Members of the Pioneer wrestling team are from left, front row, Sadie Napier, Jake Neumeier, Xavier Pierce, Aspen Cameron, Eli Trbovich, Brock Neal, Jesus Martinez-Cortes and Ava Ater; second row, Isaak Ricker, Henry Sivillo, Zach Yates, Owen Crabtree, Pryce Watson, JJ Bay, Nick Finke, Josh Proper, Reece Chapman and Carson Greiner; third row, coach Matthew Hammons, coach Michael Jurek, Andrew Heisler, Damon Hay, Austin Preston, Will Heisler, Dominic Kroninger, Oliver Byerly, head coach Tony Watson and coach Nick Christopher. (Photo submitted)
Jonathan Alder wrestling coach Tony Watson has a plethora of talent returning to the mats for the 2020-21 campaign.
The top veteran is senior three-year letterman Reece Chapman, who posted a 44-7 record.
Chapman qualified for the Division II state tournament a year ago.
The event, however, was canceled due to COVID-19.
Two-year veterans include juniors Owen Crabtree (26-18), Nick Finke (13-12) and Pryce Watson (25-15).
Those who have earned one varsity letter include seniors Zach Yates (8-12), Josh Proper (36-11 and a 2018 state qualifier) and JJ Bay (6-12); juniors Jesus Martinez-Cortes (5-11) and Henry Sivillo (5-11); and sophomores Eli Trovich (28-15 and a district qualifier); Damon Hay (36-11 and a sectional placer); Xavier Pierce (30-16 and a district qualifier), Aspen Cameron (20-10), Andrew Richey (5-23), Carson Greiner (18-12) and Oliver Byerly (37-14 and a district qualifier).
Newcomers to the roster include junior Will Heisler, sophomore Austin Preston and freshmen Andrew Heisler (Hwt.), Dominic Kroninger (210), Ava Ater (132), Sadie Napier (106), Isaak Ricker (152), Jake Neumeieer (140) and Brock Neal (140).
“Our strengths are having a lot of returning experienced guys,” said Watson. “We have a great mix of old and new.
“We have a lot of great athletes and people on the team,” said the coach. “The combination of our coaches’ experience and great parents gives us the ability to get a lot accomplished.
“We do, however, lack some depth at some weight classes.”
The Pioneer coach said the squad would face a season of uncertainly as a result of the ongoing coronavirus.
“I think our goals are going to move and change at times this season and we have to be willing to change with them,” he said. “Our biggest goal is just to push ourselves to be better athletes and to work as hard as possible on a daily basis.
“We want to strive to be better than we thought we could be by challenging ourselves daily,” said Watson. “I know I’d like to see us make the academic All-Ohio team and truly make our team a family atmosphere. “If we can do all those things, our wrestling goals and success will take care of themselves.”
Watson said the Pioneers’ main goals are to win matches in the postseason and claim a Central Buckeye Conference championship.
“We know Graham is in our way for the CBC and we’re striving to make that the best battle we can along with all the other talented teams in the CBC,” he said. “We definitely hope to win our division, but we know to do that we’re going to have to battle with London and the other teams in our division.”