Winter Preview: Park Hill South Wrestling

If there’s one theme this year’s Park Hill South wrestling senior class has followed over its previous three seasons, it has been their determination to improve upon the previous year. Last year, that meant following the school’s first conference title in 2011 with a second in 2012, later sending the most qualifiers to state they have in program history (8), which resulted in a ninth place overall team finish. With the bar set high, the 2012-2013 Panthers hope to go above and beyond once again.

“We have a good senior group and they’ve been doing well the last three years for us. This group has always wanted to do better than they did the last year, so I hate to say what that is this year,” Park Hill South coach Dan Dunkin said. “Obviously, we want to be in position to push for a trophy at state. We won conference last year and want to give Park Hill a go at it this year.”

State runner-up and team captain Chase Gray will return to pursue a state title he came so close to with his 47-6 record last season.

“He wants to be a state champion now. There are two guys coming back in that weight class so it won’t be easy,” Dunkin said. “He wrestled real well last year to get to the finals and it’s going to be tough.”

Park Hill South will return five other state qualifiers including Alex Fortuna (120), George Barth (126), Jimmy Carpenter (132), Adam Weatherly (152), and Kendric Cook (170). Several were able to win first round matches before falling in later rounds. Fellow seniors joining them will be Tyler Blythe, Alex Weatherly, Logan Gillespie, and Erik Elder.

Dunkin says another added advantage of having a strong senior class is the competition it breeds among less experienced wrestlers. Nasser Baroqua, Daniel Gray, Kaleb Lenhardt, and Zach Horton are just some expected to step into roles this season.

With Park Hill and Lee’s Summit West within their conference for 2012-2013, the Panthers know the competition will be tough, but also have the leadership to guide them through it.

“Our schedule didn’t get easier,” Dunkin said. “But our kids are comfortable and we’re not going to lay down either.”