Unpredictable Season Few State Veterans, Many New Faces In League May Provide Tight Race
Greater Spokane League wrestling is entering a season of change.
There are three new coaches in the league and only 10 returning state veteran wrestlers, three of them who placed.
It could result in the most unpredictable team race in some time.
Teams will be peopled with young competitors, but “The league will still be tough,” said new Mt. Spokane coach Troy Hughes, a 1995 Mead graduate. “There were guys waiting right behind who could be the new state placers.”
Hughes joins Phil McLean, who moved from Gonzaga Prep to Mead, and Dusty Roberts, who was named the Bullpup head coach, as the new guard on the North Side.
Rogers Ismael Varnell and North Central’s Ezra Bocook were both eighth in state last year. Pirate Mike Zinkgraf and Panthers Ryan Van Doren and Mike Schneider are other North Side state veterans.
GSL competition began Wednesday and continues tonight, including last year’s second-place co-finishing Rogers at Mt. Spokane and NC at co-runnerup Gonzaga Prep.
New coach guides Bullpups
It was quite a summer for Gonzaga wrestling emotions.
After McLean, who built the Bullpups into a power, moved, his initial replacement took a job out of town.
That left the team to Roberts, another Bullpup assistant, a two-time University High state champion who wrestled at the University of Oregon.
“I think we’re going to be OK,” said Roberts of his first team.
Roberts said that at least four young Bullpups are state placing candidates.
Among them were regional qualifier Karl Koehler, alternates Kyle Malone and Tim Healy and sixth-placer Luke Kuhn.
“I think he can be a state champion,” said Roberts of Kuhn, who lost only once in league.
Eleven members of the Bullpup team competed in the district tournament last year and seven won at least twice. It expects to be strongest from 152 through 189 pounds.
“We’re pretty strong at the lower weights, too,” said Roberts. “We’ve got a lot of raw talent.”
Coach and school meld history
A storied wrestling program greeted a storied coach when Mead and McLean melded their talents.
The Panthers have won 10 Greater Spokane League championships, the last in 1994. While at Gonzaga Prep, McLean won three league titles and a state team championship in 1999.
“Change is good sometimes for everybody,” said McLean of his move. “A lot of time you become content in what you do. Now I have to reinvent and start over. It’s exciting, really.”
Much of last year’s Panther roster is back, minus one starter who opted not to return.
Included are Schneider, Van Doren and state alternate T.J. Merrell. Van Doren lost a controversial state match that prevented him from placing.
In addition, seven other district tournament veterans are in the lineup.
The biggest change, said McLean, has been acclimating himself to a new school and having the kids familiarize themselves with his coaching style.
It will take until after Christmas, he said, for everything to fall in place.
“We’re going to be right there,” said McLean. “I think we’ll be a pretty good tournament team.”
Pirates remain in thick of chase
Rogers alumnus Shawn Carney enters his third season as Pirate coach with a 14-5 league record and a team built to contend once more.
Last year the Pirates tied for second place. They’ve graduated a quartet of performers, including two state veterans, but bring back 10 district meet wrestlers.
His dilemma is that six of his veterans are bunched in three weights. They include state veterans Zinkgraf and Varnell, Will Jessee, 6-2 in league, Jason McDermott, Rob Durland and Ryan Meenach.
“From 119 through 130 pounds, those are all varsity type guys,” said Carney. “It’s kind of sad that we have to split the matches up.”
Also back is district finalist and regional sixth-placer Brian Piper. Lani Kelp, who missed last year with a knee injury, is returned, and sophomore Roman Hernandez came from Lewis and Clark where he started.
“This is going to be a good year for us,” said Carney. “We should compete with the top teams. It will be interesting to see when it comes down to close matches.”
New Wildcats coach has high hopes
He’s still learning the ropes, but new Mt. Spokane coach Hughes is upbeat about his circumstances.
“A core of 15 kids committed themselves in the offseason freestyle program,” said Hughes, a three-time state finalist. “The kids really improved. They’re further along than we were last year.”
Back for the Wildcats are three regional placers, state alternate fifth-placer Joe Marek, and Josh Jones and Paul Evenson, who were sixth.
They are among eight district tournament veterans from a team that went 3-7 during league duals.
With better depth and the addition of key freshman Kohl Crecelius, Hughes likes what he sees.
“Whether the record’s better or not, they understand wrestling more,” said Hughes. “We’ll not be at the top, but we’re going to be better.”
NC veterans have potential
Excited prior to the season, North Central coach Randy Cloke isn’t sure where his team fits in after its debut at the Deer Park Invitational.
But the Indians do have a solid nucleus of 10 returning varsity athletes. The problem is that regional veterans Mario Montague and David Weddle and alternate Jason Neumiller and Brett Summers are all lumped together in the same weights.
“They’re all in the same dang spot, and it’s just killing us,” lamented Cloke. “We have pods in the room, all these 145-152 pounders and 189 pounders.” It will allow him some dual meet juggling ability but he’d prefer head-up matches.
Another regional veteran, Paul White, and his brother Charlie offer experience between 125 and 130. Bocook can wrestle anywhere from 171 to 215 pounds, Zach Lange, injured last year, is nursing another football injury and will be brought along slowly.
“What scares me is down low,” said Cloke. “If our freshmen can wrestle and stay off their backs, we’ll be OK.”
Shadle seeks continued improvement
If it weren’t for injury that cost the Highlanders three veterans, this could have been a fairly solid Shadle team for coach Mark Miller.
As it is, he’s more optimistic than in several years.
“We’re very strong in the middle weights and have hungry young wrestlers,” he said.
Back are 10 varsity performers, including regulars from 103 through 152 pounds.
Raner DeLong, Dan Largent, Bobby Reamer, Jon Steele and James Gerber are among the key district tournament veterans.
“As long as everyone stays healthy and our better wrestlers match up against the other team’s strengths, the outlook is positive.” Miller said.