Second-year head wrestling coach Jamie Miller and his Bradford High squad have their goal set for the upcoming season — winning the Allegheny Mountain Wrestling League championship.
Optimism has been running at an all-time high in the Owls training room this fall and it won’t take them long to find out just where they stand.
Bradford opens the season this weekend in Bloomsburg at the DKI Invitational.
“The tournament will be a good test of where we are to start the season,” Miller explained during his pre-season interview this week. “About 40 percent of the schools will be Triple-A teams with very well established programs. The tournament draws from across the state and there will be some really good teams.”
Miller noted that 20 schools are entered including Brockway.
A strong showing in the tournament will be a good indicator, but the league title is the ultimate prize.
“The goal for the kids and myself is to win the AMWL title,” stated Miller. “We went from eighth place up to fourth last season once we got rolling.”
Including Bradford, the league has all nine schools returning — Coudersport, Kane, Port Allegany, Johnsonburg, Oswayo Valley, Smethport, Sheffield and Cameron County.
“Port Allegany, Coudersport (defending league champion) and Kane will all be tough matches,” noted Miller. “Sheffield also has a way of developing inexperienced kids.”
The Owls’ coach is counting on nine returning lettermen to provide the nucleus that will make it all happen. Overall numbers (15) aren’t where he’d like but there is quality and experience.
A trio of four-year senior veterans anchor the group.
“At 132 we have Tyler Thompson. He was 34-9 and nine last season and needs 28 wins this year to make our 100 wins club,” Miller stated. “He was a state qualifier last year, but lost a real tough match one round short of the medals.
“Chance McGuire will be at 160 or 170 and he just never quits. He keeps digging and trying no matter what happens.
“We have Hunter Gray at 195 or 220. At the end of last year things started clicking for him. He’s also one of those guys who is working and digging every time on the mat.”
Four junior lettermen who Miller will be depending on are Dillon Keane (145), Jaron Ambrose (152), Kyle Hartman (170) and Austin McCracken (182).
“Dillon was a district champion and regional qualifier last year,” Miller noted. “Jaron lost a tough match in districts to come up a couple points short of making regionals. But his winning percentage last year was right up with best of them.
“Kyle finished over .500 last season in a tough weight class at 138. He lifted like a madman and put on the weight. Now at 170, he feels that’s where he fits in best in our lineup. Austin is another kid who just keeps working and strives to improve. When he first became interested in wrestling he was over the limit for heavyweight. He started dieting and working on his own. Last year he was at 220 and finished the season closing in on 182. Overall last year, he lost like 115 pounds and is keeping if off.”
Two sophomores complete the Owls returning lettermen.
“Colby Keane is at 138, and like his brother Dillon, wrestles year around,” Miller pointed out. “He wrestled at 126 last year, but that was pretty well stacked. He didn’t have the season he would have liked, but it was still pretty respectable. Like Jaron (Ambrose) he (Colby) lost one round short of regionals.”
Derek Sunafrank is pencilled in at 160 and spent much of last season as the Owls’ utility wrestler.
“Derek was a true 152 pounder last year, but we asked him to wrestle up as far as 170. That didn’t help his record but he did what we asked of him and he still finished well over .600 on the season,” said Miller.
Rounding out the team are seniors Tyler Benner (120), Matt Ashley (145) and Devin Milne (160); juniors Colton Fuller (170) and Nate Gehm (220 or heavyweight), and freshman Drake Hayden.
“Tyler wrestled in elementary school and decided he wanted to come back to wrestling this year,” Miller explained. “He’s been a ball of fire every day and is shaking off the cobwebs after years of not wrestling.
“Matt is a fourth-year wrestler, but moved away and then came back after wrestling in New York. He’s working his way back into our system. Devin will be in the second year of the varsity program. Colton is in his third year, and came over to us from basketball in 7th grade. He found out he loves it and has been with us ever since. Nate is in his first year in our program, but wrestled one varsity year in New York. He transferred here and had to sit for year.
“Our one freshman, Drake, wrestled in junior high and is coming off a very strong career. He made states in the junior wrestling program.”
The Owls were 6-9 last season, but the dedication and work this year’s team has put in rates high with their coach.
“As a whole, this team has come in every single day,” stated Miller. “They have put their nose to grindstone. They’ve pushed themselves and are constantly looking to improve themselves and the team.
“At 106 and 113 we’ll be giving up 12 points (forfeits), but the team concept in our training room has gotten worlds better. I have high hopes for this team even with the two openings at the bottom,” Miller added.
