Charlie’s fight
Bunting back from the emotional depths of his freshman season
Charlie Bunting already was sitting on disappointment for two weeks at the end of last March’s PIAA Wrestling Championships when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
A nationwide lockdown ensued, keeping Bunting from moving forward emotionally after what transpired to end his promising freshman season at Nazareth.
A broken right hand kept the talented 106-pounder, who had state title aspirations, from advancing out of the District 11 tournament.
“I felt like I was in a state of depression,” Bunting said. “I was down about myself.
“When Corona started, I started to break down mentally.”
Bunting watched as Nazareth rolled to team titles at the District 11 and Northeast Regional tournaments and nine teammates qualified for states (five of whom medaled).
For those couple of weeks, there was genuine joy in seeing his friends succeed, knowing how hard they worked.
“He handled it like most mature seniors,” Nazareth coach Dave Crowell said. “Henever felt sorry for himself. He wasn’t moping, but I know he was hurting.”
The freshman’s emotional pain came to a head in the spring.
“One night I went to bed and was like, ‘I’ve got to start changing things,’ ” Bunting recalled. “I was crying for a good couple of hours.
“I’m like, ‘This is my lifestyle. I’ve got to change it around and get to work.’ ”
Bunting began training again, finding partners including Nazareth teammate Drew Clearie, whowas in Bunting’s shoes three years earlier. Then a freshman, Clearie tore miniscus in his knee and missed the postseason.
The two were part of a group who went to Dark Knights Wrestling Club in Stroudsburg several times a week to train.
Bunting went to Ohio State to work with Nazareth legend Sammy Sasso. And, he went to as many tournaments as he could in the summer.
In the fall, he, Clearie and others continued to train wherever they could despite COVID19 cases rising.
“I’m feeling way better now,” Bunting said. “I feel like I’m way better with the improvements I’ve made since I broke my hand.
“Obviously, all the goals are at the end of the season. I want to have a great season and end it better with states, team states.”
Bunting and his Nazareth teammates walked into the wrestling room Monday for the first time this year — 17 days after the first allowable date — ready to make something of the 202021 season. Then came Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement on further restrictions.
The defending PIAA Class 3A team tournament champion Blue Eagles know nothing is guaranteed, so they must stay focused each step of the way between workouts nowand the state tournament in March.
Several of them experienced a roller-coaster ride to a second consecutive District 11 Class 6A football title in the fall that included an unbeaten regular season followed by a COVID-19 scare that had them out of the playoffs then back in.
“Everyone is going through the same thing,” Clearie said. “We have it lucky. We have it good compared to 90% of this world.
“We’ve got to find the good in the bad.”
That’s what Bunting did through all the tears on that lonely spring night.
The lineup
Freshman Dominic Rizzotto looks like the leading candidate at 106 pounds.
After that, the Blue Eagles will use the next few weeks to figure out whogoes where in the next 11 weight classes.
Ideally, sophomores Bunting and Jake Doone plus senior Andreo Ferraina would occupy 113, 120 and 126. That would leave junior Ayden Rader and sophomore Dominic Wheatley at 132.
Juniors Vinny Hebel and Nick Foster will be somewhere between 138 and 160. Fellow junior Ryan Fairchild could be at 152 or 160.
Crowell’s dilemma begins at 172. He has four experienced, quality wrestlers at 172 and 189: senior Joe Capobianco, who is coming off a stellar football season; senior Drew Clearie, the team’s only returning state placewinner and Brown commit; sophomore Sonny Sasso and junior Chase Levey.
One of them will bump up to 215 during the regular season and team tournaments, but then it becomes a 4-for-2 situation for the individual postseason unless one of them can make down to 160
Nazareth is the one area team hurt the most by the PIAA’s drop from 14 to 13 weight classes, with the gap created at the top of the lineup.
“We’ve never had that many good guys at the upper weights,” Crowell said.
Freshman Sean Kinney will push returning starter and fellow offensive lineman in football, junior Matt Burton, for the spot at 285. Neither will be moving down to 215.
The Blue Eagles
Coach: Dave Crowell, 18th year (550-138-1 overall, 275-80 at Nazareth).
Lastyear: 9-0 in ECP, 21-1 overall; EPC, District 11, PIAA Class 3A team champions; District 11, Northeast Regional individual tournament team champions, PIAA individual tournament team runners-up.
Top returnees: So. Charlie Bunting; Jr. Matt Burton; Sr. Joe Capobianco (District 11 fourth, Northeast Regional fifth); Sr. Drew Clearie (District 11 champion, Northeast Regional runner-up, PIAA third place); So. Jake Doone; Jr. Ryan Fairchild; Sr. Andreo Ferraina (District 11 fourth place; Northeast Regional third); Jr. Nick Foster; Jr. Vinny Hebel (District 11 third place); Jr. Ayden Rader; So. Sonny Sasso (District11 runner-up, Northeast Regional fifth); So. Dominic Wheatley.
Additions: Fr. Sean Kinney; Jr. Chase Levey (missed all of last season with an injury; 24-20 in 2018-19); Fr. Dominic Rizzotto. Subtractions: None.
Notes: They lost seven state qualifiers to graduation, many of whom were four-year starters. ... Jeremy Hartrum, a former Easton assistant and Wilson’s career wins leader, joins the Nazareth staff for this season.
The schedule
To be determined.