The Observer, December 2, 2005
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12
Wrestlers excel with renewed confidence
Through four events, the Case wrestling team is off to a solid start. Last year, the team wrestled mostly without a full team, regularly forfeiting multiple matches. This year, they have a more complete team.
"Last year we could have won a lot more dual meets if we had those extra three to four guys consistently," Dawud Wilson said. "This year, when we get everyone healthy, we should not have any excuses."
In its first event of the year, the Messiah Invitational, the team managed second place out of eight teams. Drew Gardella went undefeated and took first place at 133 pounds. Russ Tischer also took first in his weight class, 157 pounds.
Case had two second place finishers as well, Thomas Sanders at 197 pounds, and Mike Sanchez at 165 pounds.
In the next two events, Case went 2-2. At the Baldwin Wallace Quad, Gardella continued to be undefeated, winning all three of his matches, as did Mike Sanchez. Case defeated Mount St. Joseph's and Waynesburg, 25-19 and 34-14, respectively, but lost to Baldwin Wallace, 23-18.
The team did not fare as well against John Carroll, losing 29-9. Gardella, Sanchez, and Thomas Sanders were the only winners for Case in that match.
The Concordia Wrestling Open, a large tournament, saw success from many of the usual suspects. Gardella broke his unbeaten streak but rebounded to finish third. Tischer and Sanders each finished fourth in their respective weight classes. Other wrestlers on the team wrestled well, but did not place.
The team's confidence is higher than it has been the last couple years.
"This team is definitely one of the most talented that I have ever worked with," Sanders said. "I look forward to seeing the younger wrestlers mature as the season progresses."
"These past events have been extremely impressive as a team," Nathan Klingensmith added. "Compared to last year, with the weights being filled, the team just has more synergy, and it is allowing us to accomplish many greater things."
Klingensmith attributes some of the team's success to the closeness of the competitors. "At the beginning of the season, we all shared our personal, team, and life goals for the season," Klingensmith said. "I feel that this was important because each person in the room now knows what everyone else wants to accomplish, and we can all work together to meet everyone's goals."
One of the pieces of advice that the coaches have reiterated was repeated by multiple wrestlers.
"My goal is to wrestle my match every single time," Wilson said. "As Coach Chris Nader says, 'If I wrestle my match no one can beat me.'"
Klingensmith reiterated that with regards to his outlook on this weekend's competition. "We have a saying on the team that I like: 'If I wrestle my match, no one can beat me,'" Klingersmith said. "I really like this phrase because it allows us to be in the right mindset before we do anything on the mat. And even if we lose, if we wrestled the way we wanted to wrestle, there are no bad feelings about the outcome of the match."
This weekend the team travels to Rochester, N.Y., for the Rochester Institute of Technology Tournament. Rochester is one of the teams Case will battle in the UAA conference, so this event will give the Spartans a good idea of where they stand.
The team is already confident about setting goals for the season.
"I expect the team to be at least UAA champs," Wilson said. "We have plenty of good wrestlers to do it."
Sanders set his personal goal to getting back to nationals, which he did last year. Klingensmith hopes to make Academic-All-American.
On the whole, the team is ready for the rest of the season.
"The first four events have told me that we have a real close, strong team, and every weight has tons of talent and potential," Bob Gavlak said.
