Spring previews: Streator, Marquette, Seneca, ready to take to the wrestling mats

WRESTLING

Streator

Coach: T.J. Moran (1st year)

Top returners: Braxton Mushimba, 160/170; Braydon Deats, 145/152

Key newcomers: Nicholas Pollet, 106; Mikey Greer, 138

Worth noting: Former assistant and new head coach Moran will continue his efforts to rebuild the Bulldogs program. He’ll start this spring with four dedicated wrestlers, including Deats and Mushimba, who both got some meaningful varsity experience in the winter of 2019-20. Lost to graduation is Rafael Pantoja, who had been the Bulldogs’ top wrestler the past couple of seasons and anchored the lower weight classes. “I would have to say I have a young but talented team,” Moran said. “A lot of the kids grew up wrestling, so they all have really good knowledge. I am excited to see how they all compete, and despite COVID, I do believe they will all succeed.”

– J.T. Pedelty

Seneca

Coach: Todd Yegge (24th year)

Top returners: Nathan Elliott, sr., 285; Isaac Marques, sr., 160; Gavin Robertson, sr., 182; Luke Sangston, sr., 106; Maveric Varland, sr., 220; Wilson Widman, sr., 132; Jaden Casey, jr., 120; Owen Feiner, jr., 126; Kyle Hamby, jr., 170; Gavin Mason, so., 195; Dominic Griffin, so., 132/138; Collin Wright, so., 145/152

Key newcomers: Kyler Hahn, so., 106/113; Alex Bogner, fr., 220; Asher Hamby, fr., 138; Justin Lavarier, fr., 138; Will Milton, fr., 132; Nate Othon, fr., 120; Chris Peura, fr., 170

Worth noting: Yegge is in a pretty good spot this spring with 10 letterwinners returning, six of those sectional qualifiers and one, Mason (34-16), earning a state berth as a freshman. Team captain Sangston was 36-12 at 106 a year ago, while Casey (13-20), Freiner (37-11), Widman (22-20), Wright (13-15), Marques (23-21), Robertson (26-15), Varland (23-16) and Elliott (21-17) are all long on experience. Even the newbies such as Othon, Bogner and Hamby have extensive Illinois Elementary School Association state experience, handy for the slate of big schools on tab this year, starting with Joliet West with Peotone on Friday. “The beauty of this season is that because we don’t have time to teach – we have a lot of kids playing multiple sports, so that means their practice time will be really limited – so we just have to get in and wrestle,” Yegge said. “Luckily, we have the kids to do that this year. It’s going to be a challenge, of course, with so many sports going at once, but we’re going to try and make it work.”

– Charlie Ellerbrock

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Marquette

Coach: Kyle Lowman (4th year)

Top returners: Jake Mitchell, sr., 184; Logan Petre, sr., 140; Easton Kent, so., 140

Key newcomers: Luke Cooper, jr., 132; Maclane Rinearson, jr., 132; Jake Smith, fr., 140

Worth noting: Lowman hopes that his involvement in the track program will serve as a good recruiting tool for both sports, and the cross training of both will benefit all the athletes involved. There are not too many Crusaders to choose from currently, but there is some quality in Mitchell, who was 14-14 at 170 in 2020, and Petre, 16-12 at 135, a pair of fourth-year wrestlers. “It’s been a rough year,” Lowman said, “but the guys are chomping at the bit to get out there. They’re working hard every day and are learning from every workout they take part in. No two workouts will be the same.”

– Charlie Ellerbrock