WRESTLING: Wolverines take the mats in debut Thursday night

Twenty-four wrestlers strong, Nodaway Valley/O-M hopes depth and experience, mixed with youth, will bode well for them this season as they hit the mats in competition Thursday for the first time this season.

The Wolverines, ranked 17th in the preseason by IAWrestle, will meet No. 22 Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center, East Union and West Central Valley in a quad meet at Nodaway Valley High School beginning at 5:30 p.m.

NV/OM turns around and wrestles at home again Saturday with the annual Coach Riley Invitational starting at 9 a.m. Participating schools include AHSTW (Avoca), Bedford, CAM, Central Decatur, Clarinda, Clarke (Osceola), Creston, Earlham, Knoxville, Lenox, Mount Ayr, Pleasantville, Southwest Valley and Wayne.

“We are excited to get the season rolling. We have great numbers and there is a lot of excitement in the room and around the school about this team,” co-head coach Brad Honnold said. “The first couple weeks of practice have gone very well and the kids are working hard but are getting anxious to tow that line against someone other than a teammate.”

Honnold said the last few seasons have taken on the form of a building process for the program. With four returning state qualifiers in Keyin Steeve, Carmine Shaw, Ashton Honnold and Trent Warner, the Wolverines know they should have high expectations for themselves this season.

Seniors on the team are Bradley Gebbie, Shaw and Dylan Bartles.

“We return all four state qualifiers from last year and they have big goals this year for themselves as well as several others,” coach Honnold said. “While the ultimate goal is in February, we have many others that we want to accomplish throughout this season. They all start in that first quad at home with needing to set the tone against a very highly-rated ACGC team, as well as WCV and East Union.”

Gebbie went 22-13 as a junior, according to a preseason media guide prepared by Nodaway Valley students. He was top-4 at the Pride of Iowa and Lenox tournaments and earned a key win in a dual against North Polk, which helped NV/OM to the 16-3 record it ended with.

“I’m really wanting to make it to state. I know I’ve got a chance, I just have to keep working hard,” Gebbie said. “I want to stay mentally tough because that’s a big part. We have a tough team this year, didn’t lose a lot of seniors last year, and we’re going to be a force.”

Shaw was 33-12, taking second at ADM (Adel) and first at districts, leading the team in technical falls and near falls.

“I know what it takes now -— the mental toughness, the work to put in, and coming in on the weekends when no one else is working to put myself ahead of the competition,” Shaw said.

Bartles was 8-18, posting top-8 finishes in the Coach Riley and ACGC tournaments as a junior.

“I’m really wanting to work a little harder this year in the room. I’m wanting to try to get my record a little better and focus on being more of a team player in pushing everybody else, pushing myself harder and helping everyone out in the room as much as I can,” Bartles said.

Coach Honnold said he doesn’t think this team will lack in its ability to give fans a show to watch.

“With four duals and our Coach Riley Tournament at home this season, there are several opportunities for the community to come out and watch these boys, so we hope they will and that we can put on a good show for them,” Honnold said.