McHenry, MD – First-year head coach David Wingate has put together a wrestling schedule that he hopes will have Garrett College peaking for February's Gulf Atlantic District tournament.
"We wanted to get the guys great competition and give them as much mat time as possible," said Wingate, whose team's schedule includes matches against Frostburg State University, Fairmont State University, and Glenville State University, as well as numerous tournaments.
"Everything is really building to the district tournament," he continued. "I expect all of us to have a little bit more of an edge just because we will have been wrestling really good competition all season long. The goal is to get some guys to punch their tickets to the national tournament."
The Lakers will wrestle Fairmont State University in a dual match at Southern Garrett High on January 18th just prior to the Northern-Southern match.
"Northern and Southern are right in our backyard and both have really good programs," said Wingate. "I'm hoping to get a good number of wrestlers from both programs in the future. We're looking forward to wrestling there and then staying around to watch Northern and Southern and support our local high school teams."
GC's first home event will be the four-team, two-mat Defend the Lake Open on Saturday, November 11 at 10 a.m. Sussex County (NJ) Community College, Rowan (NJ) University, and Thaddeus Stevens (PA) College of Technology will be the other competing programs.
Wingate has four returners – 2023 national qualifier EJ Guy (currently 141 pounds) from Keyser, WV, Brody Byrd (149/Clarksburg, WV), Linden Amtoung (165/Lanham), and Conrad Hughes (184/Frederick) – from last year's active roster. Two redshirt freshmen – James Bounds (125/Sonoma, CA) and Tyberious Clayton (184/Moorefield, WV) – are back after spending last season rehabbing from injuries.
"I expect EJ to have a really good season and get back to the national tournament," said Wingate. "Brody is a really tough kid who's great in the classroom and has good potential. If Linden works hard, he can have a really good season."
Hughes, according to Wingate, has a high ceiling.
"We've been working on technique with him," said Wingate. "I definitely feel like he's going to win some matches this year."
Freshman Matt Lombardo (Baltimore) – "a really tough kid who has the potential to be very good," according to Wingate – will start the season at 133 pounds. Freshmen Thanyal Miller (141/Boswell, PA) and Landon Rhodes (149/Keyser, WV) will be looking to break into the lineup.
"Landon probably has the biggest heart on the team – he'll fight for every point," said Wingate. "He just has a great attitude."
Freshman Caleb Neer (Morgantown, WV) looks to start the season at 157 pounds.
"Caleb's a super-tough kid who fights MMA back home and just wanted to give wrestling a shot," said Wingate. "He's got really good basics and fundamentals."
Freshman Cole Stuchal (Blairsville, PA), who is looking to get some time at 165 pounds, wrestled impressively at last Saturday's Black & Blue Scrimmage.
"I think Cole is going to have a really good season," said Wingate. "With a lot of hard work, he could definitely be one of our next national qualifiers."
Hughes and Clayton are both vying for time at 184 pounds.
"Tyberious does everything asked of him on and off the mat," said Wingate.
Drayk Bunn (Annapolis) was a last-minute – and most welcome – addition to the squad at 197 pounds.
"It's been nothing but a joy working with him," said Wingate of Bunn. "He's super-gifted athletically."
Four freshmen – Jacob Keating (Keyser, WV), Jacob Beeman (Lonaconing), Ray Kanu (Jessup), and Nazier Edmonds (Richmond, VA) – are vying for mat time at 285 pounds.
"They all looked pretty good this past weekend," said Wingate. "Right now, Jacob Keating has the most potential and he'll probably be the starter for the most part.
"Jacob Beeman will also get some starts, and hopefully Kanu will move down to 197 at some point," added Wingate.
Wingate has two assistant coaches – Joe Embleton and Tanner Clark – who are also role models for his wrestlers.
"Joe is a 2018 Southern High grad who wrestled at Messiah University, and Tanner wrestled at Garrett College before wrestling at Kent State University," said Wingate. "Athletic-wise and academically, we aspire that our guys will accomplish what those two gentlemen have accomplished."
