Vian wrestling coach Garett Willis is looking for bigger and better things for his Wolverines and Lady Wolverines as the new season has arrived.
The Wolverines return four wrestlers — 138-pounder Adoff Stahl, 157-pounder Gunner Richey, 175-pounder Tristan Wiley and 215-pounder Garritt Hunt.
“I expect those guys to come in and do big things,” Willis said. “Some of those guys were first-year wrestlers last year, and I look to see them make leaps and bounds from what they were last year.”
The roster basically has doubled from a season ago. Instead of about six to seven kids, there are 12 matmen out for the Wolverines this season.
Rounding out the roster are Charles Lucas at 106 pounds, Kyle Major at 120 pounds, Kingston Lee at 126 pounds, Lance Jordan at 132 pounds, Tyson Murphy at 165 pounds, Jace Huff at 175 pounds, Cooper Risley at 190 pounds and Isaac Mazzerelli at heavyweight.
“We had a bunch of freshmen come in as first-year wrestlers,” Willis said. “I’m pretty excited about a bunch of brand new faces.”
Willis believes his wrestlers can have success, especially when it comes to regionals and state.
“I think everybody we have is going to make a run in the postseason,” he said. “We look to get on top of that podium (when getting medals at the Class 3A State Tournament). That’s our ultimate goal. The very top spot is the goal, but we’ll make a run. Most of these guys have not been to the state tournament. Just getting there will be good — placing will be even better.”
Because the Wolverines have a dozen matmen in the line-up, they also should have success, which could also mean a god day on Jan. 23 when they go to Tulsa Cascia Hall High School and join the host Commandos, Oklahoma Christian School, Warner, Arkoma, Heavener and Wyandotte for the District 3A-6 Duals, where the team which has the best win-loss record on the day will qualify for the Class 3A Dual State Tournament, which will be Feb. 13-15 at Broken Arrow.
“We have 16 kids for those 14 weights,” Willis said. “There’s going to match-up and stack up on each other (in the same weight class) at times. We’re going to be giving up two weights (in duals) unless somebody pulls good or somebody is going to bump pretty high. Twelve wrestlers out of 14 (weight classes) is a lot better than the six or seven out of 14 we had last year. That will give us a good shot right there. If we can win some matches, that would be awesome.”
The Lady Wolverines return to members of last year’s team — 110-pounder Aubrey Gant and 130-pounder Carmen Rautenberg.
Gone are last year’s state qualifier, Avery Richey, who was third at 135 pounds to cap her Vian wrestling career, as well as Carissa Prock, who along with her siblings, are now wrestling at Warner.
Filling out the fourwrestler roster for the Lady Wolverines are Maddison “Maddie” Turman at 120 pounds and Kye Barnes at 100 pounds.
