TEN LETTERMAN PROVIDE NUCLEUS FOR GOLDEN TIDE MAT TEAM
CURWENSVILLE – Two-time Northwest Region Class AA champion Derek Brothers heads a solid nucleus of 10 letterwinners who have Duane Wriglesworth II entering his fourth season as head coach at his alma mater confident the Golden Tide is poised for another winning record.
\”With many lettermen and seniors, plus an experienced group of underclassmen, we expect good things to happen for us this year,\” he said. \”The overall outlook is positive.\”
The Golden Tide has strung together 6-5, 6-5 and 7-3 regular-season records for Wriglesworth, with the overall totals at 20-16 counting the three trips to the District 9 Class AA Duals.
Brothers, whose credentials also include the 2007 District 9 gold medal at 112 pounds and the 2006 PIAA eighth-place award at 103, takes a 64-14 record into his junior season.
Four more returnees also have put together back-to-back winning seasons, seniors Jeff Thomas (20-12 at 130 in 2006-07 and 22-9 at 145 in 2007-08), Tyler Peters (20-16 at 112 and 18-12 at 119) and Nathan Russell (14-13 and 21-10 at 215), and junior Brett Sutika (17-13 at 119 and 16-15 at 125).
A sixth returnee coming off a winning season is sophomore Greg Koptchak (16-12 at 103).
The other lettermen are seniors Walker Koontz (5-15 at 285), Justin Smith (6-18 at 140 and 7-15 at 160) and Duane Wriglesworth III (5-13 at 135) and junior Wes McGarry (9-15 at 130).
Peters and Thomas, who placed third and fourth, respectively, in the 2006 district tourney, are three-year lettermen. Russell, Koontz and Wriglesworth have lettered twice.
The Curwensville coaching staff has been impressed with the way the seven seniors, including Jeff Smallwood, are taking charge in the practice room.
\”Our seniors are supplying this team with valuable leadership,\” Wriglesworth said. \”There always is someone who will jump in and take care of a situation that needs addressed. I have a lot of respect for this senior group and know they will put the team first.
\”We are pleased with what we see in the practice room. They are working very hard, and it is nice to see the group display an outstanding work ethic.\”
\”With 18 athletes on the roster, we should be able to put a full, balanced lineup on the mat. We expect to see experience in the lower, middle and upper weights.\”
Brothers has bumped up to 119 and will join Koptchak and Peters to anchor the lightweights.
McGarry (up one weight class to 135), Sutika (up two weight classes to 135), Wriglesworth (up to 140), Thomas and Smith will be the Golden Tide\’s veterans through the middle.
Russell and Koontz provide experience at the last two weights.
\”As long as these guys stay healthy and focused, they should have a rewarding season,\” Wriglesworth predicted.
Curwensville, which travels to Punxsutawney Tuesday for its first match, has 11 dual meets, the Coudersport Duals, tournaments at Penn Manor and Redbank Valley this month and multi-team duals at Coudersport and Clearfield in January.
All five home duals will begin immediately after 6 p.m. junior high matches, probably between 7:15 and 7:30.
Joining Wriglesworth on the Golden Tide coaching staff are Chuck Shaffer, Mike Bookhamer and Steve Keller.
The roster, with asterisk denoting letterwinners:
Seniors – Walter Koontz*, 285; Tyler Peters*, 119; Nathan Russell*, 215; Jeff Smallwood, 130; Justin Smith*, 160; Jeff Thomas*, 145; Duane Wriglesworth III*, 140.
Juniors – Derek Brothers*, 119; Wes McGarry*, 135; Jonathan Michaels, 171; Brett Sutika*, 135; Matt Schultz, 160.
Sophomores – Chris Askey, 103; Jeremy Bloom, 135; Zack Dimmick, 171; Greg Koptchak*, 103; Kyle Kyler, 152.
Freshman – Jake Keller, 112.
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The schedule, with home matches in bold type:
December
9 – at Punxsutawney
11 – Moshannon Valley
12-13 – at Penn Manor Tournament
16 – Brockway
19-20 at Redbank Valley Tournament
January
3 – at Coudersport Duals
6 – at Redbank Valley
9 – at West Branch
15 – at Ridgway
24 – at Clearfield Bison Duals
27 – Johnsonburg
31 – District 9 Class AA Team Duals at DuBois
February
3 – Clarion
5 – Brookville
10 – at Clearfield
20-21 – District 9 Class AA Tournament at Clarion University
27-28 – Northwest Region Tournament at Sharon High School