Spartan Starting Line Up Set for Season Opener

Wrestle-Offs Determine the Starting 14, Varsity Practice Squad

     With the completion of Friday's wrestle-offs, which were started on November 17th, the Spartans have finally set their line-up for the season opener at Tuscarora High School.  Not only have the 14 starters been chosen, the majority of the varsity room - those that will travel with Varsity and attend dual events - has also narrowed, with only a few positions still being fought for.

     Below is the starting line-up for the upcoming weekend...

106 - Timmy Brown - Sophomore - returning to the Varsity line-up with an additional 8-10 pounds, Brown went undefeated to earn his spot at 106 lbs.

113 - Tyler Corbo - Sophomore - also bulking up in the off season, Corbo is officially a 106lber, who went 1-1 in a close match to Brown, but will continue to challenge week after week to gain the 106 spot.

120 - Dennis Chan - Junior - a part-time Varsity wrestler last year, Chan went 2-0 with a 5-0 victory in his first match and a pin in his second.

126 - Alex Kimberl - Sophomore - an unexpected winner who won a tough match and steps up from the JV roster last year for his first official Varsity start!!  Follow along to see how he does in his first weekend!

132 - Mauricio Ballon - Junior - Ballon defeated 2 opponents, Mauricio locked up the 132 spot.

138 - Robert Owens - Junior - Owens earned the starting spot through default but will keep the spot until he is challenged and defeated.

145 - Tarkan Martin - Senior - Martin was not able to attend the 138 final match and defaults to 145, but will be unavailable for the first week due to SATs.  Martin will challenge Owens for his desired spot of 138 this coming Wednesday.

152 - Zach Fossett - Junior - following a year off due to concussion symptoms, the Spartans are excited to see what Fossett can bring to the mat and are hoping for big things this season. Posting two wins along the way to his spot, Zach has looked tough in the early going.

160 - Clayton Shepherd - Senior - in one of the Spartans deepest weight classes, Shepherd came out the winner and has looked fantastic and much improved from the off-season work that he has put in.

170 - Logan Shain - Senior - coming off football season as the starting MLB, Shain returns and has looked tough at 170 through the first 3 weeks with a much improved work ethic.

182 - Connor Bryant - Junior - while officially challenging for 170, Bryant cannot legally make 170 until next week, and will challenge for it then.  In the meantime, Bryant has grown stronger and is ready to hit the mat.

195 - Unknown - currently an open weight class for the Spartans, but should be filled later when people are down to weight.

220 - Phillip James - Senior - also coming right off the football field, James takes the starting 220 position for the first week and looks to use his additional Cross-fit style personal training to defeat his opponents.

285 - Ewen Riordan - Sophomore - getting the chance to move to the Varsity ranks, Riordan will become the starting HWT for the Spartans and will be experienced to a new world after a year of JV last season.

Other Varsity Members 

Diego Loya - currently a 220, Loya is working his way down to 195 for the season.  
Derrik MacBeth - looking to fight for a spot in the 160 lb weight class this season.
Alejandro and Rogelio Vasquez AKA "The Vasqui" - two of the most dedicated people in the program and looking for battle for spots at 126 and 132.
Alex West - coming into his sophomore year and looking to stay in the room and compete for a 160 or higher spot.
Jacob Contreras - pound for pound one of the strongest in the room and hoping to be able to break out at 160 or 170 this season.
Matt Nguyen - another sophomore who will challenge for the 152 spot and a portion of the incredible depth in the middle weights.
Edward Polanco - a sophomore with strength and size looking to prefect his technique to help the team out at 170 or 182.

Fighting For Positions

Battles still rage for the last 3 positions in the room and will be decided Monday.  Challenging for the spots will be...

132 - Tamir Batmend v. Ben Paul - Tamir is a sophomore with good hip instincts against Ben who has an unstoppable motor.  Should be a great match.

138/145 - Chris Lamboy v. Anthony Wills - Due to incredible depth in the middle weights, there is just not enough room for both.  This will be an ongoing challenge between these two and it should be exciting to see who comes out on top from week to week.

145/152 - Burak Ocak v. Ramsey Hammad - again affected by roster depth, these two also will battle for a practice spot in the varsity room almost on a weekly basis.

     By the end of Monday, the Varsity 24 will be selected and Broad Run Wrestling will be on its way to create the best competition team for duals and tournaments it can establish, and from the looks of it, the team should live up to its mantra; SpartanStrong.  Who will rise up from the JV squad to steal a spot?  How will people train to keep their spots firmly in their grip?  That becomes the interesting part, and the storyline to follow as we progress through the season.

     Be sure to check back for all the updates on the season and notes from the Coach all season long.