Ready to 'Rock' & Roll

Strong veteran nucleus and solid newcomers make Rocks contenders

BY ED WRIGHT
Dec. 3, 2009, 11:40 p.m.

  Salem's 2009-10 wrestling team is like a giant piece of clay, ready to be molded and refined in the coming months.

  But the squad's nucleus is just like the school's nickname: a rock.

  Spearheaded by a dynamic quartet of captains, Salem should prove to be a formidable foe from Saturday's season-opening tournament in Lake Orion until the all-important post-season late this winter.

  "From a team standpoint, I don't know where everybody's going to be yet," said Salem coach Greg Woochuk. "We have some kids that have some definite goals and they're working hard to reach them. They're doing what they need to do to be there at the end.

  "One thing that pleases me the most is that they're taking care of things outside of the wrestling room -- their grades, their families -- so that when they come in here, they can focus on wrestling.

  "This is going to be a fun year because we have a lot of talent. It's just a matter of how hard we work that talent."

  Woochuk said the influx of young wrestlers is one of the most talent-laden he can remember seeing in recent years.

  "We have some young kids coming into the program that have more match experience than Jeremy Henderson had when he was a state champion," said Woochuk. "That's because of the middle-school programs that have been developed. Because of all the kids coming in with experience, we can change our expectations."

  In some respects, the Rocks will only go as far as their captains -- Jimmy Gross, Blake Abbey, Chris Sweet and Adam Turner -- take them. The quartet offers a wealth of on-the-mat skill and off-the-mat leadership.

  "It's a great group of captains," emphasized Woochuk. "Jimmy is coming off a solid year and he has an amazing work ethic. Chris Sweet has an incredible passion for the sport.

  "And Blake Abbey's resume -- not just in wrestling but in all facets of his life -- speaks for itself. Whether it's being a captain for the football team, a captain for the lacrosse team, an Eagle Scout. . .he's just an exceptional young man. We're looking for Adam Turner to give us some powerful leadership skills as well."

  Among the other seniors Woochuk is looking to for consistent contributions are Devin Stratton, who will start the season at 130 pounds; James Middleditch, Brad Sugg and Joe Williams, whose every-day effort earned strong praise from Woochuk.

  "Joe is one of those kids that if he were a four-year wrestler, he would have been a captain," said Woochuk. "He boosts everyone's morale around him by the way he works and the way he carries himself. He's a great athlete who I think could really blossom this year on the mat."

  The Rocks' top underclassmen is 112-pound Nick Kim, a state-qualifier as a sophomore. Woochuk also noted the rising skills of Josh Marhofer (145 pounds), Dylan Hatcher (140 or 145) and Nick Giannini.

  Sophomore Austin Rohn and junior Cody Mandelka are also making marked progress, in their coach's estimation.

  Four freshmen -- Danny Kemp, Austin Banfield, Alex Arble and Tony D'Agostini -- should also have a say in how the team fares this season, Woochuk concluded.

  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or info@plymouthcantonsports.com.