Looking ahead to the 2022 season

Most everyone involved in area high school wrestling is more than ready to put the 2021 season in the rearview mirror.

Reduced rosters, defections and restrictions and postponements/cancellations galore were among the lowlights in the COVID-inflicted winter season.

So let’s look forward to 2022. Here’s a team-by-team look at what area programs have next season. This does not factor in wrestlers who did not come out in 2021 or quit during the season. Nor does it include junior high performers who will make immediate impacts. CLASS 2A

Bangor: Six return for coach Richie Smith, who has promising youth and junior programs that will be feeding the varsity the coming years.

Catasauqua: Eight returnees for Joe Russo’s Rough Riders, who endured a slew of injuries in 2021.

Faith Christian: State medalist Eric Alderfer is among eight returnees for coach Ben Clymer’s club.

Jim Thorpe: Seven of eight on the roster return for Shawn Albert.

Lehighton: Floyd Brown has seven returning starters, including Lukas Ferguson and Nick Zeigenfuss.

Northern Lehigh: Scott Snyder has four of six from this year’s roster back.

Northwestern: Jim Moll has 11 returning starters, including District 11 2A champion Dalton Clymer.

Notre Dame-Green Pond: Coach Matt Veres welcomes back 10 starters, led by state runner-up Brandan Chletsos, and will be the Colonial League, District 11 and PIAA favorite. Palisades: Nick LaFevre has only four returning starters, including Danny Haubert, from its Colonial League tournament title team — its first in program history.

Palmerton: Six of seven on the roster return for coach Justin Petersen.

Pen Argyl: Nine returning starters will be there for the coach who takes over for Jason Grim, who was not rehired after nine seasons. The 2021 campaign was brutal for a program that started with 25 on the roster and ended with nine.

Salisbury: All four on the roster return after they combined to win two of every three matches.

Saucon Valley: Chad Shirk also returns 10 starters, including state fourth-place finisher Jake Jones, and will be a factor throughout the individual and team postseasons. Tamaqua: Two-time state medalist Nate Wickersham is among those moving on, but six starters return for Jim McCabe’s team.

Wilson: Six starters return for coach Tom Mertz, who will be in the second season of a rebuild.

CLASS 3A

Allen: Eight starters back for Keith Smith’s Canaries. Bethlehem Catholic: Jeff Karam has nine returning starters, including state champ Tyler Kasak, plus a couple of state-level freshmen expected to be in the mix. If the Golden Hawks can grow or find a couple of upper weights, they will be in the team state tournament title conversation with 2021 champion Waynesburg Central.

Central Catholic: Three starters return for John Bolich. Two of the graduates are headed to military academies. Dieruff: Only two returnees for Jordan Glykas’ club. Easton: Jody Karam will have another year to work with his alma mater and nine returning starters.

East Stroudsburg North: Wayne McIntyre and Evan

Raposo lead seven returnees for Matt Hogan’s team.

East Stroudsburg South: Randy Litts has six starters back. Emmaus: Thad Smith has eight returning starters, including leader Nick Velde.

Freedom: Nine starters back for Dante Terenzio, including leaders Connor Bevan and C.J. Horvath.

Liberty: Javien DeLeon leads nine starters returning for Brandon Hall’s club.

Nazareth: Dave Crowell expects 11 starters back in the fold, including state runner-up Sean Kinney and fellow state medalist Charlie Bunting.

Northampton: Seth Lisa has state medalists Carson Wagner and Dagen Condomitti among his eight returning starters. They’ll still be young, but tough again.

Parkland: Jon Trenge has 10 starters back as the rebuilding program looks to end a drought without a District 11 champion.

Pennridge: Eight starters return for coach J.T. Lewis as the Rams continue their rebound.

Pleasant Valley: Seven return for coach Justin Micklos. Pocono Mountain East: Second-year coach Mike Hollar will have eight returning starters back as the program continues its upward climb as it builds toward a full lineup with some promising youngsters.

Pocono Mountain West: Kevin Kloiber has nine starters back as the Panthers seek to qualify for the district’s team tournament.

Quakertown: Kurt Handel has 10 returning starters back as the Panthers make a run at a sixth consecutive Suburban One League division title.

Southern Lehigh: Nine returnees for Brenton Ditchcreek’s Spartans.

Stroudsburg: Sean Richmond has nine underclassmen returning, though state champion Lenny Pinto and state medalist Josh Jasionowicz are not among them.

Upper Perkiomen: Brandan Rozanski leads seven returning starters.

Whitehall: Tim Cunningham has nine returnees, including Melquan Warren and Xavier Arner.