WRESTLING PREVIEW

WRESTLING PREVIEW

2008-09 Season Preview by Weight Class

125 pounds
Kyle Labrecque (Battle Creek/Lakeview) kicks off the lineup with experience, as he returns as a three-year starter for the Comets. Labrecque will battle with sophomore Adam Wilson (Battle Creek/Harper Creek), who has dropped from 133 pounds. Providing depth for the Comets at 125 this season will be four freshmen, including two-time MHSAA Division I placer and finalist Justin Fleeson (Belleville), Evan Cusumano (Armada), Chas Burtchett (Hartford) and Louis Piszker (Lincoln Park/Gabriel Richard).

133 pounds
Former MHSAA state champion Blake Gardner (Mount Morris) returns as a third-year starter at 133 pounds. Gardner has collected nearly 50 wins in his last two seasons in the lineup, and he will be pushed this season by former station champion Blair Mellish (Silverwood/North Branch), as well as freshman Corey Mykolatis (Three Rivers).

141 pounds
The Comets will be experienced and strong at 141 pounds in 2008-09, as senior three-year letter winner Rob Yahrmarkt (Sparta) and sophomore sensation Vince Tucker (Clio) will battle for varsity time. Yahrmarkt has been a regular in the Comet lineup since 2005, and Tucker is a former three-time state champion who burst onto the college scene with an impressive season in 2007-08 at 149 pounds. The two will split time this season and will assure that 141 pounds is one of Olivet’s stronger weight classes. Also competing at 141 will be freshman Max Smith (Sturgis).

149 pounds
Moving up from 141 pounds to 149 is junior returning starter Ben Hitchcock (New Lothrop/Montrose). A former state champion and three-time placer for powerhouse Montrose, Hitchcock will vie with junior Nick Leon (Sterling Heights/Henry Ford II) for the varsity position. A talented freshman will also be in the mix at 149 pounds, as state runner-up Steve Mena (Martin) will look for mat time. A wildcard at 149 may be Central Michigan University transfer Blake Birmingham (Battle Creek/Pennfield), who could appear anywhere in the Comet lineup from 149 to 165 pounds.

157 pounds
Jason Brew (Sparta) burst into the Olivet College lineup as a freshman and quickly collected outstanding wrestler honors at the first two collegiate tournaments he entered. Since then, there has been no slowing down. Brew, who Head Coach Todd Hibbs describes as the hardest working wrestler he has coached at any level, carries 90 career victories into his senior season, along with the experience of having wrestled to a national runner-up finish in 2007-08. He will share time with Birmingham, two-time senior letterwinner Nick Wolf (Charlotte/ Olivet) and two-time state placer and state finalist Jordan Dusseau (Erie/Mason).

165 pounds
Probably the most wide-open competition for starting honors for the Comets in 2008-09 will come at 165 pounds. Senior Greg Jarratt (Centreville) brings experience and a pair of varsity letters, but a talented group of underclassmen are also set to challenge. Senior Joey Desrochers (Nashville/Mapley Valley), sophomores Jim Neal (Marysville), Justin Jaynes (Richmond) and James Zerebiny (Westland/ John Glenn) along with freshmen Eddie Manier (Westland/John Glenn), Trevor Tyler (Roscommon) and Caleb Norville (Mishawaka, Ind.) all have the talent to potentially capture starting honors.

174 pounds
Kyle Vanderhyde (Sparta) enters his senior season as one of the most decorated wrestlers in Olivet wrestling history. As a freshman, he notched 31 victories for the Comets, then followed his performance by overcoming surgeries during each of the next two seasons to finish second and fourth respectively at the NCAA Division III National Championships. A remarkably strong and smart competitor, Vanderhyde will look to continue etching his place in both Comet and NCAA Division III wrestling history in 2008-09. Giving him a rest at times will be sophomore Joe McAllister (Sault St. Marie).

184 pounds
A strong and powerful athlete who is poised for a breakout season, junior Joe Bargerstock (Livonia/Churchill) demonstrated his high-level ability last year by finishing third at the Midwest Regional and barely missing the finals. Providing depth at 184 will be sophomore Ryan Connors (Ann Arbor/Pioneer) and freshmen David Firlik (Southgate/ Gabriel Richard) and Andrew Hein (Westland/John Glenn).

197 pounds
There is plenty of experience poised to enter the lineup at 197 pounds this season. Junior Joe Yurisich (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) has been the regular starter the past two seasons and has notched some key wins. Still, senior Aaron Stewart (Dansville) has returned to the Comets after a military tour in Iraq and will battle Yurisich to be the front man. Two other viable 197s are senior Joe Troncone (Macomb/ Centreline) and sophomore Aaron Sullenger (Alpena).

285 pounds
Returning starter Sean Misko (Casco/Richmond) and three other Comet football players – sophomore Jason Weatherspoon (Napoleon) and freshmen James Kelly (Westland/John Glenn) and Colin Madden (East Kentwood) - will join the fray at heavyweight once the pigskin season is over. In the early season, junior Andrew Middleton (Romeo) will handle the duties.