GUILDERLAND — The team has to replace a number of good wrestlers who graduated from a team that finished second in the Class A sectional meet last winter.

And with 34 wrestlers joining the varsity and junior varsity teams, the Dutchmen look to continue the recent success the program has had.
"It’s about the same as every year," Guilderland Coach Regan Johnson said. "The [wrestling] room is only so big. It would be hard to fit 50 people in here. Not impossible, but it would be tight."

Johnson has to fill slots that were left by state qualifiers Joe Wyld and Roger Sawyer as well as key graduates Ryan Serafin, Matt Mosall, and Mike Cubillos.

But Guilderland has experienced wrestlers returning in Matt Cubillos, Mike’s brother; Josh Sawyer, Roger’s brother; Dan Doynow; John D’Ambrosio; and Ian DeSol. All of them had slots in last year’s line-up.
"It’s a good problem to have," Johnson said. "We have a lot of young guys with experience. Cubillos, Doynow, and Josh Sawyer are all underclassmen. So is Ian DeSol. It seems like he has been here forever. He is finally an upperclassman as an 11th-grader and has four years of experience."

Guilderland only has three seniors who are on the varsity team: D’Ambrosio, Kevin O’Neil, and James Ramson.
"We lost a ton of good seniors," Johnson said. "These guys have filled in nicely as far as leadership goes. You’re not always going to have years like last year."

There are 14 freshmen on the two teams, which bodes well for the next few years but could hurt this year.
"They’ll make a lot of mistakes," Johnson said. "But you just want them to improve on that. You don’t jump all over them when they make a mistake. You want to give them instruction and get feedback. You don’t want to give them too much too soon."

Good start

The Dutchmen got off to a good start this season, beating Mohonasen, 42-21, last Wedneday in their season-opening contest.
"It was our first match and I never feel like I’m ready for the first match," Johnson said. "There are always things I want to get done that I don’t get done. But I always know that we are ready for the last meet of the year. The kids understand that there were a lot of things we did not do well on Wednesday. But that is going to happen in every sport. We did a lot of good things. It’s just too early. We’re focusing on correcting the mistakes we made."

The Dutchmen did get good things out of a few newcomers.

Eighth-grader Eugene Sellie wrestled well in the 103-pound match, posting an 8-5 win.

Freshman Greg Serafin, Ryan’s brother, got his first varsity win in his first match in the 119-pound weight class.

Freshman heavyweight Dan Van Auken lost his match but did well, Johnson said.

"A process"

The younger wrestlers are learning a lot from their older counterparts, Johnson said.
"That is one of the things about wrestling," the coach said. "The junior varsity and varsity are together. The older guys remember being helped by someone and they want to return the favor and share their knowledge. That is how good programs stay good."

The Dutchmen wrestled Averill Park on Wednesday. Saturday was supposed to be the day of the first Dutchmen Duals of the season, but a couple of teams canceled because of concerns over travel and fuel costs and the Dutch will compete instead in a meet in Niskayuna.
"It was too late to get anyone else in," Johnson said. "So we’re taking the remaining teams to Niskayuna."

The season is long, and Johnson wants to see his wrestlers improve during the winter months and be ready to do their best in February and March. That’s when individual wrestlers can improve and prepare for sectionals and a shot at the state meet.
"That has always been the way I look at it," Johnson said. "The wrestling season is a long couple of months. It’s like a marathon. No one remembers who finished in first place at the start of the season."

The team also appears to have a bright future beyond this season.
"It’s a process," Johnson said. "Next year, we can be better than this year. And in three years, if all the guys stay with it, we’ll have 14 seniors. That is unheard of in wrestling. It’s a nice problem to have."