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Gibsonburg wrestlers, from left, Madison Jaso, Hugo Villarreal, and Brad Mendoza look to help the Golden Bears successfully defend their joint league tournament crown in February.
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City League/TAAC wrestling: Gibsonburg at top of class

THE BLADE/LORI KING

City League/TAAC wrestling: Gibsonburg at top of class

Start also has experience to win title

Wrestlers from the City League and Toledo Area Athletic Conference have built a competitive camaraderie the past couple years.

Nine schools have formed a joint league tournament in which the teams involved have expectations of growing stronger and more competitive with each season.

In the meantime, there are a couple of programs that have an edge on the rest of the bunch.

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Defending tournament champion Gibsonburg stands out as one of the top programs and the Golden Bears, even with only one senior on the roster, are picked as the favorite in the City League/​TAAC joint league preseason coaches poll to win this season’s league tournament scheduled for Feb. 18 at Rogers.

“We’re a young group, but we definitely have a lot of potential,” Gibsonburg coach Greg Spoores said.

“We’re hoping to have some underclassmen step up and shine this year.”

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The Golden Bears received 69 points, and Start was picked to finish second after receiving 62 points in the poll.

Northwood was a distant third with 50 points, followed by Woodward (48), Bowsher (44), Scott (41), Waite (35), Rogers (20), and Toledo Christian (17).

Gibsonburg is the tournament’s defending champion for a number of reasons.

For starters, returning state-placers Madison Jaso, a 182-pound senior, and Hugo Villarreal, a 145-pound junior, provide plenty of leadership on a team that returns five starters.

Both finished eighth at state and are focused on finishing even better this year.

Neither had suffered a loss this season entering the week. Jaso stood at 5-0, and Villarreal was 6-0.

“It’s not easy to get down there to state and get on the podium once, and they’re both trying to do it again,” Spoores said of Jaso and Villarreal. “They have yet to be tested this year.”

Brad Mendoza, a 170-pound sophomore, is also expected to excel after placing second in league competition as a freshman.

“Brad was a really solid freshman. He wrestled up in weight class most of last year,” Spoores said.

“He weighs the same weight, but he’s wrestling at the right weight.”

Sophomores Brady Jaso (160 pounds) and Dylan Collins (106-113) showed promise as freshmen a year ago, and figure to be more comfortable on the mat this season.

In addition, Spoores’ son, Jarrett (138-145), and fellow freshmen David Garcia (120) and Jon Auld (145-152), provide the Golden Bears added depth from a group of young wrestlers who have wrestled for the Gibsonburg coach for nearly a decade.

“I expect my team to probably do well,” Spoores said. “We’re a little more established. We have eight freshmen on the team, and I’ve had them since starting back to Biddy — kindergarten to fifth grade.”

Start coach Justin Kruczkowski has perhaps the most experienced lineup that will contend for the joint league tournament title. Six of the 10 Spartans wrestlers are seniors.

Matt Huss (113), Jimmy Hudson (138), Tayon Roach (160), and Jared Cox (145) are returning district qualifiers. They are the anchors for the Spartans.

“We have a handful of hard-nosed guys that know what goals they want to achieve by the end of the year,” Kruczkowski said. “Huss and Hudson should lead the way, with the rest of the team giving support.

“Roach, Cox, and our heavyweights will help earn points also.”

Northwood coach Nick Encheff is working with a roster that includes four returning starters, including senior Trevor Mack (170), who was a state qualifier and league champion a year ago.

Sophomore Colton Falk (126-132) is a returning district qualifier and league champion who figures to be tougher this season.

Encheff is optimistic about a better showing this year, simply because his program has grown from five wrestlers last season to 13.

“We are very young, but athletic,” Encheff said. “If we do our job as a coaching staff, the future looks promising.”

Woodward also has 10 varsity wrestlers and could provide serious competition for the joint league title.

Seniors James Brown (152) and Calvin Smith-Hamilton (145) are three-year letter winners, and are being called on to lead an experienced Polar Bears lineup. Juniors Burrow Alexander (220) and Teontae Bailey (285) have also spent their share of time on the mat and are being counted on to make a difference for Woodward.

“We will be a competitive team this year with the experience we have returning,” Woodward coach Javar Thomas said. “Getting the new guys up to speed will be the trick to us competing for a league title.”

Bowsher returns seven starters from last year’s team, including top returner Jacob Skomer, a 145-pound junior who placed fifth in sectionals.

Rebels seniors Doug Rhine (182), Owen Rosebrock (275), and Glen Chambers (170) are also among the experienced wrestlers Bowsher coach Chad Wojciechowski will look to for leadership.

Junior Joseph Walton (138), a third-place finisher in the league tournament a year ago, could make plenty of noise for Bowsher, as well as fellow juniors Skylar Viengmany (126), Monjuan Walker (145), and Trenton Ervin (190).

Scott coach Roshawn Jones is working with a Bulldogs roster led by three returning district qualifiers, including Otha Jones (135-140), who was a league champion two years ago. Armone Belmon (130-140) and Chris Jones (132-140) are also looking to contend for league titles to help the Bulldogs’ cause.

Tajuan Dixson (140-150) and Juazarien Shoulders (126-130) have shown talent and determination, and could play a role in the Bulldogs moving up in the league ranks.

“We have a full lineup; very excited for this year,” the Bulldogs coach said.

Waite coach Nick Smith has a lineup that could end up among the league’s surprises. Seniors Octavio Ortega (160-170) and Kareem Wiltshire (152) lead the way for the Indians. Juniors Patrick Campos (145-152) and Robert Nadeau (138-145) have shown early promise this season.

Steady progress is what Smith is counting on seeing over the course of the season for one of the league’s least experienced groups.

“Some wrestlers are fairly inexperienced, still learning, and understanding the sport,” Smith said.

Rogers first-year coach Wyatt Vaughn has just more than a dozen wrestlers to work with, including three returning starters.

Senior Jason Phenix (182) is the most experienced of the bunch. Juniors Talor Sweeney (285), Adrian Hawkins (170), and Ghottie Jones (145) also have experience, along with sophomore Colton Morgan (138).

Toledo Christian coach Michael Geis has a roster of nine, including three returning starters.

Brent Schall, a 145-pound senior, is the top returner after finishing as a league runner-up last season. Maximus Dominquez, a 160-pound sophomore, placed fourth in the league tournament a year ago.

Senior Corey Butler (195), juniors Garon Beard (220), and David Hammack (160), and sophomore Dustin Carter (132) are looking to make their mark. Freshmen Bradley Geis (170) and J.J. Poiry (126) have shown promise.

Contact Donald Emmons at: demmons@theblade.com, 419-724-6302 or on Twitter @DemmonsBlade.

First Published December 15, 2016, 5:06 a.m.

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Gibsonburg wrestlers, from left, Madison Jaso, Hugo Villarreal, and Brad Mendoza look to help the Golden Bears successfully defend their joint league tournament crown in February.  (THE BLADE/LORI KING)  Buy Image
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