If you were to construct a Mount Rushmore of the state’s top wrestling programs, it would be appropriate to give Providence a place among the best.
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The Celtics have 10 state championship banners, including six straight from 1997-2002 under coach Keith Healy. The only other schools with double-digit titles are Montini (13) and Proviso East (10).
The Celtics certainly will field a more seasoned team in the 2015-16 season. Five Providence wrestlers are set to go against some of the nation’s best at the USA Wrestling Asics/Vaughan Cadet and Junior National Tournament starting Saturday in Fargo, N.D.
The group includes Alex Wojciechowski, Ben Emery, Cole Smith, Dominick Ambrose and Montini transfer Dominic Ferraro. Smith and Emery nearly made it to state last high school season. Healy expects strong seasons from all five.
Another program sending five wrestlers to Fargo is Lockport. Reigning state champion Shayne Oster, the younger brother of Porters coach Josh Oster, leads the way. Lockport finished fourth at state in the team tournament last winter.
Joining Shayne Oster in Fargo will be returning state medalists Trevell Timmons and Abdullah Assaf, freshman Baylor Fernandez and St. Laurence transfer Brandon Ramos.
“I’m excited to go up to Juniors for the first time, see how it’s different than Cadets,” Shayne Oster said of his jump in age brackets. “It should be a lot tougher.
“I wont be the only state champ in the bracket, but I’ll be one of the top guys kids are looking to beat. I don’t have a problem having a target on my back. I’d have to win to advance anyway.”
Northwestern, Michigan and North Carolina State are three schools in on Oster’s recruitment. He plans to make official visits to both Big Ten schools in the fall.
Oster’s not the Southland’s only Fargo-bound wrestler with state finals experience. St. Rita’s Austin O’Connor, a two-time state champion, will be in the mix along with returning state finalists Eric Schultz of Tinley Park and Louie Hayes of Sandburg.
For Providence, it could be sign of a rebirth.
Past success doesn’t make a program immune to down years. The Celtics and Healy are aware of that.
Last year, for instance, Lockport and Lincoln-Way Central advanced to state in the team tournament. The Celtics, on the other hand, failed to qualify a single wrestler to the individual state tournament in what was believed to be a first for the program.
“That was real tough,” said Healy, who started coaching at Providence in 1992. “The tradition normally is to get kids down there and do really well. We’ve had a bunch of kids the last couple years that didn’t have a lot of experience coming into high school.”
The Celtics had 12 individual state champions and 35 state medal winners from 2001-2010.
Healy believes the tide may be turning back. Providence figures to be competitive in the restructured Catholic League after starting eight sophomores and freshmen last season. Healy also is excited about the incoming class.
“Two years ago, we finished seventh in the regional out of nine teams,” Healy said. “This year, we finished third and opened up some eyes.”
Logan Malloy is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.
THE RUNDOWN
What: USA Wrestling Asics/Vaughan Cadet and Junior National Tournament
When and Where: July 18-25 at the FargoDome in Fargo, North Dakota
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Who: Thousands of the nation’s top wrestlers will compete for supremacy in Greco-Roman and Freestyle divisions. The Cadet division is for those born in 1998-99. The Junior division for those born September 1995 or later.
Area Entrants: De La Salle: Solomon Smith (Junior, heavyweight); Lincoln-Way Central: Bryan Ditchman (Junior, heavyweight); Lincoln-Way West: Kyle Ruettiger (Junior, 152); Lockport: Abdullah Assaf (Cadet, 126), Baylor Fernandez (Cadet, 132), Shayne Oster (Junior, 145), Brandon Ramos (Junior, 126) and Trevell Timmons (Cadet, 152); Mount Carmel: David Riojas (Junior, 170) and Yahya Thomas (Cadet, 126); Providence: Dominick Ambrose (Cadet, 126), Ben Emery (Cadet, 113), Dominic Ferraro (Cadet, 220), Cole Smith (Cadet, 152) and Alex Wojciechowski (Junior, 120); Sandburg: Cole Bateman (Cadet, 195), Louie Hayes (Junior, 113) and Robbie Precin (Cadet, 120); St. Laurence: Frank Tomaskovic (Junior, heavyweight); St. Rita: Austin O’Connor (Junior, 152); Tinley Park: Eric Schultz (Junior, 195).