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Hatchet wrestling program rosters 34 grapplers for 2004-05 season

Daily News Sports

The collective experience provided by the Tomahawk Hatchet varsity wrestling coaches will guide twenty-five new grapplers for the 2004-05 season.

With only nine wrestlers back from last year - and the loss of a state champion - the Hatchets will look to build momentum for a late season run toward tournament success. Tomahawk finished the 2003-04 dual meet season at 3-2, third in the Lumberjack Conference behind Medford and Phillips.

"Our outlook is to learn through the year and make our push at the end," said Tomahawk co-coaches Bob Garrou and Bob Skubal, who took over the program from eight-year head coach Kurt Weyers. "We hope to have three or four wrestlers at the state tournament."

The Hatchets, who host Athens today, are seeking safety in numbers.

"We have thirty-four kids who are ready and eager to learn," added the Hatchet coaches.

Three coaches with fifty-four years of combined wrestling experience will lead the large turnout. That translates into a Hatchet wrestling program that will witness improvement each season as the younger members benefit from the veteran coaches and continue to develop.

"Our main challenge is to get the young team to believe in the Tomahawk way," concluded the veteran Tomahawk coaching staff.

The 2003-04 Hatchet wrestling campaign saw the culmination of four years of hard work and dedication pay off for graduate Josh Chelf. In his fourth year of qualifying for the state tournament - three years as a finalist - Chelf capped off an undefeated senior season while claiming the Division 2 state title at 171 pounds. His loss will be immeasurable with the leadership and commitment displayed during his exceptional high school athletic career.

Other prominent Hatchet wrestlers lost to graduation were Matt Pultz, Travis Silvernale, and Jason Schultz.

Another benchmark achieved last season for Tomahawk was sending the first girl to a Wisconsin state wrestling tournament. Alyssa Lampe fought through the competition all season on her way to qualifying for state and will try to repeat her success again this year for the Hatchets. Lampe is one of five Wisconsin girls that are rated in the Top 8 in their weight class in the initial 2004-05 USGWA preseason ratings - she ranks 2nd at 100-pounds.

Among the returning grapplers with Alyssa Lampe are 2-time conference champion Anthony Lampe, along with Kyle Schultz and Jaramia Moran.

Rival Medford won the Lumberjack Conference last year and went on to finish as runner-up to Division 2 state champion Lodi. The Tomahawk coaches cite Medford, Park Falls, and Phillips as the teams to beat this year. The Cardinals of Park Falls will be returning nearly their entire team of varsity grapplers. The Phillips Logger, following up last year's 4-1 LJC dual meet record, will hit the mat with a large number of wrestlers vying for the varsity squad.

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