Only two sports programs at Seckman High School have earned trophies in state competition: softball and wrestling. Softball owns the high-water mark, taking second place in 2000 and 2002. But the grapplers have the most trophies, with four.
The latest came back in February as the Jaguars placed fourth in the Class 4 tournament with 103.5 points. Seckman qualified nine wrestlers for Columbia and five earned medals, including state champion Kai Orine at 120 pounds.
Head coach Ryan Moyer said not much has changed for the Jaguars, who look every bit as capable of matching or exceeding last season’s lofty standard.
“The goal’s always to be in the top four teams at state,” Moyer said. “I think we have the same caliber of team to get us there.”
Orine is back for the final campaign of his exceptional Jaguar career. He was third as a freshman at 106 pounds, captured the state title at 113 as a sophomore and beat CBC’s Vincent Zerban in a bloody 8-7 decision for the state championship at 120 last season.
“That was the best high school match I’ve seen in a long time,” Moyer said. “It was a back-and-forth battle.”
Orine has a career record of 146-10 and is ranked in the top 10 nationally in some polls. He will go for his third state championship this season at 126 or 132, trying to join Brock Wingbermuehle as the only Jaguars to win three state titles.
It won’t be easy. Zerban is lurking out there again.
“We’re looking at Kai to repeat and get our other kids to that next level,” Moyer said.
The Jaguars will miss the graduated Cam Fusco, who was good enough to be a state champion but could never get past CBC’s Malik Johnson. The Cadet standout won four state titles at four different weights (106, 113, 120 and 126), beating Fusco every time. Their closest match was their last, 2-0 for the 126 crown back in February.
Jaguar junior Skyler Akers won 49 matches last season and finished third in the state at 106. He’s moving up to 113 this year. Sophomore Devin Haag, Akers’ backup last season, is sliding into the 106 slot.
Moyer said Akers wrestled in national tournaments in the offseason and is ready to take the next step and compete for a state championship.
“He wrestled in a really tough bracket last year,” Moyer said. “He’s looking for a state title this year and he’s got a good shot at it.
“Devin is really talented and has wrestled for a long time. I’m really looking forward to seeing what he can do this season. The last three years the guy who’s replaced the previous 106-pounder has won a medal the next year. I hope we keep that going.”
Senior Jack Wrocklage won 51 matches and pinned Francis Howell’s Josh Kyle for third place at 113 last season. He’ll probably settle in at 120.
Freshman Keagan Miller won a title in youth wrestling and is penciled in at 126.
“He’s not all the way to Cam’s level, but he’s definitely going to be a great kid and could be a four-time state qualifier for us,” Moyer said.
Fischer Valleroy, Zac Warren, Zak Hobbs and Nick Fingers are battling for the starting spots at 132 and 138. Junior Anthony Chellew, a state qualifier at 138 last year, is moving up to either 145 or 152.
“He’s a kid who was disappointed last year because we felt he was top six at state,” Moyer said about Chellew. “(He) just didn’t have (his) best tournament.”
Returning state qualifiers Gavin Moore, a junior, and senior Blake Fritz have both gone up in weight. Moore went to Columbia at 145 last season and will level out in the 152- to 160-pound range. After wrestling at 160 last year, Fritz, a two-time state qualifier, could wind up at 195.
“(Fritz) hit the weight room this summer. He’s going to be a factor in the placing area at state,” Moyer said. “I feel he’s on the verge of taking that leap.”
Senior Jeremy Ashlock was 45-14 and came in fourth at 170 last year. He’s staying at that weight and Moyer said he believes Ashlock has a great chance to get to the final round because of top competitors moving out of 170.
“It seems like everyone else is bumping up a weight class. He’s a tough kid and he should be just fine there,” Moyer said.
The Jaguars need to plug in new athletes at 160 and 182. Andrew Warren returns at 220 after just missing a trip to state last season. Joe Caluso is the Jags’ heavyweight (285).
Seckman will compete in the top tier of Suburban Conference teams, designated the Yellow pool, along with Eureka, Lafayette, McCluer North, Mehlville, Northwest, Parkway South and Lindbergh. The Jaguars were co-champions along with Eureka in the final year of the Suburban West Conference last season. The two teams met Wednesday, after the Leader deadline, in a dual meet to kick off the 2018-2019 campaign.
In this first season of girls wrestling, Moyer has 11 on his squad. Only one has previous wrestling experience, but Moyer said all of the girls seem dedicated.
“They want to learn. That’s the best part about it,” Moyer said. “They’re working their tails off. They want to enjoy and love this sport. In the end their practice habits will reflect on them. I’m hoping the community helps grow this sport.”
Senior Sarah Murray (103 pounds) and junior Lailah Carter (143) are the team co-captains and earned that role.
“They’ve been there all through preseason,” Moyer said. “They keep inspiring the girls and the coaches with how much they want to learn.”