Transitional season ahead for Truckers

NORWALK — There was always going to be a transition. Regardless of the fallout in high school athletics from the pandemic last March, the Norwalk High School wrestling team was looking at a year of change in the 2020-21 season. The graduation of Ethan Hernandez, Gabe Phillips and Alec Maloney weren't just the loss of three multiple-time state qualifiers. They were arguably the most talented trio ever on the same team in any sport in NHS history. But not only did those three combine for more than 500 wins, 10 Division II state appearances and five All-Ohio finishes, but a fourth 2020 graduate, Darion Smith, nearly won 100 matches in his own right. But on top of head coach Frank Staley coaching a team with just two seniors on the roster among the 25 competitors, he's also had to navigate quarantine issues like most programs while piecing together a passable schedule amid COVID-19 concerns. With all that said, what exactly will a successful season look like for the Truckers? "Success to me is always based on where a group of kids start and where they end," Staley said. "If we can keep numbers in the mid-20s and they keep progressing and we get an opportunity to get kids down to Columbus for state while placing at the league, sectional and district tournaments — that's a very successful season." While Staley freely admits the obvious end goal is to reach state, success in wrestling can also be measured in any different ways. "For some kids it's about earning a varsity letter and becoming a solid wrestler," he said. "For others it can be placing at weekend tournaments or winning 80 percent of your matches throughout the season, and for some it's getting to state." Another big key for the program will simply be keeping the morale of the sport and numbers at competitive levels. "This is a sport, just speaking honestly, that the numbers are a dying breed right now and it hurts for most everyone," Staley said. "We're going places and seeing things I once thought was just not possible with regards to roster sizes. "We have good numbers, but of course I feel there are still guys walking those halls that should be on the team — and I wish we could convince them more," he added. "We don't have a coach in the school system, but (head football coach) Todd Fox helps a ton and we do our best. But wrestling is not a sport you can force someone to do. If they don't like it, then it can be a miserable situation." Norwalk is led by the return of senior Ethan Phillips, who started his season by winning the 170-pound bracket at the Edison Invitational on Dec. 5. Phillips, the younger brother of Gabe, did not wrestler last season. However, in 2018 as a sophomore, Ethan finished 30-9 and won a Sandusky Bay Conference title and advanced to and won a match at the Div. II state tournament. "We're expecting him to be a top eight wrestler in the state when it's all said and done," Staley said of Phillips. "He's in different shape physically right now making the transition from an all-state wide receiver in football. When he gets in wrestling shape, he's going to be impressive." Also back are juniors Haydn Graffice (120) and Kaleb Ruhl (113). Graffice went 39-8 last season and won a district match, while Ruhl also won a district match and finished 24-12. Junior Jesse Cole placed fourth at the Edison Invite at 126, while freshman Austin Ware will be expected to compete at 106. Andrew Olaniyan (152) will be another key contributor in the middle weights along with Trenton Goostree, while Jack Wasiniak will compete at 220. "Haydn was injured and missed Edison, but obviously that's a kid we're counting on once he gets out there," Staley said. "Ware at 106, that's kind of a thin weight class that gets tougher at the district level, but he should be solid. "Wasiniak has potential, and I'm really looking forward to Olaniyan this year," he added. "He looks the part and is a two-time letterwinner. Jesse had to sit out the second half of last year because of the transfer rule, but he looks like he could make some noise." After placing seven and finishing sixth in the nine-team field at Edison, the Truckers are back in action this Saturday with five other teams at Port Clinton, and again on Tuesday (Dec. 22) when it hosts a six-team round robin tournament. Staley put together three different six-team, single-day events, and this coming Tuesday will include Mentor Lake Catholic, Toledo St. John's, Ontario, Mansfield Madison and Monroeville. "As soon as things started going south with COVID I went online and started seeing who was looking and sent some emails and we set up what I feel is a pretty solid schedule," Staley said. Lake Catholic is currently ranked No. 5 in the borofanohio.net Div. II team rankings, and 120-pounder Brandon McCrone is ranked No. 1 in the state. Norwalk also visits Monroeville — ranked No. 11 in Div. III — with Sycamore Mohawk and Mansfield Senior on Dec. 29. The second six-team round robin at NHS is on Jan. 9, and the third will be on Jan. 30. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy — No. 8 in Div. II — will be among the teams in that field. The SBC championships are tentatively set for Feb. 20 at Norwalk, but that date is considered fluid at this point and has already changed once. "A lot of high and decent-caliber teams are coming to our place who will push your younger kids so they can see what that level is like," Staley said. "Lake Catholic has six kids ranked in the top five of their weight class right now. "We're looking at about a 45-match schedule before the conference meet, which we're proud of," he added. "Barring anything crazy, this is a good schedule for our area." Assistant coaches include Tracy Hivnor, Matt Goostree and Chris Estep, the latter who was a three-time state qualifier and one-time state finalist at Western Reserve prior to becoming a Mid-American Conference placer at Kent State University. "And we have a really good group of coaches who are really creating interest in the program," Staley said. "We have some good looking freshmen this year who can do well as a result, and we field just about an entire lineup at the junior high level. "The kids we have, it's a nice group," he added. "The program is in really good shape as far as numbers moving forward."