Young Knights’ squad prepares for 2009-10

Nov. 06, 2009

WAVERLY – Jim Miller could liken his 20th year at the helm of the Wartburg College wrestling program to that of an architect.

He can see the plans in front of him that may lead to another successful mat season. However, some building and arranging needs to be done beforehand.

“I think this year many teams, not only nationally, but also in the conference see us as a little more vulnerable,” he said. “That being said, we have a group of guys in the room that have really been working hard, though. I like this team, as it has potential to do some good things. We’ll just have to see how things shake out as the season progresses.”

Miller noted youth, and plenty of it, is available in the Walker Wrestling Room for the nation’s preseason No. 6-ranked team. Three All-Americans are all that is left of a team last season that rolled to a 15-2-1 dual record and kept the program’s vaunted streak of consecutive league dual victories and conference tournament titles alive en route to the school’s seventh overall and second straight national championship.

Senior 125-pounder Mark Kist of Eagle Grove, senior 133-pounder Matt Kelly of Dubuque, and junior heavyweight John Helgerson of West Union are all good building blocks to have for the Knights’ plan. The trio each took third at last year’s national championship tournament and was each in the finals of the league’s tournament a year ago. Wartburg will have to do without the services of Kelly until after Christmas but each of the three figures to play a prominent role in the 2009-10 campaign.

“Those are the guys we will look to for leadership in the room,” Miller said. “They have been through the wars before and know what it takes to keep us at the level we want to be.”

Miller’s weight-by-weight breakdown includes…

125 – Kist, the returning All-American, is the starter. He was ranked No. 2 on the preseason national poll. There is a strong battle brewing behind him with junior Gilberto Camacho of Fresno, Calif., and freshman Sergio Figueroa, a former all-state standout from Harvard, Ill., in the running.

133: Senior Sean White of Grand Junction, Colorado, will the early starter at his weight and has been part of the varsity line-up off and on for the past two seasons. His resume impressed the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III pollsters with a No. 8 ranking on the preseason poll. Sophomore Mike Kremer of Independence has looked tough as well and a couple of promising freshmen have chances here.

141: Kelly, upon his return, may be the early favorite here or go back to his original weight. Miller indicated junior Chris Sandy of Spirit Lake, who has been impressive, and freshman Cameron Wagner of Belle Plaine has turned some heads.

149: In-coming transfer T.J. Moen of Des Moines, a junior college All-American last season, is the early leader amongst a large group of individuals.

157: Another in-coming junior college standout, Carrington Banks of Peoria, Ill., will try and make the transition from two-time national champion and current assistant coach Aaron Wernimont a seamless one. Banks’ previous credentials, which include a junior college national title, earned him a No. 6 preseason ranking. Former 149-pounder Jacob Groth of Marshalltown is also a possibility after registering back-to-back 20-plus win seasons the last two years.

165: Junior Adam Weber of Gilbertville, a former national qualifier who sat out last season due to injury, will get another opportunity this season. Junior Brennan Drew of Gurnee, Ill., a 20-plus match winner a year ago, could find himself in the mix here or at 157.

174/184: Sophomore Ben Scott of Adel, who made a mark on the team as a freshman at 184 with some varsity competition, will be in the mix at the beginning of the upper weights along with junior transfer Todd Becker of Gilbertville who was part of the NCAA Division I Iowa State University program the past two seasons. Sophomore Dylan Azinger of DeWitt will get some opportunities at 174.

197: Sophomore Byron Tate of Clinton, a former Iowa high school state champion, will help increase the stock of the upper weights. He returns to the squad after earning Freshman of the Year honors last season. Tate is currently ranked No. 10.

HWT: Helgerson, ranked No. 3, will be a two-year starter with the beginning of the season. Beyond him, Miller’s options are multiple and include senior Michael Bucklin of Colfax; sophomore Dylan Wrage of Waverly; and senior David Wyper of Pennysburg, Ohio.

Wartburg’s schedule will force the youngsters in the room to be ready quickly. After three consecutive weekends of open action which will likely feature multi-divisional competition at each stop, the Knights put their 133-dual conference win streak on the line at Central College of Pella Tuesday, Dec. 1. The next night, Loras College of Dubuque, who was part of the NWCA’s preseason top 25, and St. John’s University of Collegeville, Minn., ranked No. 5, visit Levick Arena in the Wartburg-Waverly Sports and Wellness Center for the home dual opener on Wednesday, Dec. 2. The pre-Christmas schedule concludes with the always-strong field at the Dick Walker Invitational and the annual Knights’ sojourn to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Desert Duals.