Although the Berkshire and Cardinal wrestling squads are struggling to fill weight classes, that doesn't stop the team from fulfilling their commitment.Last week both the…
Although the Berkshire and Cardinal wrestling squads are struggling to fill weight classes, that doesn’t stop the team from fulfilling their commitment.
Last week both the Badgers and Huskies traveled to Hawken for a midseason dual with the Hawks and Beachwood.
The action was fierce on the mat.
Starting at 106 pounds, Berkshire’s junior John Kumher pinned Cardinal’s Brezo in 19 seconds.
“I go in and do what I practice.,” said Kumher afterward. “I have to work hard and do what I dream of.”
Kuhmer will see these wrestlers at CVC and the Division III?district tournament. I asked him how he stays ahead of the competition.
“Every time I wrestle I learn something new,” he said. “I have my parents record my matches and I’ll go home tonight and see where I can get better.”
The 138-weight class showed some promise as the Huskies’ Chanel controlled Berkshire’s Dan Humes before getting the pin 26 seconds into the second period.
At 145 Cardinal’s senior Brandon Neikirk scored a quick take down before pinning Berkshire’s Jacob Hanson in 46 seconds.
At 152 Cardinal’s Ellis pinned Berkshire’s freshman Austin Mighton in 1:20.
The 160-pound match was by far the best match of the evening. Berkshire’s junior Stephen Ellis was trailing 2-0 after the first period. Huskies senior Donavon Drebus scored a takedown early in the second, but Ellis used Drebus’ momentun to score a reversal and a pin 44 seconds into the second period.
Berkshire head coach Adam Lange, in his first season, praised Ellis’ work ethic and was thrilled with the victory for him.
“He’s probably the hardest worker we have,” Lange said. “And it showed tonight. He was down in the match getting beat and he ended up reversing the kid and getting the pin, and he also holds himself to high standards.”
“Filling most of the weight classes is a big plus,” said longtime Cardinal head coach Jeff Zeigler. “We are an experienced team without a lot of experience, we have some seniors but not a lot of wrestling experience, but because they’re older they pick up what I tell them quicker.”
As an outlook on the season, Zeigler said: “Neikirk had two pins which gave him 89 for his four-year career, so we are expecting him to do well this season.”
“Our lone state returning qualifier from last year, junior Trent Mast is healthy and wrestling well, and we look for him to repeat to Columbus,” added Zeigler.
Lange said he and his assistant coaches are trying to change the wrestling culture at Berkshire.
“The biggest hurdle comes from a commitment standpoint,” Lange said. “I come from coaching in college, where you say something and it gets done. I?don’t want to hear, ‘but this or but that.’ I’m just going to hold these guys to a higher expectation than they’re used to.”
As to the progress thus far, coach Lange stated, “Every match we are looking better, and these men have grown exponentially since we’ve started.”
This year the Badgers host the CVC tournament on Feb. 5 and 6 with the OHSAA tournament starting on February at Garfield Heights High School.
