Bissett eager about WG wrestling despite low numbers
West Greene wrestling will be hurting with its numbers this season, but fourth-year head coach Kory Bissett is pleased with the work that his team has been putting in during the first several weeks of practice.
The Pioneers will bring six wrestlers to Friday’s first competition at the Chartiers-Houston Tournament, and the former West Greene wrestler, who finished his high-school career at 135-31 with four trips to the state tournament, where he was third in 2006 and seventh in 2007, is aware that his team’s success this year will be based on individuals succeeding.
“We are such a small school and only have so many students to draw from, plus kids have more options now when school is out,” Bissett, who wrestled at Edinboro University before graduating in 2012 said. “We are not the only school that deals with these issues, but the great thing about wrestling is that you can look forward to a kid have individual success, and we are always hoping that will draw the numbers in.”
Joey Chapman is West Greene’s lone senior, but is a four-year varsity wrestler and will take the mat at 132 pounds.
“Joey (Chapman) has put in the time and improved every year,” Bissett said. “He is one of the leaders on the team.”
Isaac Courtwright is entering his third year wrestling, and although he didn’t start until high school, Bissett is pleased with the junior’s efforts. Courtwright is slated to start at 152.
“He (Courtwright) is a guy that didn’t start until high school but has really improved and put a lot of work into it,” Bissett said.
Freshman Kolin Walker will take the mat at 160 after wrestling in the junior high program under Gary Whyte.
“He had experience in junior high and really works hard and has a good head on his shoulders,” Bissett said. “We have about seven or eight kids out in junior high.”
Braden Tennant (113) is a freshman that wrestled for Waynesburg in the youth leagues, but will start for the Pioneers.
“It is nice to have younger guys and see them progress,” Bissett said. “If these guys can stick it out and we can add some more kids, I think we can really improve.”
Freshman Brock Dedilion (285) has youth wrestling experience and hopes to use that in the heavyweight division.
“He has previous experience and is an athletic guy,” Bissett said.
Andrew Litton does not have any prior wrestling experience, but will take the mat for West Greene as a freshman at 170.
“He (Litton) is a first-year guy but he grasps everything quickly and is very athletic,” Bissett said. “We will take all our competitions individually on a match-by-match basis.”
Bissett does not sit back and coach the kids, as the former Fort LeBoeuf assistant who also served one year under longtime veteran coach Curt Hughes at West Greene, is not shy about practicing with his team.
“I try to hop in and work out with them when I can,” Bissett said. “I not only help with the wrestling but I work with them when we do our conditioning. It is probably more of a trust factor to show them that I care about helping them improve.”
The Pioneers open up Section 2-AA (2A) action on Dec. 14 when it hosts Bentworth at 7 p.m.
“I just want to say that the whole school and community have been great,” Bissett said. “They are always behind us.”