Beth-Center wrestling preview
Reduced numbers force Bulldogs to forfeit four bouts each time out DEEMSTON – Don’t try to convince Dave Nelson that the glass is half-empty or that he and his wrestlers might have been dealt a lemon or two, and don’t look at them being on the dark side to start every match.
None of those old adages about bad luck will work. This group will tell you rather quickly that they are Beth-Center wrestlers and if you want to challenge them, then you better lace your headgears on real tight.
Beth-Center has a long, historic winning tradition in wrestling, and while this year’s group might be few in numbers, the Bulldogs are ready to take on anybody.
Numbers is the toughest opponent the Bulldogs have to face this year. They have only 10 available for varsity competition, half of them returning lettermen.
However, with just 10, that means the Bulldogs must forfeit four bouts, and they are behind 24-0 before they even step on the mat for dual competition.
But that lemon has been squeezed into a half-full glass of lemonade.
Nelson said of his lineup, “We have to forfeit four bouts to start, but I take stock of the guys who wrestle and the kind of bout they wrestle. It’s certainly not a plus to have down numbers, but with those fewer numbers out, we can spend more time with them and work even more on basics with them.”
Where some coaches might look at that 24-point deficit as a bad way to start, Nelson looks at the situation in a different light.
“You won’t win many matches when you start off by being down 24 points, but I’m looking at the ones we do have wrestling, what they accomplish, and whether or not they improve,” he said.
“I remember my first year as a varsity assistant. We had only eight wrestlers out, but we ended up third in the regionals with just those eight. You have to make do with what you have, and work to see how much you can accomplish with them. You have to remain positive and set a positive example for your team.”
The biggest minus problem facing the Bulldogs is their lack of depth, but even there, Nelson sees a bright spot.
“I like the fact we are a young team. We have only two seniors, both of whom are quality wrestlers, and we will lose both of them this year, but we also have some good wrestlers coming back. There is just one junior, and the rest are sophomores and freshmen, and they will come back with another year’s experience.”
The returning lettermen include:
Seniors – Mike Morgan (160) and Jordan Sweaney (215), both who have already earned three letters. Both also own 94 career wins, and it is the hope of their coach “that both of them get their 100th win on the same night.”
Junior – Ray Lowden (145).
Sophomores – Zach Catalina (125) and Mike McCoy (135).
Rounding out the roster are:
Sophomore – Matt Stay (189), who sat out all last season with a knee injury, and is back strong, already owning a 14-1 record through two dual matches and two tournaments.
Freshmen – Nick Moore (119), Thor Fackiner (140), Joe Tarley (171), and B.J. Hundermark (171).
Only three wrestlers graduated from last year’s squad – state qualifier Brandon Palmer (215), now serving in the Marine Corps; heavyweight Grant Johnson, headed for U.S. Army service, and Aaron Beck (119), attending Drexel.
Nelson, starting his third season as head coach, wrestled at 119 for B-C in the late 80’s, winning, two regional championships, qualifying twice for the state finals at Hershey and wrestling with the WPIAL team at the annual Pittsburgh Classic.
Bob Swaney is varsity assistant coach, and Patrick Denison and Ted Semancik are the junior high coaches.
So far, B-C has wrestled two duals, along with the Chartiers-Houston and Brooke (W. Va.) Tournaments.
Morgan won the C-H 160 title; Sweaney was second, and Miller third.
Nelson said, “I thought we did well at the Brooke event, in a field that included McGuffey, Canon-McMillan, Shaler, West Greene, Washington, plus West Virginia teams from Oak Glenn and Brooke, and two very strong Ohio teams, Indian Creek and East Liverpool.
Sweaney and Stay won championships to stand 12-1 now, and Morgan (12-1) was third at 160, which I think was the strongest class in the tournament.”
Sometimes teams wonder why their coaches put them through strenuous daily workouts, but now the Bulldogs know why.
Nelson said, “We are a very well conditioned team. McGuffey and Canon-McMillan coaches all commented on how well conditioned we are and Canon-Mac was impressed with our showing in the tournament as well as our tenacity and conditioning.”
A bright note for the future looms in the Midget Program where Nelson said, “We have 35 there now, and if we can keep even half of them interested, we will be OK. Our junior high will get a good feed from this program, and if we can keep them interested that will be a big plus for us.”
In the Section 3-AA race, Nelson said, “West Greene looking strong, and could be the team to beat, plus Charleroi has a good group. The key to our own season will be keeping healthy the ones we do have available. We did it last year, and I feel we can do it again this year.”
“You have to make do with what you have, and work to accomplish with them. You have to remain positive, and set a positive example for your team. Quality has been the trademark of our program over the years.”
That, and the aggressiveness of their nickname.
The schedule (7:30 unless noted, x-Section 2-AA):
Dec. 29-30, at Southmoreland Holiday Classic.
Jan. 3, at McGuffey, 7 p.m.; Jan. 6, x-at West Greene, 7 p.m.; Jan. 7, x-at Brownsville; Jan. 14, x-at South Allegheny; Jan. 17, at Washington; Jan. 21, x-Bentworth; Jan. 23-24, at Bedford Tournament; and Jan. 30, Fort Cherry.