When signs were put up throughout the community announcing the baseball and golf state championships, it forced the removal of old signs honoring the 1990 LOHS wrestling squad.
This year’s grapplers, however, likely have the best chance to get back to Battle Creek since that title year.
And with 12 seniors on the squad, that group is also as large as it has been since ?90.
‘We’re large in numbers,? Coach Doug Kline said. ‘We’ve got 60 wrestlers, so that’s a great turnout.?
In addition to a junior varsity team, the Dragons will field a varsity ‘B? team for the first time in school history.
With 12 of their 14 varsity starters from last season returning, Kline said his squad came in working hard.
‘We’ve got a good, solid group of returning juniors and seniors,? he noted. ‘One of my concerns going into this year was if we were going to be too overconfident, but that simply hasn’t been the case.?
Among the juniors are state placer Doug Mack (119 pounds), two-year starter Jake Arnold (145) and two-time state placer Evan Gros (189).
Top seniors include state placer Spenser Grzadzinski (112), state placer A.J. Pratt (125), three-time state placer Jake Varilek (152) and four-year starter Morgan Maciejewski (171).
Kline said senior captain Joe Graffeo could be the team’s X-factor at 160 pounds.
‘He was injured all of last year, so he’s our little secret,? he said.
Sophomores Lance Grzadzinski (103), Justin Ruddy (130) and Curtis DeGeorge (135) look like starters for Kline.
That leaves 140 pounds (where Jeremy Peshl and a pair of promising freshmen could vie for time), 215 pounds (where Garrett Roberts is nursing a football injury) and heavyweight (likely either Cory Allard or Tyler Benson) as the biggest uncertainties in the lineup.
‘We’ve got a battle [at 140 pounds] with three guys that are decent, so it won’t be much of a issue,? Kline said, noting that weight area is where coaches often have to bump wrestlers based on weigh-ins, so flexibility is a good thing to have.
The schedule, which was tough last season, gets even tougher this year, as the Dragons will miss just Rockford (and obviously themselves) among the state’s top 10.
‘The focus is getting ourselves ready for the team tournament and the individual tournament at the end of the year,? Kline said.
The coach said his team set some very lofty goals for the season, including winning the county meet, getting a league title and advancing to the final eight (in Battle Creek).
The team has been to the regional finals nine times since their banner year, but advancing from a quality pool of teams (including Clarkston, Adams and Davison) is tough. They hope this is their year.
On the individual side, Varilek will try to become the first four-time finalist and three-time placer at the state meet. Gros, however, is right on his heels.
‘People don’t realize just how tough it is to place at the state,? Kline said. ‘Once you get to the Palace, anything can happen. We’re looking at a few kids that can get there and hopefully get some things done.?