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Bucks Open Wrestling Season
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| Yankton senior Paul Hunhoff scores a takedown during a match in the 2007-08 season. Hunhoff is one of several returning players for the Bucks, who open the 2008-09 season tonight at Sioux Falls Washington. (P&D File Photo) |
YHS Looks To Build On 8th Place Finish
BY MATT DAHLSEID
sports@yankton.net
The Yankton wrestling team has seen its record improve each of Ryan Hage’s first three years as the squads head coach. Following a 19-8 season and an eighth-place finish at the state tournament, the Bucks are hoping that trend continues into the 2008-09 season.
The team lost five seniors from last year’s squad. Four of those seniors placed fourth or higher individually in the state tournament, but with all that talent gone, Hage said Yankton should be strong yet again this season.
“Those seniors competed hard every single day,” Hage said. “Their leadership is hard to replace, but the guys that we’ve got right now are working hard and we’re going to be able to put a quality team on the mat.”
This year’s team will rely on its upperclassmen as well, especially the juniors. Eight of the 14 varsity weight classes are filled by juniors and two are by seniors.
“Our senior group this year doesn’t have quite as much experience as they’ve had in years past, however, our junior group is very talented,” Hage said. “They’re pushing the seniors every day and our seniors are pushing them every day.”
Even with the graduation of some talented wrestlers from last season, the 2008-09 Bucks will have multiple athletes who have competed on the big stage, as four of the wrestlers are returning state qualifiers.
Wrestling at 112 pounds, sophomore Mark Vetter may be Yankton’s best hope for an individual title. Hage said Vetter was six seconds from qualifying for the semifinals last season and has the drive to finish even better this year.
“He’s going to be looking to not only step up onto the podium this year as a sophomore, but he’s looking for the finals,” Hage said. “There’s no doubt about it; he’s looking to be in the final and he’s got the talent to do it.”
After qualifying for state last year as an eighth grader, Logan Smith is expected to rack up 20 or more wins at 119 pounds for his freshman campaign. At 135 pounds, junior Gabe Messler will try to get back to the state tournament, as will senior Paul Hunhoff, who will provide leadership for the team wrestling at the 160 pound weight class.
Hage said the team is still sorting itself out in terms of what weight classes everyone will compete at, but he said he thinks this year’s squad is capable of being the best team he has coached so far.
“A 20-win dual season is not out of the question for us, but it is early in the season for us and we have a few guys in weight classes that I don’t think they’ll finish the season at,” Hage said. “The sooner they get down to their wrestling weights, the better the team will be.”
To get to 20 wins, Yankton will have to do well in the competitive Eastern South Dakota Conference. The Bucks finished second in the conference last year to Huron.
Though Huron will be a favorite to win the ESD again this season, Hage said any of the eight teams have the talent to claim the conference crown.
“There is a lot of parody in the ESD,” Hage said. “There is no one team that really sets itself apart from any of the others.”
Before they set their sights on the ESD, the Bucks will open their season tonight at Sioux Falls Washington. Yankton finished ahead of the Warriors at the state tournament last season, but lost to them earlier in the year at the regional tournament that the Bucks hosted.
Hage said the experience of losing on their home mat adds fuel to an already motivated group of young men.
“We hosted the region tournament last year, and they beat us in our own house,” Hage said. “That kind of left a sour taste in a lot of the guys’ mouths. They’re looking to go out and avenge that loss.”
The team lost five seniors from last year’s squad. Four of those seniors placed fourth or higher individually in the state tournament, but with all that talent gone, Hage said Yankton should be strong yet again this season.
“Those seniors competed hard every single day,” Hage said. “Their leadership is hard to replace, but the guys that we’ve got right now are working hard and we’re going to be able to put a quality team on the mat.”
This year’s team will rely on its upperclassmen as well, especially the juniors. Eight of the 14 varsity weight classes are filled by juniors and two are by seniors.
“Our senior group this year doesn’t have quite as much experience as they’ve had in years past, however, our junior group is very talented,” Hage said. “They’re pushing the seniors every day and our seniors are pushing them every day.”
Even with the graduation of some talented wrestlers from last season, the 2008-09 Bucks will have multiple athletes who have competed on the big stage, as four of the wrestlers are returning state qualifiers.
Wrestling at 112 pounds, sophomore Mark Vetter may be Yankton’s best hope for an individual title. Hage said Vetter was six seconds from qualifying for the semifinals last season and has the drive to finish even better this year.
“He’s going to be looking to not only step up onto the podium this year as a sophomore, but he’s looking for the finals,” Hage said. “There’s no doubt about it; he’s looking to be in the final and he’s got the talent to do it.”
After qualifying for state last year as an eighth grader, Logan Smith is expected to rack up 20 or more wins at 119 pounds for his freshman campaign. At 135 pounds, junior Gabe Messler will try to get back to the state tournament, as will senior Paul Hunhoff, who will provide leadership for the team wrestling at the 160 pound weight class.
Hage said the team is still sorting itself out in terms of what weight classes everyone will compete at, but he said he thinks this year’s squad is capable of being the best team he has coached so far.
“A 20-win dual season is not out of the question for us, but it is early in the season for us and we have a few guys in weight classes that I don’t think they’ll finish the season at,” Hage said. “The sooner they get down to their wrestling weights, the better the team will be.”
To get to 20 wins, Yankton will have to do well in the competitive Eastern South Dakota Conference. The Bucks finished second in the conference last year to Huron.
Though Huron will be a favorite to win the ESD again this season, Hage said any of the eight teams have the talent to claim the conference crown.
“There is a lot of parody in the ESD,” Hage said. “There is no one team that really sets itself apart from any of the others.”
Before they set their sights on the ESD, the Bucks will open their season tonight at Sioux Falls Washington. Yankton finished ahead of the Warriors at the state tournament last season, but lost to them earlier in the year at the regional tournament that the Bucks hosted.
Hage said the experience of losing on their home mat adds fuel to an already motivated group of young men.
“We hosted the region tournament last year, and they beat us in our own house,” Hage said. “That kind of left a sour taste in a lot of the guys’ mouths. They’re looking to go out and avenge that loss.”
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| Gazelles Open Season With Runner-Up Finish |
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