By Kary Booher (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
It’s Year 3 for wrestling coach Ben Hohensee at Monett High School, where the program has traditionally had team and individual success.
However, last year became a tough experience. The team didn’t win any of its 10 duals. And the roster outlook this year is much thinner than in years past.
For Hohensee, it’s a chance to look at it in a positive way, as an opportunity for the Cubs to show they learned from a year ago and can take a step forward.
“We will still struggle as a dual team with low numbers, but I do look to see more individual success this season,” Hohensee said. “We are a year older and have gotten good experience over the summer. I hope our leaders can bring the young guys up with them.”
Projected roster
When Hohensee listed each weight class ahead of the season, he left blank the 106-, 132-, 150- and 175-pound weight classes.
What he does have is an interesting mix. Look for junior Aidan Branch at 113 pounds, followed by junior Simon Hartline at 120, freshman Evan Patterson at 126, senior Angel Mejia-Soto at 138, freshman Jack Lamastus at 144, Rhyn Withnell at 157, Rene Mejia-Soto at 165, Jacob Bohanan at 190, Fernando Hinojosa and Aidan McCall at 215 and Porter Reed at 285.
Hartline, Withnell, Hinojosa and Branch are all returning starters.
Many eyes will be on Hartline, a state finalist as a freshman and a state champion a year ago.
“He is a great leader for us and jumps at any opportunity to get on the mat,” Hohensee said. “He is a very hard worker and has been getting much stronger in the offseason. He will be a threat at any weight this season.”
Branch started at 106 and 113 pounds last year.
“He is a very talented wrestler with lot’s of experience,” Hohensee said. “This could be a breakthrough year for him as a junior. We look forward to seeing his progress this season.”
Withnell is sort of a veteran statesman of the team, given his years in the program.
“He is very dedicated and has a great work ethic in everything he does,” Hohensee said. “Rhyn is a very technical wrestler and has the tools to compete with anyone. I look forward to seeing him have a successful senior season as he leads this team.”
If Hinojosa stays healthy, he could really anchor the upper weights for Monett.
“Fernando is ready for a breakout year this season as a senior,” Hohensee said. “He battled injury last year and didn’t end up where he wanted to. He is a gamer and is never out of a match. He is our workhorse and one of our leaders.”
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Sleepers?
One interesting name is Porter Reed, who was on junior varsity last year behind four-time state placer and state champion Harrison Merriman.
“He is a big guy with good feet,” Hohensee said. “I look forward to him turning some heads right away this season.”
Offseason
Monett didn’t rest.
“We attended the NEO Team camp and had lots of offseason participation,” Hohensee said, referring to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M juco. “Our focus this offseason has been getting stronger, and the boys really bought into that process.”
That’s encouraging for Monett, considering the schedule. And Hohensee likes it that way.
“Our entire schedule is tough,” Hohensee said. “Southwest Missouri has become so competitive in the sport of wrestling. We will have no easy days and that is a blessing.”
Monett Girls
The Monett girls team is looking to build on some success from a year ago, when the Cubs were 5-4 in duals and had its largest group in program history.
This year, the roster likely will be around 10. And the team has a new girls locker room in Monett’s wrestling facility.
The projected roster could be sophomore Libby Jastal at 100, sophomore Kayrie Burdett at 100, senior Jeena Spencer at 115, junior Londi Torres at 120, senior Brooke Bluel and freshman Lizeth Ramirez at 125, junior Heidi Hurtado at 135, junior Emily Hinojosa at 145 and sophomore Rylee Poole at 155.
Bluel, Spencer, Torres, Rylee Poole, Burdett and Libby Jastal are all returning starters.
Jastal was 25-12 and lost in the bubble match at the district tournament.
“Libby is an extremely hard worker,” Monett coach Justin Semerad said. “She lost in the bubble match as a freshman and, although the score does not indicate it, that was a close match. We improve in a couple positions and she would have won that match.”
Spencer was 26-22, tied for the team lead in wins and led the Cubs in takedowns and escapes.
“She is a tremendous leader and a hard worker,” Semerad said. “She wrestled her best matches at district last year. She is heavily involved in the Junior ROTC program, and I think this has a lot to do with her work ethic. If she can fine-tune some of her skills, I can see her making a run to state this year.”
Sleepers could be Bluel and Torres.
“Athletically (Bluel) could be a very solid wrestler,” Semerad said. “Just like last year, we need to get her to believe that she is the best wrestler on the mat. When she wrestles with confidence she is aggressive and has good attacks on her feet.”
Torres is back after an injury.
“It happened in mid-season, and she was showing flashes in matches of what we were seeing in the wrestling room, which was she had the potential to be a very good wrestler,” Semerad said. “She was a first-year wrestler, so it was very exciting to see just how fast her skills were developing.”
Don’t forget about Poole, either, who showed some improvement.
“Last year, I felt we had a lot of untapped potential and I still feel this way,” Semerad said. “We have the potential this year to take several girls to state, but we are going to need to focus on controlling the things we can control: effort and attitude. With girls state going to two classes, this will provide more opportunities for us to showcase Monett wrestling in Columbia.”
