Backed by the man-power of 60 athletes, with 35 of those returning, the Wildcat wrestlers have high hopes.

“Our realistic goal is to win the Division 1 state championship this season. We are definitely one of the handful of teams in the hunt,” said Head Coach Paul McDevitt.

The Wildcats have had a successful month so far, bringing them closer to achieving their goal.

On Jan. 4 the team took first place at a Quad held at Lake Orion. At a Jan. 11 double dual held at home, the team also defeated Clarkston by a score of 35-30.

While the team lost two all-state seniors from last year’s team, McDevitt said the team has 11 of 14 returning starters from last year’s state semi-finalist team, giving them an overall edge.

“Our biggest strength will be our depth… Our sophomores this year are a large and talented class, as are our seniors. Every weight class will have a talented, experienced wrestler in it. Our back-ups are pretty solid too so we can absorb injuries better than a lot of other teams,” said McDevitt.

Though the team is strong, McDevitt added that there is always room for improvement.

“We are focusing on improving in all facets of the sport. Our technique on our feet, on bottom and on top should improve as the year progresses. We also need to improve our toughness, strength and endurance,” said McDevitt.

McDevitt said seniors Jacob Call, Garrett Tyrrell, Vinny Vackaro, Ethan Moll, Dallas Winkelman, Byron Schlickenmeyer and Campbell Coker all serve as “solid contributors” to the team this year.

Whether or not the team achieves their goal of seizing a state title, McDevitt said he’s expecting a great season from the team overall.

“I am so excited for this season! Not only am I confident that we will compete for a state championship, but I am really looking forward to spending this season with these seniors. They have been such a great group to coach all the way through. Many of them have been starters all four years so we have become like a family,” he said.

The team currently stands 3-0-1 overall.

On Jan. 18, the Wildcats will go up against Seaholm High School (2436 West Lincoln) in Birmingham at 5:30 p.m.