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Central DeWitt wrestling team gears up for sectionals

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By Shannon Heaton | Friday, February 1, 2008 2:32 AM CST | () comments

Conference tournaments often provide that last tuneup for wrestling teams to work out mistakes before the postseason begins.

Take the WaMaC                  Conference, for example, where there were 19             state-ranked wrestlers in the field, as well as 17 returning state qualifiers.

The fact that Central DeWitt — the top local team in that conference tourney — finished fourth means little, except for providing the Sabers some insight to take in their final                   preparations for Saturday’s Class 2A Wilton Sectional.

“Last year, we were third in the WaMaC and wound up fourth in the state (team) duals,” DeWitt coach Kurt Kreiter said. “(Saturday’s tournament) preapres you for big meets, that’s kind of the way we look at it.          History has proven it. A lot of placewinners come out of this tournament.

“Although we’re training to win that tournament, we’re trying to have a better perspective on how we           performed.’’

Whatever help the Sabers can get from their                 conference opponents they’ll gladly take in preparing for Saturday, with the host Beavers, Mt.               Vernon, Camanche, North Cedar and Assumption all lining up to take their shot at the Sabers.

Getting off to a good start will be critical.

“To move ahead as a dual team, we’ve got to wrestle tougher in the first round than we did (at the WaMaC),” said Saber              189-pounder Casey Kreiter, who is ranked sixth in 2A.

“We knew that we hadn’t really wrestled to our (level of) performance, and you’ve just got to get tougher after that. People were able to come back and get some thirds and fifths that we needed.

“As a team, we’re pretty confident, but we’re going to have to show up to wrestle, weight by weight.’’

Knowing that each team’s stars — barring a major upset — are usually going to be solid favorites to move on to district competition Feb. 9, it’s going to be the lesser-known wrestlers that are the ones that will bring team advancement.

“The difference is those guys who gut it out, who get thirds and fifths and keep scoring points,” said coach Kreiter, whose team was the only WaMaC team to have all 14 wrestlers earn medals.

One of Kreiter’s stars couldn’t agree more.

“Our younger kids have to come through,” said senior 145-pound Dylan Azinger, who’s ranked third in 2A with a 26-1 record. “Every team relies on their older guys, but our younger ones have to win the big matches. If that happens, we’ve got a shot to make the regional (on Feb. 5).’’

Contact the sports desk at (563) 383-2285 or sports@qctimes.com.