Charles Whisnand
The lineup for the Carson High wrestling team this season will be a matter of placing the right pieces to the puzzle.
While Carson is relatively young this season, it is also a deep and talented team. Dean Schmanski, who begins his second year as the Senators' coach, is challenged with coming up with the best lineup possible. That will take a considerable amount of juggling in many weight classes to make that possible.
Schmanski's task is made even more difficult by the new weight reduction rule, which effectively doesn't allow a wrestler with below seven percent body fat to compete without a doctor's clearance. The rule is known as the "seven percent rule."
"I love the idea," Schmanski said. "It takes away the old school mentality." That old school mentality has included placing wrestlers in rubber suits and not hydrating them properly in an effort to have them lose weight while not considering the wrestler's health.
Now when it comes to weight, Schmanski said "they have to lose it in a gradual, controlled pace. It's good for the sport. It's something that's really long overdue."
The Senators return three wrestlers who qualified for the NIAA 4A State Championships last year - Nick Shine, who placed second at state, Chris Ceccarelli and Eric Aguilera.
Carson returns two other wrestlers that qualified for state two years ago - Joe Roman, who just missed qualifying for state when he placed sixth at zone last year, and Joe Neiman, who missed last year with a back injury.
One key for the Senators will be to stay healthy. Along with Neiman, Micah Whitcome, Tyler Preston and Mark Graham were all among the wrestlers who have returned who couldn't finish last year because of injuries.
Carson also features a talented freshman class that has received much attention before they ever entered high school. The most heralded is Travis Lamborn, who could have likely placed at the state tournament last year as an eighth grader, and Robbie Bozin. Both placed in national competition last year.
There's also Owen Craugh. Lamborn, Craugh and Bozin already have wrestled several hundred matches. In addition, there's Kyle Banko. All four are starting for the Senators as they begin competition this week, so they could be known as The Four Freshmen.
The Senators' first test comes on Saturday when they host the Capital City Duals. Carson will have two teams in the tournament to replace the absence of Reno High. Reno scratched because the Huskies are playing for the state title in football on Saturday against Las Vegas.
Carson will effectively have junior varsity teams compete in three varsity tournaments as its JVs will compete in the Reed Roundup and Sparks Tournament as well.
Two other huge tests for the Senators will be the Reno Tournament of Champions, which features top wrestlers from across the country, and the Sierra Nevada Classic in Reno, which will feature top wrestlers from across the West Coast.
At the Capital City Duals, Carson will compete in a pool with Douglas, McQueen, Reed and Wooster. In the other pool will be Carson's second team, Galena, Livingston, Calif., North Valleys and Spanish Springs. The event will begin at 9 a.m. with the championship scheduled for 5 p.m.
The depth chart for Carson on Saturday will be 103 pounds: Craugh followed by Adam Carmazzi; 112: Graham followed by Derek Gates; 119: Bozin followed by Derek Giurlani; 125: Banko followed by Ryan Keeting; 130: Aguilera followed by Kevin Riggin; 135: Ahron Osheroff, who placed sixth at zone last year, followed by Daniel Scarbrough; 140: Neiman followed by Preston, Kyle Cahill and Brian Mustafa; 145: Lamborn followed by Cody Albee and Mike Xavier, a transfer from Spring Creek.
152: Jonas Schenzel followed by Seth Carter; 160: Loren Wooldridge followed by Whitcome; 171: Roman followed by Chris Moltz; 189: Ceccarelli; 215: Shine followed by David Cadwallader; heavyweight: Jason Klug.
The plan calls for Whitcome to move to 145, Wooldridge to move to 152, Lamborn and Neiman to be at 140, Aguilera to be at 125, Bozin to be at 112, Graham and Craugh to be at 103 and Osheroff and Preston to be at 135. Those weight classes could continue to be shuffled to allow more of these wrestlers to move into the lineup.
Many of the Senator wrestlers come from the Carson Bulldogs Club, which will help put on Saturday's meet.
Fallon could be the team to beat in the Northern 4A this year. "Fallon's going to be very difficult to beat," Schmanski said.
Among the other top teams along with Carson could be Galena and Reno. "Our goal as a team is top three in the North and top five in the state," Schmanski said.
Schmanski also said going unbeaten in dual matches is possible. It will be more difficult for wrestlers to advance to state this year. Only three wrestlers in each class will qualify for state this year as opposed to five last season.
CARSON 75, HUG 0
The Senators opened the season with a shutout win at Hug on Wednesday. Neiman won by pin in 19 seconds and Bozin and Ceccarelli also won by pin. Klug won 11-6, Roman won 9-2 and Wooldridge was able to pull out a 6-5 win.
Carson won the rest of the matches by forfeit. In exhibition matches, Moltz, Josh Martino and Carter all won by pin.
Charles Whisnand is the Nevada Appeal Sports Editor. Contact him at cwhisnand@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1214.