By RYAN WALKER
The Southern Wells wrestling team opened up the season with a 30-28 loss to Daleville Thursday night at the Raiderdome.
Not only was it a fresh start with the first match of the year, but also some new faces. In addition to adding six more wrestlers to the roster to last year’s four, it was the debut for new head coach Jacob Duncan.
Prior to being named the head man of the Raiders, Duncan served as an assistant for his alma mater for the last two years.
The year before that, he was a graduate of Southern Wells in the class of 2020, so he’s known his team for a while.
“I actually went to high school with most of them,” he said after the match. “When I was an assistant coach last year, a lot of the seniors were freshmen when I had graduated, so I’ve known a lot of these kids for a long time, and it’s definitely nice to get out here with kids that you know. It makes you a little more comfortable when you’re starting off.”
He even said that taking the position at a young age was a little intimidating and apparently came with another problem.
“It’s definitely nervewracking only being 20 doing this, especially when I can’t even drive a bus until I’m 21.”
His first match lasted only a short time, wrapping up in less than 30 minutes due to forfeits by both schools and quick pins.
The only weight class that went longer than a period was the first of the night at 138 between the Raider’s Jarin Frauhiger and the Bronco’s Ayden Rameriez. Frauhiger got the night started with an 11-2 decision.
The rest of the Southern Wells winners were Brayden Jackson at 195 by pin, Bradon Enochs at 220 by pin, Peyton Long at 285 by pin, and Max Miller at 113 by forfeit.
With only a lineup with four last year, the Raiders were unable to compete on the team score most nights. They still have five more spots empty on the sheet, but they are growing in the right direction.
“That feels really good,” Duncan said about competing on the scoreboard. “Last year, I told the guys that we only have four (on the roster). You guys can’t expect to win. It’s kind of impossible to do with four guys. Last year we tried to focus on these guys just bettering themselves as individuals. This year, we’re trying to focus on each other as a team just as much as individuals.”
They’ve brought in four freshmen to the roster, and Meet Patel is the lone senior on the squad. Even factoring in forfeits and newcomers, they only lost by two in the first competitive team score in a while, but Duncan is looking for improvement.
“Definitely wasn’t the score we were expecting, but we worked hard. For some of these guys who have never wrestled before, and a lot of them being freshman and younger guys, I think they work their tail off, and I’m really proud of all of them,” he said.
Southern Wells is scheduled for their next meet at the Blackford junior varsity Invite starting at 5:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2.
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