With three wins and one loss already under the mat this season, Oxford Wildcat Varsity Wrestling Head Coach Paul McDevitt said the best is yet to come.
Although the team ended last season with an impressive 22-9 record, McDevitt said the upcoming season will be a challenge to the young team because even the four returning seniors haven’t logged a lot of time on the mat.
‘We’re basically coming into the season as a new team,? said McDevitt. ‘It will be fun to make a name for ourselves again.? .
McDevitt said Oxford’s Varsity Wrestling team is missing some ‘teeth? in the upper weights, but there are no weak spots anywhere in the lineup.
Returning seniors and team captains Kyle Oliver (215 pounds), Kyle Nieporte (160 pounds), Bryant Vielhaber (140 pounds), along with senior Matt Duncan (145 pounds), will provide strength as experienced leaders who have faced heavy weights like back-to-back state champion Lapeer West and the Holly Broncos, who follows close behind them.
At 215 pounds, McDevitt hopes Oliver, who is the only returning state-qualifier, will repeat his success and lead the team.
In the 2003-04 district finals, the team finished in second place behind powerhouse Lapeer West, while Oliver took fourth place for individuals and qualified in the regionals for state with a default win against Holly’s Aaron Shelton. At state, he took fourth place in the 215-pound class.
‘He’s shown a lot of improvement and I’m looking for big things from him in leadership,? McDevitt said.
Missing some heavy hitters in the upper weights may mean the team will take some lumps along the way, but McDevitt said it’s a situation he and his coaching staff have faced in the past.
‘It’s a young team with a lot of sophomores,? said McDevitt. ‘It reminds me of the team from 1999 where they started out shaky, but ended up going to state finals.?
The 1999 grapplers were also a young team with a lot of unknowns, who surprised the Flint Metro League by winning districts and regionals while making an outstanding showing at state.
‘We always seem to get the best out of our kids and this team is no exception,? McDevitt said.
As always, the team’s game plan is to encourage individual accomplishment, according to McDevitt.
‘It’s a fun team to work with because we don’t have any expectations, any known names,? he said. ‘No matter how we wrestle we’re a step ahead and that makes it fun to go out and make a name for ourselves.?
Next up for the grapplers is the Oakland County Tournament, which starts in South Lyon Friday, Dec. 17 and ends the next day in Clarkston.