CURWENSVILLE — The Curwensville wrestling team is coming off a very successful 2024-25 season after going 14-6 in dual meets and winning an ICC Tournament title, the first tourney victory for the Tide since 2009.
Curwensville also crowned a District 9 champ in 107-pounder Austin Gilliland.
But Gilliland (31-8), along with 20-plus match winners Dylan Deluccia and Alex Murawski were lost to graduation. Those three combined for 74 bout wins and nearly half (41) of the Tide’s total falls (91).
“We had a good group of seniors last year that had a lot of experience in wrestling,” said Curwensville head coach Dean Swatsworth. “I feel, though, this year these boys have really worked hard to fill the spots where our seniors were.”
Curwensville does return 11 letterwinners, led by seniors Javon Bunce, Cooper Haag, Heath Hawkins and Brooks Hendershot. Juniors Reed Hawkins, Caleb Hendershot, Thomas Norris, Hayden Queen and Jackson Stephens and sophomores Russell Bloom and Dean Swatsworth Jr., round out the 11 Tide letterwinners the team will lean on this season.
“Our letterwinners who are coming back bring a great work ethic into the room,” coach Swatsworth said. “They push each other, and that is what you need in a room. The leadership we have seen so far from our seniors has made my job as a coach easier.”
Those 11 wrestlers will make up a bulk of the starting lineup, but with 19 total kids on the roster there will be competition at several weight classes and the opportunity for Curwensville to once again fill each spot.
“We have more than average numbers this year with 19 wrestlers,” coach Swatsworth said. “We have a great group of boys that are returning to us, but we also have a few new faces in the room that are excited to help us in our lineup.
We have some depth in our upper weights but as long as we stay healthy, we have a good chance to fill a lineup once we can get kids down to weight after Christmas.”
Once of the new faces in the room this season is freshman Kael McGary, who will slot into the spot vacated by Gilliland,
“We did bring up a freshman that has experience when it comes to wrestling and we are hoping he can help us in our 107-pound spot.”
The next four weights will be filled by returning letterwinners in Bloom (18-15) at 114, Queen (8-16) at 121, Swatsworth Jr. (10-19) at 127 and Bunce (7-18) at 133.
“Our light weights are coming back this year with another year of experience and have been working hard,” coach Swatsworth said. “Our middle weights are going to move around some throughout the season and we will see a few new faces in the middle lineup.”
Junior newcomer Noah Barney (133-139), Norris (139), junior Owen Shaffer (145), who was on varsity as a freshman, Haag (152) and Reed Hawkins (160) are in the mix for the middleweight spots.
Haag was 12-14 last season, while Hawkins went 22-13 with 11 pins. Shaffer was 4-9 in limited action during the 2023-24 season.
Another new face in the starting lineup is sophomore 172-pounder Timmy Gustafson, who had a solid junior high career.
He’ll be followed by Heath Hawkins (20-17) at 189, Caleb Hendershot (21-16) at 215 and Brooks Hendershot (23-12) at 285. Hawkins is a returning regional qualifier at 189.
Caleb Hendershot will miss the start of the season with an injury.
The Tide also have Stephens (285), sophomore Gabe Wischuck (189), junior Brody Kelly (215), sophomore Carter Schatz (285) and junior Kamden Fye (285) providing depth in the upper weights.
“I am excited to see how this season goes,” coach Swatsworth said. “A strength we hope to have is for us to fill a lineup. In wrestling its hard to win dual meets when you give up forfeits. Having a full lineup is big. Just staying healthy is always a challenge.”
As for goals, the Tide are hoping to build on last season’s success.
“We are working towards a winning season again,” Swatsworth said. “We have quite a few boys that have been working hard and plan to work hard all season to make a run in the postseason.
“I am excited to watch these boys in action knowing the work they all have put in the offseason and so far this year.”
Curwensville opens the season Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5 and 6 at the ICC Tournament at Claysburg-Kimmel High School.
ROSTER
Seniors
*Javon Bunce, *Cooper Haag, *Heath Hawkins, *Brooks Hendershot, Owen Shaffer.
Juniors
Noah Barney (133), Kamden Fye (285), Timmy Gustafson (172), *Reed Hawkins (160), *Caleb Hendershot (215), Brody Kelly (215), *Thomas Norris (139), *Hayden Queen (121), *Jackson Stephens (285).
Sophomores
*Russell Bloom (114), Carter Schatz (285), *Dean Swatsworth Jr. (127), Gabe Wischuck (189).
Freshman
Kael McGary (107).
*Letterwinners
GOLDEN TIDE SCOREBOARD:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 12/5 & 6 | @ ICC Tourney (Claysburg-Kimmel HS) | ||
| 12/9 | WEST BRANCH | ||
| 12/16 | BROOKVILLE | ||
| 12/20 | @ Redbank Valley Duals | ||
| 1/6 | @ Mt. Union | ||
| 1/8 | @ Mo Valley | ||
| 1/9 & 10 | @ Mid-Winter Mayhem (IUP) | ||
| 1/17 | @ Clearfield Bison Duals | ||
| 1/20 | JUNIATA VALLEY | ||
| 1/22 | @ Claysburg-Kimmel | ||
| 1/23 & 24 | @ Fred Bell Tourney (Grove City) | ||
| 2/4 | @ Redbank Valley | ||
| 2/5 | GLENDALE | ||
| 2/12 | @ Brockway | ||
| 2/20 & 21 | D9 Championship Tourney | ||
| 2/22 & 28 | NW Regional Tourney | ||
| 3/5 – 7 | PIAA State Tourney |
