59.0°,
Mostly Cloudy Sailors rebuilding going well
Posted
Matt Strandberg, top, who competes at 125 pounds, is only two seniors on an Oceanside wrestling team that goes 25-deep.
Jeff Wilson/Herald
With a handful of veterans and an influx of newcomers on a roster holding steady at 25, fourth-year coach Joe Kachuba has reasons to be excited about Oceanside's wrestling program.
"I thought we made some solid progress last season and it's important to take another step forward," Kachuba said. "We had four kids make All-Conference—the most we've had in three years--and three of them are back."
With 13 first-year wrestlers in the fold, Oceanside figures to field a bigger dual meet lineup as the season unfolds. "A lot of the kids never wrestled as of four weeks ago," Kachuba said. "They're young, but everyone has a good work ethic and they'll contribute down the road."
Kachuba said assistant coach Mike Bryant recruited athletes from the JV football team to bolster the depth. "We're working with the new kids on fundamentals," Kachuba said. "Most of them got into a match already and won. We'll pick and choose when to wrestle them in varsity matches. It all depends on how we stack up against the opponent."
In his third varsity campaign, Strandberg finds himself back in a traditionally tough 125-pound weight class. He barely missed qualifying for the Nassau County tournament last season. "Matt's a tough competitor who has been around the sport a long time," Kachuba said. "You can tell by his actions in the practice room he's on a mission to get to counties. He's strong on his feet and active on the mat."
Cascio got a taste of the county tournament as a sophomore and is gearing up to get back and make a push for All-County (top six) according to Kachuba. He opened the year with a fifth-place finish at 152 pounds at the Battle of the Beach Tournament in Long Beach on Dec. 5. "Nick came into the season in great shape after he pushed himself all summer," Kachuba said. "He's really focused."
Quintin burst onto the varsity scene last winter after missing the previous season with a broken collarbone. The 215-pounder tows a lot of skill for his size and is sure to make a push for the county tournament.
He was third in the Long Beach Tournament. "His overall skills are impressive," Kachuba said.
In addition to the captains, Kachuba said he has four other confirmed starters. Senior Terry Artus at 145, junior Louie Catalanotto at 130, freshman Rocco Candela at 96/103 and freshman Zach Strandberg at 112.
Report an inappropriate comment
Comments