The start of Wrestling Season

This year, we'll have two wrestlers competing, Kyle and now Tanner. Here's a write up of the high school program:

UA wrestling team appears deep and solid

By CHRIS GALOSKI

Published: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 9:06 AM EST

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Whether it's labeled confidence or bravado, self-reliance or self-assurance, the sport of wrestling demands it.

So Grant McCormick, Upper Arlington's third-year coach, is out to imbue his grapplers with a can-do -- a will-do -- attitude.

"You've got to believe," McCormick said. "It's one thing to say, 'I can go with those top guys.'

"It's another thing to step out there and say, 'This is my mat, you've got to take it from me.' "

Year No. 2 of the McCormick era was a start in that regard, but that's all the former University of Pennsylvania and Ohio State wrestler sees it as -- a beginning.

"It was a good season, one where I felt like all the kids lived up to their expectations and abilities," the coach, a UA graduate, said. "So that's good, but I also feel like that's kind of missing the point.

"It's about pushing the envelope, stepping out beyond yourself, beyond what you think you're capable of. But I thought from a program standpoint, it was a really positive year. We had a good group of seniors both on and off the mat."

Half a dozen of those senior starters wrapped up their careers, but six first-stringers remain, including two-time Division I state qualifier Kevin Drake (135 pounds). Drake will bump up to 145 or 152 and share captain duties with senior Kyle Frost, a Central District tournament participant who bounces from 130 to 152.

Frost himself may have qualified for state had he not grown two inches over the course of the season, and been hampered by the increasingly difficult weight cut. After all, he did defeat three of the district's four state entrants.

"One of the most rewarding things as a coach is to watch them grow into leaders," McCormick said of his two captains. "They're not naturally vocal leaders, both are lead-by-example guys.

"But they're learning when to pick their times to get on teammates, when to give them a hand to help them up. They're really starting to get that. I feel like their teammates are really starting to respond."

Among the most responsive are their class of 2009 peers: Karic Cecutti (130-135), Connor Boyle (135-140), Alex Kaps (171) and Ben Johnson (189), coupled with junior Ryan Pidcock (112-119) and sophomore Connor Pitman (103-112).

All hands on deck will be needed to fight the good fight in the triple-barrel Ohio Capital Conference Central Division, which is home to state players Central Crossing, Hilliard Davidson and Hilliard Darby.

"My focus is on improvement. That's my definition of success," McCormick said, tempering thoughts about the league's importance, yet by no means dismissing it. "Because that's something I can measure Kevin and Kyle with, and something I can measure freshmen with.

"How much did you improve? If both improved a ton, then I've done my job and you're going to be a dang good wrestler."

UA's first self-analysis comes in the Lee Spitzer Golden Bear Invitational at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.

"I feel really good about this team," McCormick said. "I feel like there's no easy outs. In the past you could kind of pencil in six points (for a pin) in spots for other teams. I don't feel like that's the case this year.

"We've got a chance to really put some points up in a few weight classes; we're solid. We've got good team depth, if anybody does go out with an injury. There's enough competition in the room where we'll have kids wrestling on JV that would be varsity wrestlers on other teams."

"I feel really good about this team. I feel like there's no easy outs. In the past you could kind of pencil in six points (for a pin) in spots for other teams. I don't feel like that's the case this year."

--Grant McCormick