C.J. Demark and A.J. Gorto, two of the team’s top three in wins a year ago, return to lead the Pittston Area wrestling team, which is trying to work its way up from the bottom of Division 1 of the Wyoming Valley Conference.
The Patriots finished 0-6 in the division and 4-16 overall in Dave Krantz’s first year as head coach.
As the season progressed, Pittston Area generally had nine or 10 wrestlers for the 14 weight classes. By the time they wrapped up the season by finishing last in the 12-team District 2 Class 3A field, the Patriots had just eight wrestlers left.
Pittston Area has wrestled just once this season, opening up with a WVC Division 1 match which it lost, 52-15, to Coughlin Tuesday. The Patriots filled 12 of the 14 weight classes Opening Night and appear to have options that might allow a full lineup eventually.
“The numbers are definitely better than last year,” Krantz said. “ … We’re building. We almost have a full lineup. I’m really happy with the numbers. I think we’ll have a decent year. Obviously, we’re not 100 percent where we need to be.”
The progress, however, is enough that Krantz thinks it will be evident in the team’s results this season.
“Each year, the goal is to get better and better and the way I see it, this year, we’re better than last year,” he said. “So we’re definitely building toward that.”
Demark went 17-17 and finished sixth in the district at 138 pounds as a freshman. Gorto, now a junior, was 16-19 and sixth at 170.
Keith Romanczuk, another sixth-place finisher who was next on the team in wins with a 15-15 record, recently decided to join the team and could be in the lineup soon.
Gorto had the team’s only pin Tuesday at 160 pounds. He followed a major decision by Nick Ridgley at 152 to give the Patriots an early, 10-3 lead.
The only other win was John Morris by forfeit at 195.
Alex Anastasia, a junior 170-pounder, is the next-most experienced wrestler in terms of varsity matches. He was 7-12 last year.
Nico Solano, a freshman, made his varsity debut Tuesday at 132.
“We’re looking for big things from him,” Krantz said of Solano, who competes in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling outside the high school season. “He puts his time in.
“He’s a year-round wrestler.”
John DeLuca, a senior, is trying the sport for the first time and is at 220.
“He’s an excellent person to have in the room,” Krantz said. “He’s a good motivator.”
The opening lineup included Morris (195), John Symons (182), Kevin Robey (106) and Justin Byrk (120), who are all up from the junior high program.
Nathan Ridgley, who was on the team briefly early last season, was at 126 and newcomer Joii Phillips was at 112.
John Chacko (106) is waiting on medical clearance from an injury that kept him out last season.
Kyle Mlodzienski (182) is another first-year senior.
Nick Ridgley also left the team early last season, but is back.
Junior Justice Ambs (160), sophomores Kaytlin Bucci (113), Dave Darbenzio (195) and Marcus Roman (145-152), and freshmen Omar Ciriaco (106), John Crown (160).
