Salem High School's wrestling team is coming off several big wins. Beating Seymour and Madison and then placing first in the Super Six is just the start of what Coach Andrew McCoskey knows will be a successful season.
With last season's entire varsity roster returning McCoskey was certain that the team would be successful. There are 21 people on the team, consisting of five seniors, six juniors, nine sophomores and one freshman. The seniors are Harley Schocke, Blake Lohrman, Joel Altemeyer, Evan Bowling and Zayne Paulley. McCoskey said that this is the biggest senior class he has ever coached and possibly “the biggest senior class Salem has ever had.”
In order to be successful, the team has practices that start with a 2.5 mile run mixed in with weight training, before moving to the wrestling room for live wrestling. The team has put a lot of time on the mat working on wrestling moves.
McCoskey said, “The intensity of their practice schedule is second to none.”
All of the varsity seniors are doing very well this season. According to McCoskey, varsity is a force everytime they come onto the mat. The team’s wins over Madison and Seymour were their biggest wins so far.
McCoskey said, “To get victories over those programs shows massive growth and achievement.”
Paulley has been wrestling at Salem for six years. His dad loves wrestling and was a very successful wrestler in high school. This inspired Paulley to take up the sport. His dad started teaching him about wrestling when he was a young boy. Wrestling is his favorite sport because of the coaches, atmosphere and because it's difficult.
“There's no better feeling in the world than getting your hand raised after a match,” Paulley said.
Junior Brady Briscoe has been wrestling since the sixth grade and took up the sport since his dad is the coach. Wrestling is Briscoe’s favorite sport because individuals are responsible for their own success. He is proud to be a part of a team that is successful.
“Everyone should give wrestling a try. It brings out a new part of athletics that most sports do not have,” he said.
The Lions will wrestle in a county meet tonight at West Washington beginning at 6:30 p.m.
