Napoleon wrestling undergoes renaissance

2/20/2007

NAPOLEON - The Napoleon wrestling program has experienced a renaissance that this season has resulted in a school record for dual-match victories and a second straight Greater Buckeye Conference title.

Much of the credit for the program's development goes to coach Jason Seiler, a 1993 Napoleon grad who qualified for the state tournament as a senior. Four years ago Seiler was promoted from junior high coach to varsity coach, and the team struggled to win just nine dual matches in his first

season.

"I had to be patient," Seiler said. "I had high expectations going in, but my first year we couldn't beat anybody."

That's not a problem anymore. The Wildcats set a school record with 32 dual-match victories this season and won the GBC title. In the GBC meet, which crowns its champ using a dual-match format, Napoleon went 5-0 and outscored its opponents 58-13.

"We have a bunch of solid kids, and that makes us a very good dual-meet team," Seiler said. "You have to be solid from top to bottom to do well in a dual, and we're solid from top to bottom."

The Wildcats also fared well in tournaments, winning the Southview Invitational and taking third in the highly competitive Perrysburg Invitational Tournament.

Napoleon advanced 10 wrestlers to Friday's Division II district meet at Ontario.

Sophomore Josh Lynch (36-10) won the 112-pound title, while other top Wildcats include seniors Nate Gilgenbach (36-8) at 189 and Casten Reed (35-10) at 125 as well as juniors Lee Drummond (38-6) at 152 and Robert Sanchez (40-4) at 215.

- John Wagner