By Kary Booher (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The storyline every year for the Willard High School wrestling program almost never changes: Count on the Tigers to compete, to make headlines in the postseason and so forth.
But this year is different. The youth program that Willard has built over the past decade will become a factor after Willard’s varsity graduated eight starters, including five state qualifiers. Three of those earned state medals.
Put this this way, 19 guys listed by coach Justin Wisdom as potential starters are either freshmen or sophomores, with the bulk of that number in the lighter weights.
“Our entire team will be sleepers, and we are fine with that,” Wisdom said. “We know that there will be things to prove with the youth of this team. We are accepting to that challenge and are very exciting to see this team grow and flourish.”
Willard’s room will see about 35 wrestlers as the curtain rises on this season. But none are state qualifiers or state medalists.
Projected roster
Of course, there are two ways of looking at it: Yes, it’s always difficult to lose the leadership that came with the graduated talent. But it’s also an opportunity for the current bunch to prove themselves. Who will step up?
The projected roster could be freshmen Shawn Taber, sophomore Brady Precht or freshman Ryan Mauschbaugh at 106, followed by either sophomore Chris Trudell or freshman Adan Dunlap at 113, freshman Tucker Precht (120), either sophomore George Patton or junior Brady Pierce (126), freshmen Noah Rogers and Dale Anderson (132), freshman Couper Deville (138) and freshmen Caleb Caldwell and Aiden Haines (145).
In the upper weights, look for junior Andrew Keithley, senior Justin McHenry and Kurt Ochoa at 152, followed by sophomores Gary Walker and Lorenzo Hayworth (160), sophomore Jase Motlagh, junior Tanner Moulden or Gunner Wildermuth (170), juniors Shane Shaughnessy, Austin Reyes or sophomore David Lawson (182), freshmen Brady Griffen and Dalton Jenkins (195), junior Derek Hicks and freshman Alex Nunez (220) and sophomore Caleb Uelsman (285).
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New motto
“Our motto is ‘Reloaded’ this year,” Wisdom said.
“We will be young and hungry to keep the Willard Wrestling tradition growing. Our guys are all hard workers and will figure out ways to be successful.”
You figure the success of Willard’s recent history will be a motivator anyway. Before an 11th-place team finish at state last year, the Tigers had finished in the top seven in Class 3 in four out of five seasons.
“It has become the culture of our Willard Wrestling program to set lofty goals and achieve them,” Wisdom said. “We have solid kids that are willing to be pushed. Once you have a culture emerging within any program, the expectations to have a good year are always there.”
Goals this year
Wisdom obviously wants to build the culture and have success, but also produce great young men.
“Last year we sent seven kids on to college to wrestle and earn their education,” Wisdom said, noting that was Willard’s largest single-year signing class in history. “And we currently have 10 kids competing in college and earning their education. There are six Willard wrestlers currently active in our military serving our country. Our program is very proud of this and look forward to adding to the list.”
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Girls wrestling
“Our girls program is growing and we look forward to that continuing this season,” Wisdom said. “We hope to have a full line-up this season and are excited to see the growth in these ladies.”
Last year, Willard graduated its second-ever girls state medalist in Lexi Adams, who also became the first ever Willard girls wrestler to earn a College scholarship.
“Similar to our boys team, our girls will be very young and eager to work hard,” Wisdom said.
