 |
| Pete Berman |
Edgemont?s grapplers have been getting back to basics for the past two weeks as regular season competition comes to a close and the Section 1 Championships emerges in the Panther?s crosshairs. Edgemont came away with an impressive undefeated League Championship for the second year in a row and now must prepare to face the rest of Section 1 this weekend. Action kicks off at Irvington High School on Friday evening at 5 PM and continues Saturday morning at 9 AM.
To prepare the Panther?s have been applying the same formula that brought them success before: developing and refining solid fundamentals. ?All season we stress repetition, again and again, of solid wrestling positioning and technique,? said Assistant Coach Pete Jacobson. ?We develop our athletes from a big picture perspective ? we focus on strength, conditioning, flexibility, technical skills, tactics and mental toughness. Everything we do is with an eye towards performance in the post-season. We train that way, we schedule our competition that way and we peak our athletes that way.?
?At this point, the hard work is done,? said Head Coach George DiChiara. ?Our athletes don?t find success based on the last two weeks of practice, their success is based on months or years of doing the right things. These last two weeks are just about shoring up technical areas, topping off conditioning and getting our guys feeling great.?
?The atmosphere in our practice room the last two weeks has been electric,? Jacobson said. ?Guys are feeding off each other and have been locked in on what they need to do. They?re young, unproven and hungry to win and when you add that to the intensity in the room, it?s a powerful combination. You look in their eyes each day and see that these guys just love to compete and they?re ready.?
The Panthers would certainly like to make a point at this year?s Sectional Championships. After last year?s third-place finish by the then-senior-heavy team, this year?s younger version has equally high aspirations ? a goal of bettering last year?s third place finish, scoring more team points and proving to Section 1 that Edgemont Wrestling does not have down years. Edgemont looks to accomplish all this with its youngest team in recent memory ? the sectional line-up features zero seniors, three juniors and 12 freshmen and sophomores.
It should be an exciting weekend for Edgemont Wrestling.