Winning becomes habit for Eagles
Exeter will have many returning starters back from last year’s team
The Exeter Township High School wrestling team is getting used to winning. After many lean years, the Eagles have strung together a number of winning season, culminating in last years’s division title with a perfect 7-0 record. The Eagles finished fourth at the district tournament and got some experience at the state tournament. They would like to get back there this season and there is a good chance they will get back there.
“We are very excited to get started and hopefully continue our recent success with another trip to the state tournament as a team, as well as multiple state place winners,” said head coach Jonathan Rugg.
The team will have a lot of experience with most of the starters being returning wrestlers from last year. But there will also be a lot of freshmen and sophomores on the team. They may have to develop quickly if the injury bug hits the Eagles.
The good news is that the Eagles have a lot of talented wrestlers coming back from last year’s team., wrestlers who had some success at the post-season tournaments. They will be back to form a tough team to beat this year. They will also be good mentors to the younger wrestlers on the team.
The team will be led by team captain Brett Kulp (senior) and Austin DeSantio (Jr.), a pair of state medalists who are back for their senior seasons. Kulp is hoping to become Exeter’s first three-time state medalist this season. Last year he was a county and sectional champion, a regional second place finisher and a fourth place finisher at the state tournament.
DeSantis as back after winning a fifth place medal last year. He was a county, sectional and regional champion as a sophomore. He got the 2015-16 season started on the right foot when he participated in the prestigious super 32 tournament where he placed second.
“Austin is the hardest worker in the room and leads by example,” said Rugg. “We expect big things from Austin at the state tournament this years.”
Anotther team captain will be James Harkness. He was also a state qualifier last year after being a county runner up, a sectional champion and a third place finisher at the regional tournament
“James, Brett and Austin have been pushing each other and with the three of them wrestling with each other every day, they are all going to improve,” said Rugg.
Also come back will be two year starter Tyller Bagoly (Jr.). He was a county and sectional runner-up last year, and a regional qualifier. He has worked hard over the off-season and will jump up to wrestle at 160 this year. In the offseason Bagoly wrestles freestyle and Greco style and placed sixth in Fargo, North Dakota.
“We look for Ty to solidify the middle of our line-up and take his first trip to the state tournament,” said Coach Rugg.
Scott Schaeffer is another team captain who was a regional qualifier last year. He is a three-year starter coming back fro his senior season..
“Scott has been a hammer for us in the upper weights for three years,” said Rugg. “As some of our younger wrestlers continue to improve in the upper weights, scott has been the constant that drives the work. He is a tireless competitor who has a motor that just doesn’t stop and we expect big things from Scott this year.”
Oscar Daniels is a two-year starter for the Eagles at the heavyweight class. After a losing freshman season, Daniels won 33 bouts last year and just missed a trip to the regionals.
“Oscar committed to getting better this off-sea- son and has added a lot of muscle while continuing to compete,” said Rugg. “We look for Oscar to be the anchor at the top of our team and get his first trip to the state tournament.”
Rugg is excited for his team and has high expectations. He has a talented team who have been wrestling together for a long time.
“The team’s two or three years together is the strength,” said Rugg. “We are a team, in every sense of the word. These guys have been wrestling together since elementary school and are very close with each other. When the practices are tough and in those tough winter months, you have to have your best friends next to you willing to push each other and make it fun, that’s exactly what this team does.”
Yes, the expectations are high for this team, and they are certainly hoping to repeat as division champions at the very least. They have the talent to do that and more. But Rugg isn’t countying his chickens year. He knows his team still needs to improve.
“We need to improve in all three phases of the sport,” said Rugg. “The bottom line is that this team has very lofty goals, and these goals will be accomplished in the practice room each and every day while we prepare for competitions. I think the biggest thing for us to improve on is winning close matches, we did a decent job of that last year, but lost too many close matches in the individual post-season which ultimately kept us from getting to or placing at the state tournament.”