WOODWARD — Fourth-year head coach Dave Smeltzer summed up the motto for his Woodward-Granger wrestlers this year as “On a Mission.”
“We have a couple of wrestlers who I expect to be on a mission this year,” Smeltzer said. “Race Brant is a two-time state qualifier who is looking at getting on the award stand (at the state tourney), Tanner Vermaas is a junior who qualified for districts last year and sophomore Austin Scharlau also qualifed for districts — those two are looking at qualifying for state.”
W-G posted a dual record of 17-7 last season and hope to raise that impressive mark even higher despite the loss of four seniors.
Smeltzer is unforgiving in what he expects from his matmen.
“My expectations of my wrestlers is always giving 110 percent at all times and for both individuals and the team to finish in the top three of all tournaments we are in as well as being conference champions,” he said. “I also expect our guys to advance to districts and then to state.”
The team has already shown a strong work ethic, which Smeltzer believes will be rewarded by results on the mat.
“I believe hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” he remarked. “I have a group of seniors that are team captains and have great leadership skills and the kind of work ethic are younger guys look up to.”
Twenty-five grapplers will battle for varsity spots this year. Like all coaches, Smeltzer wishes for a larger squad, but admitted he was pleased with what he has seen so far.
“I have many guys that will be stepping it up this season,” he said. “Aaron Sperling, Ty Turner, Race, Tanner, Austin — those are just a few of them.”
Smeltzer stressed that the lineup remains in flux before the start of the season.
Tae Calderon, Dilynn Lewiston and Hunter Pierce appear in the running at 106 pounds, with Dillon Fogarty at 113 while Turner, Colt Palmer and Ryley Saxton will battle for the 120 and 126 spots.
Gabe Yingst and Cole Carman are at 132 and Logan Palmer at 138, with Jordan Pierce, Josh Saak and Travis Schieltz hovering around 145.
Brant will likely go at 152, with Scharlau and Sperling in the 152 and 160 range as well. The 170 spot may go to Griffen Gibbons or Jabin Hunziker, with Vermaas at 182 while Thomas Govig could wrestle at 195.
Jacob Kepford and Cole Moran figure to be in the mix at 220 and heavyweight, with Wyatt Rosenbaum, Andrew Soelberg and Payton Tague also vying for spots at a variety of weights.
Watching the Hawks in action will require one road trip after another this season, as a triangular with Colfax-Mingo and Pleasantville to open the season Dec. 1 and the annual Field Invitational Dec. 5 are the lone home dates on the schedule. A visit to Panorama Dec. 3 is also on the slate for the opening week of the campaign.
Smeltzer praised the help he is receiving from assistant coach Jay Gohn, a former W-G state qualifier, and from Colton Milosevich and Brent Carlson, both state qualifiers Smeltzer had taken to Des Moines as head coach.
“As a coach I consider success in different ways: having a kid get his first high school win, having the team be competitive in duals and tournaments and having guys advance to state,” he said. “The ultimate goal would be coaching one of the guys to being Woodward-Granger’s first state champion.
“I guarantee that our guys will push their opponents, win or lose,” Smeltzer concluded. “That is all I can ask of them. If they give me 110 percent I will proud of them, no matter the result.”
