In the wake of an incredible last season, mostly due to graduate Matt Hennessey’s state title run, wrestling has been burdened with high expectations.

In comparison, the team is much younger overall, and they have become familiar to life without Hennessey.

“We are a super young team this year,” head coach Joby Bodi said. “It has been very exciting to see our guys progress this season. We hope to over .500 as a team, get a few guys down state and to the podium.”

The team believes that Bodi is the man to get them there.

“Coach Bodi is a dedicated coach who wants his wrestlers to succeed,” returning sophomore Isaiah Garcia said.  “He is a hardworking coach and is proud to work with every individual in the wrestling room.”

The team is in a loaded SPC Conference this year, with plenty of state-ranked teams.

“The SPC seems to always have some very talented teams,” Bodi said. “Minooka, Oswego and Plainfield South are all ranked in the top 25 this year [and] Plainfield East just broke in as an honorable mention ranking.”

Despite a strong conference and solid competition, the team still looks to have a productive year while having some state qualifiers.

“We hope to send at least three wrestlers to state,” senior Charlie Gulino said. “We lost a lot of great wrestlers, but we have had younger ones step up and compete very well.”

Bodi also commented on some of the best performing wrestlers this year and their likeliness of qualifying for state.

“Jacob Macantagay is having an outstanding freshman year posting a 24-2 record and is currently ranked sixth in the state,” Bodi said. “Dylan Amico recently just came back from an injury and has posted a 16-1 record thus far. Jared Gumila is also having a great freshman year with a 22-7 record.”

Amico has been a premiere athlete and a face of the team since his 2016-17 freshman season.

“The team has already exceeded my expectations this year, not just in competition but more than any other year,” Amico said. “We have had much more dedication and have put in more work than we have any year before. “I am very proud of the team this year.”

Amico also added his personal and team goals for the season.

“Individually I hope to place at state this year,” Amico said. “As a team I think we’ve accomplished a lot so far, and it would be great to see most of the wrestlers make it to sectionals this year.”

There is plenty of youth and potential on the squad and this has been addressed by the team.

“I believe we are better this year as we have so much young talent that can only get better throughout the years,” senior Ian Rich said.