Youthful Highland Bulldogs wrestling team makes steady progress in 2019-20
Given that his lineup consisted of more than half the roster being a freshman with little or no experience on the mat, Highland wrestling coach Shorty Ohren felt the 2019-20 season for the Bulldogs was a successful one that saw steady growth.
“Considering how young and inexperienced we were, I think (the season) went quite well,” Ohren said. “I was disappointed we didn’t take one kid up to state but other than that I had a lot of freshmen in my lineup that hadn’t wrestled before and they seemed to get better and better as the year went on.”
One major upside for the Bulldogs having so many newcomers wrestle this winter was the lineup could compete and excel in dual meet competition each week.
While Highland’s youth did work against them in tournaments and bigger meets, that same youth was a boon in dual competition as the Bulldogs posted a 19-12 record during the regular season which included victories over Mt. Olive (54-12), Litchfield (48-30), and a senior night win over Carlyle (60-18).
“We were definitely better set up for duals than for tournaments,” Ohren said. “At tournaments, you’re placed at a certain weight and you can’t move (them) and then with duals, I can move guys around and I can set my better wrestlers up against their better wrestlers and split the difference.”
The only other time the Bulldogs could not move around wrestlers was at the Mississippi Valley Super Duals meet, which Highland hosted Feb. 1.
Highland was limited with its lineup due to the conference meet restrictions; thus the Bulldogs were left with a fourth-place finish in the meet.
“At conference, the kids are locked in (weight class-wise) at the conference (meet) and whatever weight they weigh-in, I can’t move them at conference,” said Ohren, who said he opposed the rule.
During the season, three wrestlers consistently led the Bulldogs with strong match performances.
Senior Alex Reid at 195 pounds, senior Tanner Schranz at 120 pounds and sophomore Benny Mitchell were the consistent core of the Bulldogs top performers.
“Those were the guys that consistently did well for us this year,” Ohren said.
Reid and Schranz both made it to the Class 3A sectional tournament at Mascoutah on Feb. 15 but neither advanced to state as Reid went 1-2 in his three matches and Schranz went 0-2 in his two matches.
Mitchell qualified for the sectional meet but was unable to wrestle due to an injury that forced him to sit out.
Ohren optimistic about freshmen crop of wrestlers
There were a few freshmen who Ohren believes if they return next year could really help the Bulldogs lineup. Luke Tweedy at 182 pounds, Trevor Bowman at 152 pounds, and Cody Lewis at 138 pounds all figure to bolster the HHS lineup next season.
“Tweedy wrestled really decent there and for him being a freshman and wrestling against juniors and seniors, he did really well at that weight class,” Ohren said. “Trevor Bowman, he really improved toward the end of the season and Cody Lewis really improved and looked really good.”
Only Reid and Colby Davis, who wrestled at 160 pounds this winter, will be lost to graduation and Ohren looks forward to having most of his freshman group back next winter.
“Like I said all of the freshmen that came out seemed to enjoy it and wanted to wrestle so they are all mainly football players and if they all come back, we should be pretty decent next year,” Ohren said.
This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 1:07 AM.