PREP WRESTLERS READY TO TAKE THE MAT; JACKSON BRINGS IN YOUNG SQUAD IN NEED OF SEASONING

Jackson High's perennially strong wrestling team figures to be solid once again -- although coach Steve Wachter believes it might take the Indians some time to get to that point.

The Indians had another typically impressive campaign last year, going 8-2 in dual matches and qualifying six grapplers for the state meet. Jackson had a 48-dual match winning streak snapped a year ago.

With only a handful of seniors who figure to be in the regular varsity lineup, Wachter will be guiding a relatively youthful squad this season.

"Overall, we're going to be extremely young, with probably only about three or four seniors in the lineup," said Wachter. "The kids have been working real hard and they've got a very good attitude. I think we could be good by later in the year, but it's going to take some time. We have a lot of work ahead of us."

Jackson, which opens the season Tuesday at New Madrid County Central, figure to be led by three returning state qualifiers, including two who placed sixth in the state meet a year ago: seniors Lance Schlick and Kyle Watson.

Schlick wrestled at 125 pounds last season while Watson was at 130. They figure to both be in the 140 to 145 range this year.

Another returning state qualifier is sophomore Brett Stroud, who was at 103 last year but is at 119 now.

"We'll be counting on those three quite a bit," Wachter said.

Other returning wrestlers are junior Adam Wachter (125-130), junior Kyle Huck (135-140), sophomore Mark Wade (152-160), senior Pee Wee Bartels (160-171) and junior Spencer Hobeck (215-heavyweight).

Wachter qualified for sectionals two years ago while Huck and Wade were both sectional qualifiers last season.

Several wrestlers up from the JV are in the running for regular berths, including senior Kyle Heck (152) and sophomores Chris Brown (112), Jason Streiler (125), Andy Herndon (189) and Timmy Spradlin (215-heavyweight).

Newcomers battling for varsity berths are senior John Cotilla (171), junior Austin Reed (189) and freshmen Ricky Feiner (103) and J.P. Sides (103).

Wachter expects Farmington and Ste. Genevieve -- who handed Jackson its two losses last year -- to battle for Southeast Missouri supremacy this season.

"Both those teams will be really loaded again," Wachter said.