The Catawba Ridge Copperheads wrestling team is comprised of a combination of both youth and experience this season.
“We have a mix,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Nick Hansen. “We have five returners from last year and like seven new ones right now. They are working hard.”
Captains for this year’s team includes Jarret Eubanks, Jackson Rozelle, Levi Jones, and Clark Ostendorf, three of which are seniors.
“I feel like we have some good leadership with the captains this year,” Hansen said. “They are the ones we started with when we came on.”
Hansen said that the Copperheads are a better team in the heavier weights, with limited numbers in the lower weights. Eubanks is slated to wrestle at 190 pounds. Rozelle is penciled in at 157 pounds and Jones is listed as 144 pounds. Ostendorf is wrestling at 132 pounds.
Catawba Ridge is also bringing back experience in wrestlers such as Cole and Ryan Stukitz and Beau Nicoll.
Hansen said his expectations are to have some state placers this year, which is something that they have never had.
When it comes to team wrestling, Hansen feels his team will finish somewhere in the middle of the pack, but expects them to make a push as they get more mat time.
“I just want them to be competitive by the time the end of the year comes,” he said. “We will probably have three or four make a push by the end of the year. The goal is to get one person placed in the state.”
The Copperheads open the season hosting the Venom Duals Wednesday, Nov. 29 at Catawba Ridge High School. They are scheduled to participate in the Southern Slam and the Kingsley Classic, as well as the Milltown Duals during the season.
Much of their Region 3-4A dual meets are at home this season with their only region road dual being at South Pointe.
The Individual region tournament is scheduled to be at Indian Land in January and the Upper State individual tournament is schedule to be at Northwestern in February.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
