By Jordan J. Michael

GUILDERLAND –– Throughout history, the Dutchmen wrestling team hasn’t prided itself on winning dual meets in the Suburban Council. Guilderland saves everything for sectionals at the end of the season.

The same is true this year because the team is missing wrestlers at the 103, 119, and 160-pound weight classes. Without competing in these classes, the team must give up points. The Dutch forfeited 18 points in all seven of its dual meets and that led to its 1-6 record.

“We’re not a dual-meet team, really,” said Head Coach Korey Rogotzke on Jan. 20 during Guilderland’s last dual meet at home against Ballston Spa. “We don’t usually have a full line-up, either. That’s just the way it is with this program. But, we’re a real good tournament team.”

The Dutchmen placed sixth at the Ken Haines Tournament and fifth at the Saratoga Tournament on Jan. 9. The team won seven of 11 matches in the close 37-to-36 loss to Ballston Spa.

If those three missing weights were filled, Guilderland could have won most of its dual meets. Travis Wolanski, Eugene Sellie, Ben Moon, Kevin McCarthy, Kevin Bates, and Matt Miller all have 15 or more wins this season.

“We were in all of the dual meets even without three guys,” Rogotzke said. “We use the duals for added experience down the stretch.”

Wolanski, a senior who wrestles at 130 pounds, increased his record to 24-6 against Ballston Spa with a win over Codey Staulters. Wolanski got his 100^th win for Guilderland at the Middletown Duals on Jan. 16 and now has 106, good for eighth all-time in school history.

Rogotzke told The Enterprise on Tuesday that Wolanski has never lost to Staulters in the 10 times they’ve met on the mats. “It’s really entertaining to watch them fight because they don’t really like each other,” Rogotzke said.

“Wolanski is wrestling so physical right now,” said Rogotzke. “He has great mat sense and nothing surprises him. He’s a very offensive minded competitor.”

Senior Sellie, at 171 pounds, beat Bill Cook, 4 to 1, in the first match of the night to run his record to 24-2. Sellie was ranked second in Section II, but might make the jump to first. Cook was ranked third in Section II and it was a fairly evenly matched battle.

Guilderland’s Dan Curry went to three rounds with Tyler Elliot, tied 2 to 2. A late low take down by Curry won the match, 5-4.

Dutch heavyweight McCarthy got an early 5-to-0 lead over the Scotties’ Dylan Rue and eventually won by pin in the second round.

Michael Lainhart got caught in a weird move and was pinned by Ballston Spa’s Dalton Jones. Mike Morawski, who had four wins at Middletown, pinned Connor Hersh in 51 seconds, and Moon won, 7 to 1, over Tyler Watchel.

James McLaughlin, recently up from junior varsity for the Dutch, went toe-to-toe with Toby Barnes and lost a close match in the third round. Christian Kernozek, who recently beat the number-one ranked wrestler at 152 pounds, kept his hot streak going by pinning Robert Blanchard.

“We’re doing really well and I’m pleased with the effort,” Rogotzke said. “This is a consistent group.”

Rogotzke says that senior leadership is once again paying dividends for the team this year. Sellie, McCarthy, Wolanski, Moon, and Matt Miller saw what last season’s senior class did and the five athletes are following suit in 2010.

“The seniors are putting in as much time as they can,” said Rogotzke. “They want us coaches to push them as much as possible.”

Guilderland is turning up its practice schedule to get ready for Class A sectionals on Feb. 6 at Shenendehowa. The team has a tough tournament at Albany this Saturday to prepare for the big day.

“We’ll start doing circuit sprints to boost our cardiovascular and we already weight train religiously,” Rogotzke said. “We run tougher practices than any other team because the kids want the work.”

The Dutch will be content with a top-five finish at sectionals, especially with teams like Colonie and Shenendehowa competing at the event. Colonie’s Red Raiders have 10 seniors and Rogotzke said that Shen’s Plainsmen are “untouchable.”