JC to build off 2010 tourney

The Patriots have had state medalists.
They’ve had multiple semi-state qualifiers.
But last season, they had their best overall tournament effort in a decade.
The Jay County High School wrestling team, which opens its 2010-11 season Friday at the New Castle Invitational, sent eight (out of 12) wrestlers to the regional tournament and five to the semi-state. Three of those semi-state qualifiers return to lead the team this year.
“All of them put in a tremendous amount of time this offseason,” said JCHS coach James Myers of senior Drake Meska, junior Nick Leonhard and sophomore Kyle Garringer, “wrestling at big tournaments and going to camps and getting in here in the preseason working out.”
Meska fell one win short of a state berth last season, reaching the ticket round of the semi-state before losing to Tucker Smith of Homestead. Smith went on to place sixth in the state.
Wrestling at 130 pounds, Meska was the sectional runner-up and placed third in the regional on the way to a 40-4 record.“Obviously we expected him to do well last year in the tournament,” said Myers of Meska, who had just one loss in the regular season. “He came up a match short from getting to state. He had a great season.”
Garringer learned quickly in his freshman campaign. After going 2-5 during the opening weekend, the 189-pounder went on to win more than 70 percent of his matches the rest of the way.
He finished as the sectional runner-up, and then placed fourth in the regional on the way to a 27-16 finish.
Leonhard was the pleasant surprise of the tournament for the Patriots, who also sent then-seniors Matt James (215) and Kyler Blowers (HWT) to semi-state, after finishing the regular season just over .500. He recorded a pin to earn a third-place finish in the second, went on to place third in the regional as well at 145 pounds and posted a 19-15 record.
“If you take a look at Garringer and Leonhard, both had good seasons, not great seasons,” said Myers. “But come tournament time, they just wrestled really well.”
Garringer will return to the 189-pound spot this season, but the middle of the lineup is more up in the air. Meska and Leonhard both currently weight in at 145, with senior Kyle Davidson at 140.
“They’ll both be in the lineup somehow,” Myers said of Meska and Leonhard. “Obviously we’re going to have to shuffle … I’d say come the middle of December this isn’t going to be an issue. I think Davidson will drop (to 135), Meska will drop and then Leonhard will fill in at his natural weight class.”
Myers also noted that believes Garringer, Meska, Leonhard and Davidson all have a chance to break through this year and make a trip to the state tournament.
The rest of the starting lineup heading into the first tournament of the season includes senior Dyllan Derrickson at 152, junior Austin Bentz at 135, sophomores Robert Cooper at 103, Skyler Sibery an 119, Dustin Tighe at 125, Raistlin Rice at 130, Daniel Ring and 171 and Nick Spahr at 285 and freshmen Conner Ray at 112, Zach Metcalf at 160 and Eric Hemmelgarn at 215. The squad also returns junior Eric Beougher, who won 22 matches a year ago at 160, and Nathan Drumm (15-12), a regional qualifier last season at 135.
“We had another great freshman class come out,” said Myers, who has about 40 wrestlers total. “It’s nice. We’re a little thin at the lower weights, but once we hit about 130 we have some depth. That gives all those guys in the middle someone to work on, work out with, a different look every day because each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses. The numbers are great.”
Myers said he’s looking forward to seeing his team take the mat for the first time this weekend, noting that New Castle, Harrison, Westfield and Columbus East anchor a strong field.
He also said he’d like to see is team continue to improve its sectional finishes. The Patriots were fifth last season (just seven points out of third), fourth in 2009 and fifth in 2008.
“The sectional is not easy by any means,” said Myers. It’s really competitive. … I think our program has improved.
“Last year we sent five out of the regional, and nine out of the sectional. Obviously we want to improve on those numbers as a team.”[[In-content Ad]]