Falcons still team to beat
Daily Messenger, Canandaigua, NY
December 13, 2000

Full Text: Copyright © 2000 Canandaigua Daily Messenger.
Reproduced with the permission of Messenger Post Newspapers.

The Finger Lakes West heads into the wrestling season a little lighter, but that shouldn t prevent South Seneca from repeating as league champions for a third time.

The Falcons are once again the squad to beat in the seven-team league, which lost Mynderse to the FL East in the offseason. Bloomfield and Red Creek are also out of the league this season because the schools lack the number of wrestlers to cover enough weight classes to fields squads.

The smaller schools are having trouble getting kids out, Marion coach Tim Bantle said.

For some teams its tough to survive without a youth program, said South Seneca coach David Poulsen. South Seneca s youth program has been feeding the school s junior varsity and varsity squads for 10 years.

We have about 40 to 50 kids in the youth program so we have the numbers, Poulsen added.

South Seneca has gone 18-0 the past two years in league meets en route to back-to-back league titles.

South Seneca looks like they will have one of the best teams (in the league), Bantle said.

Poulsen admits he s been blessed this season to have a good mix of young, eager wrestlers, and experienced, mature upperclassmen. The squad consists of six seniors, two juniors, five sophomores, five freshmen, and one eighth grader.

Here s a team by team look at the league:

Dundee Scotsmen

Head coach: David Larmouth, 21st year.

Last year: 1-7 league, 1-7 overall.

Key returnees: 171 Jed Mochamer (sr.), 215 Bob Plattner (sr.), 189 Rob McMillan (sr.), Chris Vanderpoel (sr.), 275 Jeff Schneeberger (sr.).

Key newcomers: 145 Courtney Muolo (fr.).

Key losses: none.

Returning starters: 5.

Notes: Larmouth returns to the Scotsmen after coaching the varsity team from 1969-89. The veteran coach said he returned because of the strong senior class, which is led by league all-star Mochamer. ... Dundee has a small team with only 10 wrestlers and has very little in the lower weight classes.

Lyons Lions

Head coach: John Lawson, 11th year.

Last year: 5-4, 7-4.

Key returnees: 130 Shawn Joseph (fr.), 145 Sean Allen (so.), 135 Victor Ubiles (sr.).

Key newcomers: not available.

Key losses: 215 Matt Horton, 189 Mike McClouth, .

Returning starters: 5.

Notes: Joesph was a second-team all-league last season as a sophomore. ... The Lions have only three seniors on their 27-man roster. Fourteen of the wrestlers are freshmen. ... Ubiles is the only returning starter who is a senior.

Marion Black Knights

Head coach: Tim Bantle, 2nd year.

Last year: 3-6, 3-6.

Key returnees: 130 Andy Hartnagel (sr.), 181 Ian VanNorman (sr.), 215 John Boerman (sr.)

Key newcomers: 171 Mike Fioco (jr.). 145-152 Adam Casper (so.), 119 Andrew Alspaugh (fr.), 145 Joel Bantle (fr.).

Key losses: 140 Matt Alampi, 160 Jamie Pentland.

Returning starters: 3.

Notes: The Black Knights are loaded with freshmen and sophomores on their 21-man roster after losing seven seniors to graduation. ... Injuries have left the team short-handed to start the season, but Coach Bantle anticipates the team being at full strength after Christmas break. ... Hartnagel is a third-year varsity wrestler. ... Joel Bantle makes his varsity debut after a strong JV effort last year.

Red Jacket Indians

Head coach: Ray Nurse, 24th season.

Last year: 5-4, 6-8.

Key returnees: 125 Andy Eagley (jr.), 130 Tim Foster (sr.), 140 Mike Reader (jr.), 171 Darin Rodgers (jr.), 119 Shawn Sadler (soph.), 171 Carl Whitaker (jr.), 127 Micah Yott (jr.).

Key newcomers: 125 Brad Butler (jr.), 135 Austin Blair (jr.).

Key losses: 145 Tony Foster, 130 Tom Baker.

Returning starters: 7.

Notes: Andy Eagley took second in the FL West Tournament last season and finished as a second-team all-league selection. Eagley was 22-9 overall. ... Tim Foster was third in the Class D Section V tournament. Foster was 20-13 overall and honorable mention all-league.

Williamson Marauders

Head coach: Kurt Laird, 1st season.

Last year: 6-3 league

Key returnees: 160 Shad Horn (sr.), 125 Jim Gibson (jr.), 160 Geoff Osborn (sr.).

Key losses: Albert Manuel, Alden Hommer, Paul Clarke.

Returning starters: 5.

Notes:

Sodus Spartans

Head coach: Vaughn Petersen, 6th season.

Last year: 8-1 league.

Key returnees: Alden Akins (soph.), Scott VanLare (sr.), Tom Fuchs (jr.), 275 Chad Carver (soph.), 112 Abe DeBadts (soph.), 119 Chris Hansen (soph.).

Key losses: 130 Aaron Hillyard, 145 E.J. Paton, 135 Dan Williams.

Returning starters: 5

Notes: Scott VanLare and Alden Akins were league champs last season and Tom Fuchs was a runner-up. ... VanLare was a Class C Section V runner-up. Akins finished fourth in the sectionals.

South Seneca Falcons

Head coach: David Poulsen, 10th season.

Last year: 9-0, 14-2.

Key returnees: 112 Rick Warner (fr.), 171 Davin Erickson (sr.), 130 Brent Ellis (sr.), 140 David McCheyne (soph.), 171 Aaron Coleman (sr.), 152 Dustin Martin (sr.).

Key newcomers: not available

Key losses: 189 Nick Caslin, 215 Steve Jasikoff

Returning starters: 12

Notes: Already this season, McCheyne is 7-0 with six pins in dual meets against Auburn and Waterloo ...Brent Ellis is also 7-0. ... Ellis, Aaron Coleman, Davin Erickson, Dustin Martin and Rick Warner were all first-team all stars last season. ... Second teamers who return this season are Tim Beers, Jeff Erickson and John George. ... Poulsen is 86-18-2 overall at South Seneca.