2000-2001 Season Preview

As Wilson enters its 45th year of wrestling, the Warriors are hoping that it will be their best ever. With a lineup brimming with returning starters, the goals that they have set are very high. But preseason polls being what they are, the 2000-01 version of the wrestling Warriors will have an all but impossible task meeting the expectations of many. Consider these overwhelming facts:

We have a very difficult independent dual meet schedule which opens up away with Nazareth. Three days later it gets much tougher when we travel across the street to challenge nationally #2 ranked Easton... and this only one week into the season! And (believe it or not) it doesn't get any easier.
Our team returns once again to the Delaware Winter Nationals (a.k.a., the "Beast of the East") Tournament. How tough is it? It was only voted the toughest tournament in the nation last year... so difficult that eventual District champion Wilson finished a mere 35th out of 49 schools.
We are entered once again in the always tough Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic at Liberty High School in late December. This tournament is so tough that a Wilson team has never finished any higher than 6th. What makes it so tough? How about the presence of #1 in the USA Blair Academy and #4 Northampton just for starters? Throw in Phillipsburg, NJ; St. Marks, DE; Milton, PA; Northern Lehigh; Freedom... to name only a few... and it's easy to see why.
We open the season with what has become a tradition here. The Warriors once again host their own Wilson Invitational Wrestling Tournament (7th annual) which includes top AAA schools from Districts I, III and XI.

All the same, the 2000-2001 version of the Warrior wrestling team is committed to improving on the tradition that was started some 45 years ago by then head coach Al Zarbatany in the fall of 1956. That team ended their season with a record of 2-3. A modest beginning, perhaps, but it was birth of a tradition that has grown and has earned respect for Wilson throughout the wrestling community. Zarbatany went on to coach for 15 more seasons. With 126 wins on his record, he remains not only the all-time winningest wrestling coach in Wilson wresting history but the one with the longest tenure as well (16 seasons). Since then the Warriors have amassed a total of 420 dual meet victories to their credit.

The Colonial League once again offers stiff competition for its member schools. Northern Lehigh is undoubtedly still smarting from having Wilson upset their bid to win three straight league titles. They have been ranked at or near the top of the state for the past three years and will be "reloading" once again this season. Bangor should be very strong as should Pen Argyl who, though they lost a few of their stars, should not miss a beat. Saucon Valley will be vastly improved as should several other teams. Our league has traditionally been the most balanced league in the east and 2000-01 should be no different.

The Warriors are led by state place winners Jr. Jeremy Hartrum (36-6) and Sr. Heath Lohrman (35-17). But this is only the beginning. Other seniors who are back for their final year include district runner up Justin Hartrum (31-11), district champ Ed Johnson (23-10), regional 6th Andrew Marsteller (27-11), and district 5th Mike Bertolino (20-12). The Junior class also has some outstanding individuals. Leading this group state qualifier Bryan Eckhart (15-9). But he and Jeremy Hartrum have a lot of company in district 4th Cory Garis (32-12), district 4th Nick Krecker (24-13), and Bob Frey (13-14). The Sophomore class is just as good with Ed Labatch (20-13), Eric Donaldson (10-17), district 5th David Iobst (13-16), and JV district champ (Tony Curto).

Both expectations AND challenges are high. Whether or not we attain our lofty goals depends upon the willingness of our coaches and athletes to work hard and to sacrifice. The season awaits... how we respond to the obstacles before us has yet to be seen. IT SHOULD BE INTERESTING!