Preview: Park Hill wrestling looks to defend title, again

Park Hill Wrestling will return a strong group of wrestlers to the mat for the 2010-11 season to defend their back to back state titles. While they lost a solid group of wrestlers to graduation that racked up high point totals for the Trojans over four years and four individual state titles last year, the returning varsity wrestlers will now be expected to make up for those points as they step in to fill leadership roles on the team.

The Trojans’ sole returning state champion, Bricker Dixon, will move up weight divisions from 112 to 125. Paxton Diblasi moves up from 103 to fill the void left by Dixon at 112. A state-runner up at 130, Russ Coleman returns at a lower weight class of 119. Senior Preston Crouse moves from 140 to 145 pounds after a third-place state finish last year. State qualifier Nolan Smith returns in the heavyweight division. Park Hill will look to this core group of returning wrestlers to lead the way towards what they hope is another run at a third consecutive team state title.

“We’re looking forward to and expect a lot out of those guys this year,” assistant coach Joe Gonier said.

Other returning wrestlers with varsity competition under their belt include Cody Goodwin (135), Nick Harper (152), DJ Dietrich (171), and Eddie McDonald (189). Newcomers include John Erneste (103), Michael Olsen (112), Noland Anderson and Ryan Hosford (160), Isiah Williams (171), and Travis Marcum (215).

While Park Hill Wrestling has been a powerful force in the state of Missouri over the last decade, it’s hard to tell early in the season how new athletes will perform in different positions, particularly freshmen. Park Hill’s Youth Wrestling program has alleviated this obstacle with many underclassmen coming into high school prepared and already familiar with the program. The first part of the season gives them a chance to get a lot of different kids a chance to see where they fit best and are most comfortable.

“We try people out in different spots in the first third of the season to see how kids react, but as the season progresses the lineup gets more consistent as we move closer to districts,” Gonier said.

Judging from the past, most of those shakeups will allow the top wrestlers to emerge which will prepare them well for those crucial tournaments at the end of the season. While talk will continue of the possibility of a three-peat at February’s state wrestling meet, one thing Trojan Wrestling fans can count on in the meantime is the emergence of a new, young group of top wrestlers in the area.