First-year Salem head coach Pete Israel takes the reins of a young but promising team. (Brian Abbey photo)

Young Rocks show promising
signs for new coach Israel

  Using the terms "new", "Pete Israel" and "Salem wrestling program" in the same sentence is kind of deceiving.

  Yes, Israel is the Rocks' new head wrestling coach, but he's been anything but a stranger to the program.

  In addition to serving as an assistant coach for 12 years, Israel wrestling for Salem before taking his mat skills to Eastern Michigan University.

  "I like this team," Israel said, assessing his current roster. "We have a lot of young talent. Now that we have the Plymouth-Canton youth wrestling club going, and we have middle school wrestling back, guys are more ready to step right into the line-up their first year with us.

  "We had a couple freshmen -- Pete Contos and Conner Thornbury -- who really stepped up in their first matches on Saturday."

  Israel said there's not one part of his line-up that is stronger than another.

  "Our talented is evenly distributed," he said. "Early on, I would have said it was going to be our lower- to lower-middle weights that were strongest, but we've had some good showings fro our upper weights, too."

  Leading the lower weights will be senior Nick Kim, an accomplished grappler who placed eighth at the Division 1 individual state meet as a sophomore before getting sidelined by an injury last year.

  "Nick has looked really good so far this year," said Israel.

  Stocking the lighter-weights along with Kim will be sophomore Alex Arble, Jordan Guy, Danny Kemp and Austin Rohn, all of whom will compete at 130 or lighter.

  "Alex, who will be at 103, went to team camp with us this year and has really developed his technique," said Israel. "Jordan and Cody will our both really tough kids. Danny also went to team camp and has really improved since last year, and Austin has been working hard."

  Thornbury and sophomore Riley Doxtader will both see time at 135 and 140, while Matt Lang has a hold on the 145-pound weight class.

  Contos and senior Josh Marhoffer will hold down 152, while sophomore Tyler Gross and senior Dylan Hatcher will give Israel solid options at 160.

  Junior Alex Brown is the Rocks' 171-pounder. Jordan Chou and Jacob McCabe will rotate between 189 and 215.

  Ali Ajami, a junior, is the Rocks' top heavyweight.

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