BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports Report
There’s a buzz in the Wyalusing mat room as they have high hopes for the upcoming 2025-2026 season. They boast several returnees from a team that ended last season strong, and the Rams hope that carries over to this year.
“Last year we finished second at North Sectionals, so that was big,” said coach David Patrick. “Once we finally got guys back healthy, we got guys in the proper places for the line-up.”
They expect to have a full line-up this year with some depth at the upper weights.
“We’ve had a lot of wrestle-offs from 152 up, so that’s a nice benefit,” Patrick said. “I think it keeps everybody sharper, nobody’s getting anything for free. And those lighter weights that there isn’t a wrestle off, mostly like they would have been the leadership anyway, but it changed the dynamics of the room.”
They boast six seniors that will be the backbone of the team, especially with Isaiah Harvey, Cole Patrick, Reuben Kinney, and Jonathan Earle.
Coach Patrick notes that they’ve been very active leaders so far this season.
“It’s been something on my mind, telling them in the past, and some of the other guys in the past, that it’s good to be a silent leader, but sometimes you need an outgoing leader,” he said. “Cole’s been working the last six months on doing a wrestling mindset program - it wasn’t something I asked him to do, it’s initiative he’s taken. Someone has to step up, someone has to be a leader. They’re all leaders, but someone has to set the tone, so that’s a big change.”
Patrick battled through injuries last year and dropped out of the district tournament after finishing second at North Section a year ago at 139 pounds.
He plans to start the season at 139.
“It’s tough, it’s a grind,” Cole said about those weights. “But it’s whatever you’ve got to do, you’ve got to do.”
Cole has been every this off-season to get ready - the weight room, the United Training Facility, down training at Wyoming Seminary as he’s done a lot of off-season wrestling.
Harvey went 31-12 last year at 114 pounds as he was fourth at sectionals, and took fifth at districts as he finished up his season at regionals.
“I’ve been lifting and running a lot,” Harvey said. “I’ve been doing a lot of good stands, good defense then re-attacks off their offense.”
He plans to be at 121 this year.
“I’ve always been a lower weight, I feel like it’s just easier for me to maintain weight,” he said. “A lot of guys that have been wrestling, they’re getting up there in weight. I haven’t really changed, so I’m wrestling all the new guys coming up, a lot of freshmen.”
Kinney had his first winning season last year, going 17-15 as he took fifth at sectionals at 160 pounds.
He plans on dropping to around 145 this year, which is closer to his natural weight.
“I’m decent size for a 145-pounder so it’s kind of nice to not wrestle a lot of guys that are a lot stronger than me,” said Kinney. “I got a little stronger, so that’ll definitely help.”
Earle has been a staple of Wyalusing’s line-up since his freshman year with three straight 20-win seasons. He was 29-13 a year ago after taking third at sectionals, and seventh at districts to finish up the season at regionals.
“I have a good feeling about this year,” he said. “It feels good knowing I’m right there. I’ve just got to build on it a little bit, work hard, and reach my goals.”
He’s been in the weight room to get bigger, faster, stronger this season, along with staying in good position.
“Not coming out of stands, not letting people get to my legs, just getting in the way of their shots,” Earle remarked. “Just cut down on mistakes because I’m out of position.”
Coach Patrick’s motto this year has been less is more when it comes to technique.
“It is just refinement,” he said. “It is understanding the basics, and getting these kids to understand their number ones, how they get into their number ones. If anything it’s boiled down more to more basis than ever. Refining those things, and developing habits - it just becomes a part of you. So that’s been our biggest thing right now.”
On the team front they want to bring the NTL title back to Wyalusing.
“I think we should definitely be looking for an NTL, and be back in Milton this year, for sure,” Cole said, noting their veteran line-up. “It’s nice not having any super new guys so we can kind of jump right back into where we left off at.”
For Kinney, if they can get that first goal of an NTL title they believe the sky is the limit.
“After that, we’ll see what happens.”
ROSTER (Grade)
Logan Wood (9)
Austin Jones (9)
Isaiah Harvey (12)
Bostyn McMicken (11)
Sullivan McCracken (9)
Cole Patrick (12)
Griffin Sheldon (9)
Jackson Fischer (11)
Marshall Huston (10)
Zackery Davis (10)
Rueben Kinney (12)
Chris Smith (11)
Jonathan Earle (12)
Dominick Hadlock (12)
Holden Patrick (10)
Conner Earle (10)
Isaiah Mooney (10)
Greasy Vaow (9)
Ethan Vanderpool (12)
Daniel Fox (11)
Jesse Lamb (11)
Brenden Wells (10)
SCHEDULE
Dec. 3 vs Montgomery, 7 p.m.
Dec. 6 hosts Gary Woodruff Duals, 9 a.m.
Dec. 9 vs Troy, 7 p.m.
Dec. 12 at Athens, 7 p.m.
Dec. 16 vs NEB, 7 p.m.
Dec. 29 at Jim Thorpe Tournament
Dec. 30 at Jim Thorpe Tournament
Jan. 3 at Line Mountain Duals
Jan. 8 at Wellsboro, 7 p.m.
Jan. 13 at Canton, 7 p.m.
Jan. 16 vs Towanda, 7 p.m.
Jan. 20 at NPL, 7 p.m.
Jan. 22 vs Williamson, 7 p.m.
Jan. 23 at Ultimate Warrior
Jan. 24 at Ultimate Warrior
