Trojans squad will include five returning state qualifiers

Last year the Park Hill wrestling program opened up their season with several performances they weren’t satisfied with, but after recovering from some injuries and taking the right kind of lessons from those early obstacles, the Trojans went on to take first place in the district tournament, advancing nine wrestlers to the state tournament where they went on to take third place overall. For the 2011-2012 season, if it takes that kind of rough start to get where the Trojans did last year or better, they’re willing to roll with the punches.

“I considered it one of our better tournaments (state),” Park Hill coach Bill Erneste said. “I’d much rather struggle in the beginning than the end, the team peaked at the right time and I think we’re in similar territory again this year.”

Park Hill welcomes back state qualifiers Nolan Smith, Connor Shene, Russ Coleman, Paxton DiBlasi, and John Erneste this season along with junior Nick Harper who was one match away from a state appearance. Joining them will be Isaih Williams and Malik Coulding, two athletes who have moved up through the program and now hope to have their chance. The Trojans will feature three talented freshmen in the lower weight classes with Colston DiBlasi, Ke-Shawn Hayes, and Hunter Roberts. With the introduction of new expanded weight classes this year, many of the weights wrestlers will settle into have yet to be determined.

The Trojans will be tested early with three tough tournaments on their schedule including their own Park Hill Duals, the Walsh Jesuit Tournament, and the Kansas City Wrestling Classic. All three will give the Trojans steep competitive, but Erneste believes it gives them an advantage at the end of the season.

“The first three weeks are pretty brutal. I want to make sure our guns get tested before we get to state, so you have to make sure they’re there first,” Erneste said. “These national tournaments get them ready for state. I want the state tournament to feel to our guys as if it wasn’t the toughest tournament they wrestled in all year.”

Every Park Hill wrestler’s benchmark is a state championship and with their only state champ from last year Bricker Dixon graduating, there are several determined to step up to fulfill goals left unaccomplished last year. Smith finished fifth last year at state in the heavyweight division, Shene won a big match early at state but did not place, Erneste is looking to improve on his third place finish, and Coleman took second after battling through a knee injury before falling in the title match for the second year in a row.

“He (Coleman) hasn’t won it yet, that’s the number one thing for him, he wants his name on the wall, he’s not going to stop working, and not going to lose track of his goal,” Erneste said.

While the Trojans will be tested early against some of the region’s best, they know when it comes down to it the sport is often as much a battle waged against one’s self as it is their opponent.

“You’re going to see a lot of heart, that’s going to be the key to our season. I would say we are cautiously patient, but we think there is a bright light at the end,” Erneste said. “If they’re training the hardest they can and come into February with confidence, usually good things happen.”