Things are looking up for the Bradford High wrestling program.
For the first time in Mike Corignani’s now third year as head coach, the Owls will be able to field nearly a full lineup.
They will be young, but they are going to compete.
“Our numbers have doubled in the past year,” Corignani said. “We spent the last two years recruiting kids and now our numbers are starting to get there. Next year’s freshman class will be the same way.”
Youth will be served, that is for certain, as the Owls will feature eight freshman, two sophomores, one junior and two seniors.
Those seniors are Kyle Langdon and Jesse Banks.
Langdon, coming off a junior year missed due to a football injury, will compete at 220, while Banks will be at 182.
“Jesse wrestled in junior high and came back for his senior year and Kyle is back off of injury,” noted Corignani. “I have high hopes for Kyle, but its tough to make up that missed year.”
Sophomore Molly Frederick will be at 106, with Jeremiah Fitton and Jordan Achar, both freshman, at 120.
Corignani noted that Achar will likely bump to 113 once he makes weight.
Freshman continue to fill the lineup all the way up to the 152-pound weight class. Tyler Thompson, a mainstay in the program according to Corignani, will be at 126, with Michael McAvoy and Chance McGuire at 132, Matt Ashley and junior Caleb Leet at 138, Hunter Gray at 145 and Devin Abbott at 152.
“They’re looking good,” Corignani said of his young group. “They came in over the summer and worked hard. We’ve seen a lot of improvement over the summer with open mat time and stuff like that.”
At 170 will be sophomore Michael Frederick.
Corignani knows that with the youth of his squad it is still going to be a challenge, but he is excited nonetheless.
“We’re going to try and make every team work to beat us,” he said. “We’re going to take some lumps, but we’re no longer going to lose because we have to forfeit half of our matches. I can bump and almost make a full lineup. The only spot where we’re going to have a forfeit is heavyweight.”
The Owls open up today and Saturday at the Hickory Tournament.
They will be sending 11 wrestlers to the 20-team field and Corignani sees it as a good opportunity, especially for his younger wrestlers, to get out and compete right away.
And the future will continue to look bright, as Corignani and his staff will welcome another large freshman class next season.
“It’s really looking good,” Corignani said. “We have ten more eighth graders behind this freshmen class that all have been in the program for two or more years. Them coming up next year will continue to bring more stability.”
The schedule follows:
December
5-6 — Hickory Tournament
9 — At Port Allegany
18 — OSWAYO VALLEY
22 — At DuBois
27 — Warren Tournament
January
6 — At Smethport
13 — SHEFFIELD
15 — CAMERON COUNTY
16-17 — North East Tournament
20 — At Kane
22 — COUDERSPORT
27 — At Johnsonburg
February
10 — At Punxsutawney
12 — ST. MARYS
20-21 — Districts
28 — Regionals
March
5-7 — States
