Falcon wrestlers aim high under new head coach

Coudersport's football success has postponed fullsquad workouts for the varsity wrestling team.

First-year head coach Thad Taylor has recruited several newcomers to fill the ranks, as the Falcons dig out from a frustrating 5-13 season in 2005-06.

His corps of assistants reads like a who's-who from local wrestling history, as former head coach Clay Gooch, brothers Aaron Wright and Isaac Wright, Abe Kightlinger, Dan Cowburn, J.R. Page and Jeff Werner all lend their expertise.

Only two of this year's Falcons, senior Kody Frederick and junior Steve White, posted winning records last year. Frederick placed fourth in the Northwest Regionals last year, after placing third in the District 9 meet at 171 lbs. He finished with a 29-6 record.

White showed promise in compiling a 20-9 mark, after going 18-17 as a freshman.

Coach Taylor welcomes the arrival of freshman Dirk Cowburn, whose success in youth wrestling suggests that he will be an immediate winner at the varsity level.

Frederick, White and Cowburn are among nine Falcon wrestlers still involved with the football program. The others are juniors Kyle Gee (7- 16 last year), Brian Smith (5- 19), Justen Kinder (4-16) and Brandon Grabbitt; and sophomores Rich Keagle and Ben Capatch.

Other Falcon wrestlers this season include senior Sean Davis; junior Mike Dunn; sophomores Devin Matzinger, Brett Chilson and Rytz Bowman, and freshmen Brandon Empson, Keegan DeLung, Dillon Wadsworth, Kyle Collins and Ryan Bodecker.

"We're very excited about this season and we're rooting for our teammates who are still playing championship football," Taylor said. "We've focused the summer and wrestling preseason on increasing our numbers. The athletes deserve a fighting chance and the current squad of 19 wrestlers gives greater diversity and variety of styles in the practice room. We continue to work and build up our strong, young team and fine-tune the aggressive, attacking style that's emerged in our early practice sessions."

Taylor, a loan officer and forester for AgChoice Farm Credit, arrived in Coudersport in 2003 and helped coach the Coudersport Wrestling Club's youth team last season.

He was a standout performer himself during some of the glory years of the Towanda High School wrestling program (1989-93) and still occasionally competes at open tournaments. This is his first scholastic coaching assignment.

"I've always loved the sport and jumped at the chance to get back involved when my wife and I settled in Coudersport," Taylor said.

The Falcons are slated to open their season at Wellsboro on Tuesday night, although that match may be postponed, depending on the outcome of the football playoffs. Coudersport will return to action Dec. 16 at the Kane Invitational.