Lakewood's Young Grapplers Have High Hopes

After last year’s outstanding and surprising season, this season’s Lakewood High School wrestling team has big shoes to fill.

But this year there are twice as many wrestlers on the team to fill them.

Of the 28 on the squad, 21 are freshman and sophomores. Two are juniors and five are seniors.

“Our young guys are young, with limited wrestling experience,” said head coach Vince Curiale said. “We’re really hoping to get a lot out of them.”

Last season, the wrestling team posted a record of 7-8 at dual meets this season. But don’t let that record fool you.

Starting each match without as many as five weight classes, the squad was still one of the best that the program had in years.

The school sent three Rangers to the state tournament — the .

The team lost two of them — Nick Ramsey (135), who finished fifth in the state standings and Yousef Abdel-Salem (119) who finished eighth — to graduation.

Despite losing some key grapplers, Curiale and assistant coach Dennis Duffy are ready.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to compete,” said Curiale, who was following last season — his 11th in Lakewood.

“Our league is tough. But I think we’ll battle. “We’ve got some talented kids. We’re not going to roll over for anybody.”

Here's the breakdown by weight class:

• 106: Two freshman, Ali Khdour and Andrew Adkins are competing for the top spot.
• 113: None listed, but Curiale said he’s grooming freshman Chad Goff for the spot. Chad’s brother, John, a junior was injured and will be out for the year.
• 120: A couple of sophomores are fighting for the spot, said Curiale.
• 126: Yassir Abdel-Salem, the brother of teammate William, won the Avon Lake Tournament last weekend. “He’s got all the tools but one: He needs more discipline. He could be a state champ f he wants to be.”
• 132: William Abdel –Salem, a senior, who qualified for the state tournament last season.
• 138: Steven Foster, senior.
• 145: Adam Feckley: senior, who was 2 points away from making the state tournament last season.
• 152: Ralph Johnson, a ajunior, and freshman Gabe Fattah are competing for the spot.
• 160: Zak Kulina, sophomore.
• 170: Airren Robinson, freshman.
• 182: None listed.
• 195: None listed.
• 220: Roberto Sclimenti, but coaches hope to get him into the 182-pound weight class.
• 285: None listed.

The team will head to East Liverpool to compete in another tournament this weekend. Dual meets are set to begin Jan. 7, when the Rangers will take on Parma, Valley Forge and John Marshall high schools.

“In Northeast Ohio, you’ve got some tough competition in Division I,” Curiale said. “We’ve just got to get in the right frame of mind and learn how to win — and hopefully we can start this year.”