Medina and Roy-Hart/Barker wrestling teams are both light on experience

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s veteran wrestlers include, in front, Riley Black and Robert Morehouse. In back are Bobby Geiger, Colby Petrie and Miles Hartway.

Thin on experience is the problem facing both the Medina and Roy-Hart/Barker wrestling squads heading into the Niagara-Orleans League wrestling season which has its earliest opener ever on Wednesday.

Medina will visit defending champion Newfane and Roy-Hart/Barker will host Wilson at Roy-Hart in the 6 p.m. league openers.

In fact, four of the league’s five dual meets will be held before Christmas and the All-League tournament is scheduled for January 12 because of the addition of section and state level team championship tournaments.

Junior Colby Petrie, who won the 120 lb. title at last year’s N-O All-League meet, and freshman Rashawn Bloom, who placed, second at 99, head Medina’s experienced group which also includes juniors Riley Black and Travis Wiseman along with sophomores Miles Hartway, Robert Morehouse, Brandon Boyce and Thomas Vasquez.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Veteran members of the Roy-Hart/Barker wrestling squad include Andrew Schafer, Brett Ricker, Trent Choate and Karson Grover.

“It’s a very inexperienced group,” said Coach Eric Gross. “We have a few quality varsity wrestlers but overall we’re very inexperienced. And the short, really compacted league season, really makes it hard when you are trying to progress a young team like ours.”

Graduation losses for the Mustangs, which went 2-3 in N-O dual matches last year, include N-O champion Elijah Sones along with second place finisher Joe Gates and third place finishers Jake Bensley and DaRon Bellan.

Roy-Hart, which not only is thin on experience but also on numbers as the Rams squad numbers only some 16 wrestlers.

Seniors Andrew Schafer and Karson Grover along with freshmen Brett Ricker and Trent Choate head the Roy-Hart/Barker lineup.

“Our numbers are better this year than last year and we’re looking to do better that we did a year ago,” said Coach Matt McCauley.

Roy-Hart/Barker went 0-5 in N-O dual matches last year.

Medina’s Schedule
November: 28 – at Newfane, 6 p.m.
December: 1 – at Byron-Bergen Tournament; 5 – Akron, 6 p.m.; 8 – at Lyndonville Tournament; 12 – Albion, 6 p.m.; 19 – at Wilson, 6 p.m.; 29 – at Akron Tournament
January: 4 and 5 – at NCCC Tournament; 9 – at Roy-Hart/Barker, 6 p.m.; 12 – at N-O All-League Tournament; 26 – Gary Gross Memorial Tournament.

Roy-Hart’s N-O meets
November: 28 – Wilson, 6 p.m.
December: 5 – at Newfane, 6 p.m.; 12 – Akron, 6 p.m.; 19 – at Albion, 5 p.m,
January: 9 – Medina ,6 p.m.; 12 – at All-League meet.