YAIAA Division II Team Capsules

by Evening Sun Online (eveningsun.com)

Posted on November 30, 2007

Hanover:

HEAD COACH: Terry Conover.

2006-07 RECORD: 27-7, 8-2 YAIAA Division II.

KEY LOSSES: Justin Boyers, Zach Cornbower, Alex Despines, Alex Gass, Nathan Sentz, Phil Slaugh, Brett Yohe.

WRESTLERS TO WATCH: Zach Wolford, sr., 135; James Leedy, sr., 152; Zach Wentz, sr., 171; Brent Hoff, jr., 119; Jacob Gerlach, soph., 103.

OUTLOOK: Gerlach and Slaugh broke a Hanover's two-year absence from the PIAA Championships as both qualified from the PIAA Class AA Southeast Regional Championships last season.

But this year, Gerlach, who became the first freshman to qualify for states since Gary Mayfield did in 2001, will be without his half-brother, Slaugh.

Conover said the main key this season will be taking down either Bermudian, Biglerville, Littlestown or Delone to advance to the District 3 Class AA Team Tournament.

QUOTABLE: "I've got some real young kids that have to keep getting better weekly, and I don't have a lot of depth, so (we) got to stay healthy." - Terry Conover

South Western:

HEAD COACH: Greg Sprenkle.
2006-07 RECORD: 12-2, 7-1 YAIAA Division I.

KEY LOSSES: J.C. Laughlin, Aaron Repman, Aaron Amspacher, Cody Shue, Dale Mills, Adam Dull.

WRESTLERS TO WATCH: Josiah Beers, sr., 285; Travis Scott, sr., 135; Joey Wildasin, jr., 135; Brandon Deamer, jr., 125; Drew Sneeringer jr,. 189; J.R. Mummert, soph., 152; Drew Rebling, soph., 103.

OUTLOOK: The loss of J.C. Laughlin.

A difficult early-season schedule that includes Red Lion, Dallastown and Spring Grove.

A squad that's more than half underclassmen.

One might think it would be a rebuilding year for the 2006-07 YAIAA Division I tri-champions.

But returning second-team All-Area wrestlers Beers, Rebling and Wildasin will instill a solid foundation for this year's squad. All three boys have the opportunity to give the Mustangs an individual District 3 title, something that hasn't been done since 1998.

QUOTABLE: "Now that we're this far into the season, we'll get a feel for where kids are going to be, weight-wise. It's just a matter of us staying healthy. If we do that, I think we'll be very competitive." - Greg Sprenkle

Delone Catholic:

CO-HEAD COACHES: Rob Roscoe and John Hefner.

2006-07 RECORD: 11-9, 7-3 YAIAA Division II.

KEY LOSS: none.

WRESTLERS TO WATCH: Brayden Daigle, sr., 140/155; Dallas Brown, jr., 171; Hunter Doan, jr., 119/125; Jacob Boyd, jr., 112/125; Tyler Small, soph., 112; Josh Rupert, fr., 103.

OUTLOOK: The Squires could be poised to make a run this year, "could" being the key word.

Although Delone returns all 14 starters, some grappler have missed practice because of the success of the football team.

But, just because some of Roscoe's and Hefner's squad are absent, it doesn't mean the Squires will have a down year. Brown won last year's District 3 Class AA title when he handed Littlestown's Cory Beaver his first loss of the year. He, along with fellow state qualifier Small, could help the team improve upon last season's record.

QUOTABLE: "We feel the schedule's going to be good and difficult for the kids. So by the end, when they make sectionals, districts and regionals, the competition will make them better wrestlers." - Rob Roscoe

Littlestown:

HEAD COACH: Dave Bowersox.

2006-07 RECORD: 14-0, 7-3 YAIAA Division II.

KEY LOSSES: Nate Murren, Adam Wantz, Kenny Roth

WRESTLERS TO WATCH: Cory Beaver, sr., 171; Ben Killeen, sr., 125/130; Tyler Zittle, sr., 189; Philip Macy, jr., 130; Adam Bish, jr., 119; Colby Wagaman, jr., 130; Eric Smith 140/145, jr., 135; Tom Showvaker, jr., 140.

OUTLOOK: If you don't recognize the name "Cory Beaver," you must not have been paying attention to wrestling in the Hanover area last year.

Beaver's thrilling 6-5 victory against Line Mountain's Shawn Fausey at 171 pounds made him the first state champion in the history of Littlestown wrestling.

But he is not lone highlight of the squad. The Bolts return a solid core of veteran wrestlers, including Southeast regional medalist Macy and Wagaman, who pinned an opponent in 7 seconds last season.

QUOTABLE: "Where we have people filling in from the junior high and people that didn't start last year, we do have some good people at those weights, so that's going to help." - Dave Bowersox

New Oxford:

HEAD COACH: Dave Conaway.

2006-07 RECORD: 7-7, 3-5 YAIAA Division I.

KEY LOSSES: Brandon Zepp, Eric Thomassay, Brandon Piper, Eric Smith, Andrew Messinger.

WRESTLERS TO WATCH: Brandon McWilliams, sr., 140; Kolby Howe, sr., 112; Kyle Aumen, sr., 160; Isaac Smith, sr., 145; Adam Rudisill, sr., 171; Justin Sprengle, sr., 125.

OUTLOOK: To say the Colonials have a young team would be an understatement.

Off the 14 weight classes, Conaway has four freshmen and six sophomores in starting roles.

But "youth" doesn't necessarily mean "bad." The New Oxford junior high team was ranked No. 1 in the state last year.

So, although New Oxford lost regional qualifiers Thomassay, Piper and Zepp, the talented youth, combined with the leadership of the six seniors, could mean a successful season for the Colonials.

QUOTABLE: "We have a nice mix. We have kids that are proven veterans that are going to come out and know the system, and we have a young group that are really good athletes that are going to grow." - Dave Conaway

Spring Grove:

HEAD COACH: Tony Miller.

2006-07 RECORD: 5-5, 5-3 YAIAA Division I.

KEY LOSSES: Adam Russo, Luke Cover.

WRESTLERS TO WATCH: Cory Baker, sr., 171; Nate Warner, sr., 125; Shane Henry, sr., 135; Derek Snyder, sr., 152; Austin Hull, sr., 189; Andrew Hull, sr., 275; Tanner Bidelspach, jr., 103; R.J. Abel, jr., 152; James Yohe, soph., 160.

OUTLOOK: One of the deepest and most experienced squads, the Rockets boast 29 wrestlers, 10 of whom are seniors.

One of the key seniors is Baker, who won the District 3 Class AAA Section 5 title last season and placed third in the District 3 Championships.

But Spring Grove will have a tough start and a tough end to the YAIAA Division I season. They open against Dallastown and close against Red Lion.

QUOTABLE: "We do have some in experience in a lot of key spots. We have some guys that have been in some big matches before, and that always helps out when you get in that situation." - Tony Miller

Gettysburg:

HEAD COACH: Perry Smith.

2006-07 RECORD: 3-15, 1-8 Mid-Penn Colonial Division.

KEY LOSSES: Brandon Brookens, Bryan Orendorff, Cory McCleaf.

WRESTLERS TO WATCH: D.J. Cool, sr., 189; Bryce Shaffer, jr., 130; Justin Amato, soph., 112; Michael Shaffer, fr., 103.

OUTLOOK: Gettysburg has an uphill battle in 2007-08.

Not only do the Warriors have just one senior and only 17 wrestlers, but because of the success of the football team, Smith has an even smaller squad for the first part of the season.

Cool and Bryce Shaffer will lead Gettysburg. Although Smith thinks they along with other Warrior wrestlers will succeed as individuals, he knows it will be tough to compete as a team.

"We probably don't have quite the balance that I think necessary to be successful in the league that we're in," he said.

QUOTABLE: "We just really stress the basics fundamentally - try to be strong and sound. We put a lot of stress on those types of things, and hopefully the kids respond to that." - Perry Smith


Bermudian Springs:

HEAD COACH: Dave McCollum.

2006-07 RECORD: 19-5, 10-0 YAIAA Division II.

KEY LOSSES: Bryce Marshall, Seth Hoffman.

WRESTLERS TO WATCH: Tyler Stambaugh, sr., 189; Derek Schmelyun, jr., 140; Nick Blasone, jr., 112; Devin O'Brien, jr., 135.

OUTLOOK: Although the Eagles will be without Marshall, who ranks No. 2 in all-time wins in the Hanover area, and fellow state qualifier Hoffman, Bermudian Springs remains stacked for the 2007-08 season.

Stambaugh, Schmelyun and Blasone were all District 3 Class AA Section I champions last season. Stambaugh, Schmelyun and O'Brien advanced to the state tournament.

The Eagles also field the largest team in the area with 39 wrestlers, giving tremendous depth for last season's YAIAA Division II champions.

QUOTABLE: "I don't look at us being the favorite at all. I look at us as being a contender, but we need to continue to stay focused and stay hungry." - Dave McCollum

Biglerville:

HEAD COACH: Bob Gano.

2006-07 RECORD: 23-4, 8-2 YAIAA Division II.

KEY LOSSES: Kyle Grubbs, Eric Pelc, Jordan King.

WRESTLERS TO WATCH: Jeff Foster, sr., 171; Shay Shive, sr., 140; Nic Lieberum, jr., 140; Nick Asper, jr., 135; Dustin Bower, soph., 119.

OUTLOOK: Great things come in pairs.

Biglerville returns two state qualifiers (Foster and Shive), two District 3 Class AA Section I champs (Foster and Bower) and, by the end of winter, may have two 100-win grapplers in Foster and Shive.

Gano will look to Foster and Shive, as well as his other upperclassmen, to help the squad's 12 freshmen and sophomores mature to be competitive in very difficult YAIAA Division II.

QUOTABLE: "We have probably four freshman that are going to start. It's just the mentality. Hopefully, they will be fully ready to go and cognizant of what they need to do by the meat of the league schedule." - Bob Gano

Fairfield:

HEAD COACH: Bruce Kocsis.

2006-07 RECORD: 0-10 YAIAA Division II.

KEY LOSS: none.

WRESTLERS TO WATCH: Nathan Blinn, sr., 215; Dylan Ferguson, soph., 171; Kyle Flohr, fr., 145.

OUTLOOK: This season, Fairfield brought in a new coach, but may experience the same results.

Kocsis, who last coached at a high school in Valparaiso, Ind., will have his work cut out for him with only seven grapplers for the second straight year in Fairfield wrestling's three-year history.

But the new coach could very well make a difference. Ferguson, Flohr and Blinn have a shot at qualifying for the District 3 tournament in this winter. And, although wins might be hard to come by, Kocsis understands the team is a work-in-progress, and his main goal is to have his wrestlers improve every match.

QUOTABLE: "We're building from the ground up, starting with the elementary school. Within the next four to five years, we'll have a full squad, if not more." - Bruce Kocsis

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