When he glances up and down his 2016-17 roster, Londonderry High School wrestling coach Jason Cucolo sees a bunch of talented, battle-tested, and determined grapplers looking to add onto their impressive wrestling resumes between now and the end of the Division I season in March.
The rather significant problem which Cucolo and his charges face for the second season in a row, particularly in dual meets, is that there aren’t quite enough of them.
The Londonderry High contingent – which posted a fine 16-9 record last winter – may wind up handing over as many as 18 points in forfeits to dual meet opponents because it won’t have competitors in at least a few weight classes.
“We’ll need to focus on individuals getting better each day,” said the coach. “We will have three to four forfeits, so like last year winning duals will be a challenge.”
Londonderry finished a very solid fifth overall at the D-I championship meet last winter and a strong eighth out of some 36 teams at the Meet of Champions. The talented Timberlane Regional Owls won both of those championships, but the Lancers had numerous wrestlers medal at both competitions. And a bunch of those grapplers are right back in the LHS fold this season.
Impressive veteran stars Mahdi Achab and Ryan Cabezas have graduated, but their fellow medalists Tyler Byrd, Drew Chase, and Colin Reardon (seniors) all return as do Craig Santos (a junior) and sophomores Ben Psaledas and Dave Donnelly, all of whom claimed medals with their intense work in tourneys earlier this calendar year.
Senior Sammy Achab – younger brother of Division I champion Mahdi – also comes back having collected vital match experience in the past.
Coach Cucolo also sees a significant amount of promise in freshmen Blaine Hopkins, Brandon Drake, and Michael Watts.
When asked to state which teams Cucolo feels will be among the Division I front-runners this winter, the LHS mentor pointed to Timberlane, Concord, Pinkerton, Keene, and Nashua North.
The Lancers got their 2016-17 campaign officially under way this Wednesday, Dec. 7, after Londonderry Times press time by hosting the Nashua North High Titans.