Inexperienced Tigers hungry for success
Northwestern could have a few wrestlers make deep postseason runs.
Will Dellicker saw what a state champion looked like on a daily basis. He watched former Northwestern teammate Caleb Clymer dedicate himself throughout his four-year career that ended in March with a gold-medal presentation on the awards stand at Hershey’s Giant Center.
“We saw what kind of work it takes to go that far,” Dellicker said.
Harrison Bernhard knows what the experience at the PIAA championships are about.
“It’s a great atmosphere,” Harrison said of the four times he’s been to the state tournament to watch brothers Jackson and Quentin compete.
“So many people come from far away to watch. You can feel the quality of the wrestlers is greater [than anywhere else].”
This March, Bernhard and Dellicker would like to be competing in Hershey rather than spectating.
Between now and then, those two and their Northwestern teammates have a long climb.
Coach Jim Moll’s four best wrestlers graduated, leaving a younger, inexperienced group.
It has tempered expectations early, but there is no talk of a rebuild here.
“They have been a coachable group for the most part,” Moll said. “They ask a lot of questions, which I like. They are willing to try new things, not just stick with what they’ve always done.
“As long as they work hard, they’ll be fun to coach.”
Northwestern could end up with a couple of holes in its dual-meet lineup in addition to a few first-year varsity wrestlers in there, which may make it difficult to get back to the Colonial League team tournament.
Stranger things have happened, however.
The lineup
Freshmen Eli Dellicker and Mason Brensinger likely will be at 113 and 120, respectively, to start the year.
Junior Jake Dellicker, a returning district bronze medalist, should be at 126 with junior Anthony Russo back in the mix after breaking his collarbone as a freshman and being on the JV team last season.
“Starting with Jake up through 170, that’s where we have the most experience,” Moll said.
Sophomore Blake Brunner also will in the 132 mix followed by senior Donovan White, sophomore Ben Griffith and freshman Sebastian Pagan at 132-138.
Harrison Bernhard, who won 23 matches last year, is at 145.
“As far as work ethic, [Bernhard] and Will Dellicker are great examples,” Moll said. “Donovan White has probably been the leader in the room so far. He’s really stepped up.”
Ryan Haas is back after two years off. He will be in the 160-170 range. Senior Will Dellicker, junior Ryan Havercamp and junior Tyler Watson will be working up through 195.
Moll is searching for a 285-pounder.
The schedule
Northwestern begins its season at La Salle College High School’s tournament on Saturday before opening Colonial League action next week at Palmerton.
The Tigers compete in two more tournaments in December: X-Calibur at Wilkes University on Dec. 15-16, and Liberty’s Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic on Dec. 28-29.
“When the goal is to go far in the postseason,” Will Dellicker said, “it’s better to have tougher competition in the regular season to get you prepared for the kind of athletes you’ll face.”
Northwestern opens the 2019 portion of its slate with a trip to Notre Dame-GP on Jan. 2, then gets Wilson, Southern Lehigh and Catasauqua in an eight-day span later in the month.
Moll’s club has two January tournaments: Whitehall’s Zephyr Duals on Saturday, Jan. 5; the Coal Cracker on Jan. 25-26 at Panther Valley.