11-28-12: Preview capsules, plenty of newslinks

By JAMIE BAKER

Plenty of newslinks and some preview capsules as we gear up for the start of the season on Friday.

I’ll have preview stories on Findlay High School and the University of Findlay later tonight as well as the Week 1 NW Ohio composite schedule.

NEWSLINKS

Perrysburg seeks more success on the mat

Wood County Wrestling Capsules

Lexington wrestlers start  season

Mezinger hopes strong numbers equals more success for Fremont Ross

Margaretta upbeat about season

Gibsonburg looking for more success in OWL

Bergman has been key to Oak Harbor’s success

Danbury trio seeking improvement

Upper weights look strong for St. Joseph

Lakota wrestlers hoping for better season

Genoa wrestlers thinking big

PREVIEW CAPSULES

OHIO WRESTLING LEAGUE

ARCADIA

HEAD COACH: Travis Ricker (3rd year).

DUAL MATCH RECORD: Not available

CONFERENCE FINISH: Ohio Wrestling League champs

RETURNING LETTERWINNERS: Jared Bowman, soph., 113, 54-6, district placer; Trevor Bowman, jr., 120; Vlad Sedler, soph., 126; Levi Sammet , sr., 132; Tyler Bame, sr., 152; Montana Kimmel, soph, 220.

TOP PROSPECTS: Tristan Love, fr., 106; Gabe Johnson, sr., 285.

NOTABLE: Bowman is coming off a sensational freshman season. The Redskins are down on numbers this season with just nine on the team but Ricker likes his wrestlers’ talent and work ethic so far this season.

NORTHWEST CONFERENCE

LIMA CENTRAL CATHOLIC

HEAD COACH: Tommy Connelly (1st year).

DUAL MATCH RECORD: Not available

CONFERENCE FINISH: 4th in Northwest Conference

RETURNING LETTERWINNERS: Bobby Sunderhaus, sr., 170, state placer; Brandon McCormick, sr., 132, state qualifier; Jared Eley, sr., 138; Jake Tremoulis, sr., 145, district placer; Tyler Garcia, jr., 160; Jack Huffman, soph., 195.

TOP PROSPECTS: Cameron Hahn, soph., 126; Garrett Dee, fr., 132; Joey Eisele, fr., 132; Tate Lamb, fr., 132; Jaret Brown, fr., 152; Gabe Harper, soph., 182; Alec Kimball, sr., 220; Jacob McKinley, jr., 285

NOTABLE: There’s a good nucleus for Connelly to work with in his first year at Lima Central Catholic. Sunderhaus was third at the state tournament last season while McCormick is a two-time state qualifier.

COLUMBUS GROVE

HEAD COACH: Eric Siefker (5th year).

DUAL MATCH RECORD: 8-3

CONFERENCE FINISH: 2nd in Northwest Conference

RETURNING LETTERWINNERS: Tregg Keysor, sr., district placer; Brandon Benroth, sr., district qualifier; Hunter Giesige, sr.; Adam Johnson, sr.; Alec Gladwell, jr., Brett Sampson, jr., district qualifier; Tyler Schroeder, jr.; Will Selhorst, jr.; Jonah Shank, jr.; Alex Schaffer, soph.; Christian Stechschulte, soph.

TOP PROSPECTS: Robert Lineman, sr.; Kenny Smith, sr.; Alex Burgie, jr.; C.J. Shartzer, jr.; Bradie Strawser, jr.; Nick Ogle, soph.; Andrew Burgie, soph.; Blake Dunifon, soph.; Garrett Haunstein, fr.; Eli Schroeder, fr.; Isaac Siefker, fr.; Andrew Nichols, fr.; Eli Wiswasser, fr.

NOTABLE: With 11 returning letterwinners and a 25-man roster look for Columbus Grove to challenge for the NWC title this season.

NORTHERN BUCKEYE CONFERENCE

ROSSFORD

HEAD COACH: Ron Recknagel (14th year).

DUAL MATCH RECORD: Not available

CONFERENCE FINISH: 8th in Northern Buckeye Conference

RETURNING LETTERWINNERS: Evan Austin, soph., 113; CJ Ball, jr., 120; Jake Burlage, jr., 126; Casey Orr, soph., 145; David Klocko, sr., 152; Dallas Johnson, jr., 160; Andy Myers, soph., 170; Jacob Carlen, sr., 182; Steve Nordhaus, sr., 195; Kyle Robbins, sr., 285.

TOP PROSPECTS: Not available.

COACHES’ COMMENT: Not much depth with only 18 wrestlers on the roster, so staying/getting healthy is the key. We already have a number of wrestlers with nagging injuries. Hopefully they will be ready to go by our first match. After finishing last in 2012, there is only one way to go.

NORTHWEST OHIO ATHLETIC LEAGUE

SWANTON

HEAD COACH: Greg Hallett (13th year).

DUAL MATCH RECORD: 3-5

CONFERENCE FINISH: 6th in Northwest Ohio Athletic League

RETURNING LETTERWINNERS: Jacob McCoy, Jacob Reisinger, Troy Houston, Aaron Brown

TOP PROSPECTS: Not available.

NOTABLE: Swanton lost state champion Mimmo Lytle to graduation but the Bulldogs have a solid group of 11 incoming freshmen that includes two junior high state qualifiers.

MONTPELIER

HEAD COACH: Troy Roth (12th year).

DUAL MATCH RECORD: 6-22

CONFERENCE FINISH: 9th in Northwest Ohio Athletic League

RETURNING LETTERWINNERS: Tyler Benner (sr) District qualifier, 2 time lettermen, 160 lbs; Dan Hand (sr) District qualifier, 2 time lettermen, 170 lbs; Cole Ries (sr) District qualifier, 2 time lettermen, 120 lbs; Sean Taylor (jr) District qualifier, 2 time lettermen, 126 lbs; Hunter McKelvey (soph) 1 letter, 152 lbs; Tyler McDaniel (soph) 1 letter, 145 lbs

TOP PROSPECTS: Zech Thompson 182, Jordan Birdsall 138, Dallas Royer 132, Logan Hutchinson 126, Stephen Cooley 113, and Deane Ramey 106; all freshmen.

OUTLOOK FOR THE SEASON:  We will have 6 or 7 freshman in the lineup most nights and that kind of youth usually doesn’t sit well in the sport of wrestling.  But, these freshmen have been wrestling for most of their school life so they are no stranger to the sport.  With the help of good senior leadership, we should be able to hold our own against most of the teams we will encounter this year.

The NWOAL will be particularly strong again this season with Archbold, Delta and Wauseon at the top. Throw in Liberty Center and Bryan into the mix and it will make for an exciting year in wrestling.