteer ssistants are former Sailors Adam adsby and Landon Clayton. We re just going to keep teaching hese kids and as long as they continue o work hard, maybe we ll surprise ome people this season, Tingley said. Even with eight or nine wrestlers, ith the new section format this year, e re hoping to squeak into the top our in our region and get our kids ome postseason experience. LAKEVIEW SAILORS ROSTER 106 Rachel O Polka, Soph. 113 no entry. 120 Robert Reiser, Soph. 126 *Wyatt Zebrovious, Sr. 132 *Ryan O Polka, Soph. 138 *Dallas Barber, Sr. 145 Trevn Shaffer, Fr. 152 no entry. 160 Patrick Bence, Sr. 170 John Martin, Fr. 182 no entry. 195 no entry. 220 no entry. 285 Sebastian Hensch, Fr. * denotes returning letter winner. WALKER Sales & Service USED CARS FULL SERVICE MECHANICAL & BODYSHOPS Happy Holidays! Sandy Lake, PA Robert Reiser Trevn Shaffer Wyatt Zebrovious Dec. 12 lost to Slippery Rock, 63-6 Dec. 18 at Sharpsville Dec. 20 HICKORY Jan. 2 at Mercer Jan. 4 at Tool City tournament Jan. 5 at Tool City tournament Jan. 9 WEST MIDDLESEX LAKEVIEW SAILORS SCHEDULE Jan. 11 COCHRANTON Jan. 12 at South Side Duals Jan. 16 at Sharon Jan. 23 GROVE CITY Jan. 25 at Fred Bell tournament Jan. 26 at Fred Bell tournament Feb. 6 at Franklin Feb. 7 at Commodore Perry Steven Weismann LOCATED IN THE CRANBERRY MALL AUTO HOME BUSINESS LIFE HEALTH ANNUITIES Website: steveinsuresme.com

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