April 25, 2024

Build and learn

Clarke youth look to rise up as program rebuilds

By TYLER HETU

The 2019-20 Clarke Indian/Lady Indian wrestling team. Pictured, in front from left: Cal Lundquist, Kacey Boyer, Metzlie Yanez, Jessica Guerrero, Kayden Ludington and Richie Donaldson. Middle, from left: Grace Cline (manager), KJ Fry, Zethann May, Hector Garza, Taylor Andrew, Mason Fry, Elijah Keller and Brianna Parmer (manager). In back, from left: Coach Adam Domina, Jake Smith, Tyler Binning, Ethan Domina, Coel Reece, Alex Bishop-Hall, Dallas Heberlin, Jairus Davis and coach Brian Reece. (OST photo)

It’ll be a season of learning and growing into some big shoes for Clarke wrestling in the 2019-20 season, but the optimism for a positive season is apparent for the Indians.

Without a large upperclassmen group like the years prior, the Indians will turn their eyes toward the youth to grow into the spotlight and take on new roles within the program.

“It’s going to be a different experience for us,” said Clarke head coach Brian Reece. “... The bulk of our team will be young (freshmen and sophomores) as opposed to the last few years where it’s kind of been senior laden.

With one established senior and a bevy of raw underclassmen, Reece knows the challenge this year for his team will be to go back to teaching the basics as opposed to polishing established skills.

“It’s going to be trying to get guys polished versus trying to teach and get those guys with inexperience caught up and put in some positions where they can be successful,” said Reece.

With a young team, positives are bought to light for Reece and his coaching staff.

“It focuses me a little bit to not be as results oriented and to focus on the process,” said Reece. “... Sometimes it’s a challenge because kids can be improving without necessarily seeing results in meets. We have to try and focus and emphasize the positives even if the results aren’t there right away.”

Missed
leadership

It’s always apparent an outgoing senior class is missed when the next season comes around, but a senior class consisting of instrumental wrestlers who took initiative in their roles moving on from the program will be missed as Clarke turns a new leaf for the 2019-20 season.

“Our entire senior class last year in John (Bair) and Riley (Domina) and (Colby) Wilkin and (Taven) Floyd, they were such a group that I didn’t even have to worry about the beginning of practice. I knew they were going to get it going and get it started,” Reece said.

Domina, a state qualifier from 2019, is one of the benchmarks for where Clarke is hoping its raw and malleable group can get going forward.

“You never know at the beginning of the season how the end of the season is going to turn out, but we’re looking for those guys that can compete at that level eventually,” Reece said.

Entering the season, the Indians are going to come out competing a little harder against a tough South Central Conference.

“Any time we take on teams in our conference, we know it’s going to be a battle. I’d say the teams in our conference we know we’re going to have to step up,” said Reece. “Centerville has ranked kids, Eddyville’s got a ranked kid. ... Here in southern Iowa, it’s a battle for any time you see the teams we see.”

The Indians open the season on Dec. 5 in a home quad against East Mills, Mount Ayr, Shenandoah and Southwest Valley.