District 2 Class 2A champions Connor Novakowski and Nate Obrzut are back for the senior seasons with the Wyoming Area wrestling team.
The Warriors opened their season Saturday in the Gary Woodruff Memorial Duals at Wyalusing Valley High School.
Obrzut returns at 285 pounds where he won the title last season and had the team’s best record (33-9) and highest number of pins (21). He won at least 20 bouts each of his first two high school seasons, but had not placed higher than fifth at districts before winning his title.
Novakowski went 28-14 with 15 pins last season. He won the district title at 121 pounds after two straight third-place finishes to begin his high school career. Novakowski opened the season at 133 pounds.
Michael Appel, who went 14-17 and finished fifth in the district last season as a freshman, also was expected to weigh in at 133 to begin the season.
Senior Shane Emsley (133), junior Caden Reynolds (215) and sophomores Chase Wilhelm (114) and Damon Swartwood (127) all return after winning between seven and 12 times last season.
Sophomores Riley Pierce and Giavonna Chapman, both at 172, return with some experience.
Coach Steve Mytych Sr. said there is a chance the roster could still expand with athletes coming off a football season that ran into the 13th week for a district championship game appearance.
The Warriors went 2-3 in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 and 5-15 overall last season. They finished sixth in the team standings at the District 2 Class 2A Individual Championships.
