Spindler
Returning District 2 champion Brody Spindler is among the many experienced wrestlers Pittston Area will take into a season in which it seeks to defend its Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 title.
The Patriots went 4-1 in the division a year ago with a head-to-head win over Wilkes-Barre Area, the other 4-1 team. With the depth and balance to be stronger as a dual meet team, the Patriots went 21-6, falling one win short of the school record for wins in a season.
“We came up one short,” coach Dave Krantz said after the team’s last dual, a win over rival Wyoming Area. “It was a nice year.
“It gives us something to shoot for next year.”
That time has arrived. The Patriots are set to open their season on Wednesday with a non-league match at Lake-Lehman, then head to Wyalusing Valley on Saturday for the Gary Woodruff Memorial Duals.
Spindler enters the season with 97 career wins and a wealth of big-match experience. He was 29-12 as a freshman; went 31-9 as a sophomore when he reached the district final and qualified for the state tournament; then improved to 37-5 last season when he won his district title at 215 pounds.
The Patriots are strong from top to bottom in their lineup.
Noah Gruber, another senior, won a pair of 285-pound bouts at the Class 3A Northeast Regional last season when Spindler won one. Gruber went 34-10 with a team-high 29 pins.
Pittston Area had nine wrestlers win more than 20 bouts, and seven of them return, including a pair of juniors and two sophomores.
As freshmen, Mikel Roman went 26-11 and finished second in the district at 107, and Tim Riefler went 25-7 and was fifth at 114.
Senior Jahiem Butler and juniors Chase Baron and Tibor Toth are the others who won more than 20.
Butler was fourth in the district at 127, while Baron was sixth at 152.
Senior Johanzel Mendez; juniors Michael DeMarco, Hayden Harris, Colby Matsko, Kode Matsko, and Justin Toalongo; and sophomore Wyatt Sweder all gained at least some varsity experience a year ago.
