Plenty Of Challenges Await Warrior Squad Grapplers
Plenty Of Challenges Await Warrior Squad Grapplers
Posted
Steve Krah-
Plenty Of Challenges Await Warrior Squad GrapplersSYRACUSE — Wawasee has gained a measure of respect in the Indiana high school wrestling community over the past few years.
For that reason, teams want to put the Warriors on their schedule.
Wawasee’s 2019-20 slate begins today with the Warsaw Invitational.
“We’re not going to shy away from competition,” says fifth-year Warriors head coach Frank Bumgardner. “It’s all a learning experience.”
Other varsity tournaments on the schedule include the Wawasee November Duals Nov. 30, Wawasee December Duals Dec. 21, Al Smith Classic at Mishawaka Dec. 27-28, Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association State Duals Jan. 4 in Fort Wayne and Northern Lakes Conference meet Jan. 25 at Warsaw.
Home dual meets are slated against Goshen Dec. 12 and NorthWood Jan. 9 and South St. Joseph Jan. 16 with road duals against Culver Academies Dec. 5, Concord Dec. 19 and Penn Jan. 14.
The state tournament series features the Plymouth Sectional Feb. 1, Rochester Regional Feb. 8, East Chicago Semistate Feb. 15 and State Finals in Indianapolis Feb. 21-22.
The Warriors were just shy of repeating as 2A State Duals champions in 2018-19.
Bumgardner, who is assisted by Jamie Salazar, Dillon Whitacre, Jesse Espinoza and Trevor Brown, notes that the 2019-20 schedule is built with periodization in mind.
“We can peak, recover and go again,” says Bumgardner. “That’s a pretty good stretch (from Nov. 30-Jan. 4). It’s going test mental fortitude for sure.
“But we’ve got a lot of hard workers.”
Bumgardner expresses his pleasure with the team’s preseason preparation.
“It’s been the attitude in the room,” says Bumgardner. “The seniors have been phenomenal leaders.
“This has been a real fun group to be with.”
Wawasee went 14-4 overall and 6-1 in the Northern Lakes Conference (finishing second to Northridge).
Returning letterwinners from that team are seniors Logan Baugh (170 pounds), Isaiah Faurote (160), Fernando Hernandez (182) and Garrett Stuckman (152), juniors Jace Alexander (126) and Brenden Dilley (132) and sophomore Dylan Tom (120).
Alexander placed sixth at 120 at the 2019 IHSAA State Finals. Tom advanced to the semistate “ticket round” as a freshman.
“We’ll also have a lot of new guys in our lineup,” says Bumgardner, who goes into the season with 29-man roster that includes 11 freshmen.
“Team-wise, we may take some losses. But we’e not worried about that.”
Baugh, Faurote and Stuckman serve as team captains.
“We look for them to be the guiding force of our team,” says Bumgardner of the three student-athletes. “They’ve created an environment for our guys to train and live the right way. They’ve shown great leadership in the preseason.
“They’re holding younger guys accountable and showing them what is expected.”
