WRESTLING PREVIEW: GAELS GRAPPLERS YOUNG, BUT GOOD

Mount St. Joseph Gaels

Coach: Kirk Salvo, third year (21-5, career record)

Last year’s record: 10-3

103 Alex Rice, Fr./ Kevin Johnson, Fr.
112 Frank Goodwin, Soph. *
119 Graceson Pastirik, Jr. /Matt Hiltz, Soph.
125 Gino Pollack, Soph.
130 Benny Schaufele, Soph. *
135 Danny Orem, Jr */ Kevin Bohlman, Sr.
140 Colin Bohlman, Soph./ Shane Cannaday, Jr.
145 Bill Selba, Sr./ Patrick Downey, Fr.
152 Bobby Bowman, Soph.
160 Edwin Jackson, Sr. *
171 Matt Mullett, Soph./ Josh Wadkins, Soph.
189 Pete Jones, Soph.
215 Mike Rovnan, Soph.
285 Karl Green, Soph. *

* Returning state place winners

Outlook: “As you can see we could be starting 10 sophomores,” said Salvo. “There’s a load of talent, and an encouraging willingness to work hard, but few proven high school-level champions with no returning MIAA champs.”

But Goodwin is a stud. A second-team All-Metro selection, Goodwin went 47-9 with 26 pins and was runner-up at both the MIAA and private schools state tournaments and placed third at National Preps.

Goodwin “placed at every tournament last season,” said Salvo, referring to Goodwin’s finishes, for example, at the Beast of The East (seventh), The Powerade (fourth), the Mount Mat Madness (second), and to title-winning efforts at the Germantown, War On The Shore and Colonial Forge Ultimate Challenge, the latter of which earned him Outstanding Wrestler honors.

Schaufele finished with 40 wins, Orem with 37, K. Bohlman with 26, and Green, with 20.

Schaufele was a runner-up at MIAAs, and placed third at private school states. Orem was third at both of those tournmaents, and Schaufele, an MIAA runner-up, a third place finisher at states, and a fifth place winner at National Preps.

Jackson was fourth, and, fifth, respectively at MIAAs and states, and Green, sixth and fifth.

“We have increased the number and quality of competitions, and will be participating in local, regional and national level events. We will be looking toward consistent improvement over the course of the season,” Salvo said.

“The team will be led by junior-captain Danny Orem. If we can avoid injury and mature physically and mentally, we hope to challenge for the MIAA dual meet and tournament championships,” Salvo said. “Our first big test will come next Tuesday against a tough Severna Park squad, followed by a weekend at the War on the Shore, where we’ll see Curley, John Carroll, North Carroll, Stephen Decatur and several respectable Virginia and Delaware teams.”