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Sports

Wrestling Coach Looks for Personal Performance

Young team looks to Captain Greg Delade for leadership.

Chatham High School's varsity wrestling team meets unusual challenges when it starts each season. Some of Chatham's athletes have played their respective sports at the youth level, but because of low numbers wrestling coaches often find themselves recruiting athletes with no wrestling experience.

But Chatham's first-year head coach Brian Cassera believes that he could potentially have five of his players qualify for regionals, a feat the wrestling team has never known.

"Not a lot of kids come out for the team," said Cassera. "So staying healthy is going to be really important for us."

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What is also going to be important is replacing graduated stand out Jeff Fricke. Last season Fricke became the only the fourth wrestler in Chatham's history to make it to the state tournament and boasted 99 career wins.

Although Fricke will be missed, Cassera sees a lot of potential in freshman Dylan Mulcahy, who will wrestle varsity at 119 lbs. Mulcahy is the only freshman that is right out of the youth program and Cassera believes he should, "have a great season."

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Another notable underclassman is sophomore Justin Engel, who will wrestle at 112 lbs. Engel had 13 wins last year as a freshman.

Leading the promising Engel and Mulcahy is senior captain Greg Delade, who will wrestle at the Heavyweight spot. A standout football captain, Delade is looking forward to leading the wrestling team.

 "In wrestling I'm the only captain and there are less kids, so I can make sure everyone is working hard," said Delade. "I will be able to give an example with my work ethic."

With a young team, it will be important that each player has a work ethic like Delade's.

With difficult conference competition Cassera is less focused on winning dual meets in the North Jersey Section 2, Group 2 conference and more focused on individual performances.

"I would love to see us win ten dual meets," said Cassera. "But we really want guys to peak around districts to get into regionals."

The district tournament is one contest that the players look forward to. Other matches that Cassera looks forward to are against Union, Columbia, and North Plainfield. He believes that the team will be most competitive against in these matches.

Delade has a less tangible team goal.

"I just want everyone to give 110% every match and work hard. However we finish will be what it is," said Delade.

The team next faces Lenape Valley Regional High School on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in an away game.

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