By CHARLOTTE McATEE Staff Writer
KENNEBUNK - With a good mix of veterans and rookies with potential, Kennebunk wrestling coach Kevin Lank is looking for the Rams to improve on last year's 6-12 record. Leading the way to what Lank hopes will be a .500 or better season will be junior Dan Crook. Last year's state runner-up at 98 pounds, Crook has moved up to 105 pounds and is a very physical wrestler, Lank says. Another veteran is senior co-captain John Martin, who finished fifth in the regionals at 167 pounds. He should have a good shot this year, Lanks says, since many of last year's top wrestlers in that; weight class have graduated. Senior Rich Pickering, at 138 pounds, had a 10-10 record last year. "He should be one of the better 138s around," Lank says. "He's a technically good wrestler." The other co-captain is 145-pounder Mike Stavros, who is what Lank calls a "hard worker in a really competitive class. He'll do all right; hopefully he'll make the states." Two younger members of the team are 98-pound Todd Whitten, a sophomore, and freshman 119-pounder Nick Burgess. "He's got a lot of potential," Lank says of Burgess. "He's a good athlete." Two wrestlers are fighting for the top spot at 126 pounds: Rob Jude and Aaron Upton, both juniors. "They're so close (in ability) that any time they wrestle it comes out different," says Lank. The top wrestler probably won't be decided, the coach says, until the end of the year. Another interesting category for the Rams will be 132 pounds, where sophomore Mike Bergeron is now wrestling. Bergeron was a varsity wrestler at 112 pounds last year and has "grown like a weed," says Lank. He could be challenged by Victor Pfeiffer, who is a big strong kid, Lank says. "Anyone who goes into a match with him will know he's been in a match," says the coach. Sophomore Randy Murray, a part-time starter last year at 155, has shown a lot of improvement, says Lank, and junior Jeff Merrill, a first-year wrestler, is a strong kid who will do all right by the end of the year at 185 pounds. Steve Palandro, a runner-up in the Southern Maine JV tournament, moves up a class to 112 pounds. In the unlimited division, senior Canadian transfer John Audley is "learning fast," says Lank. "He moves fairly quickly - he's a good athlete." Audley's weight fluctuates from 215 on down. The Rams have moved down to Class B this year and Lank is shooting to get at least five wrestlers into the state tournament. The team to beat, he feels, will be Bonny Eagle. "They have a great coaching staff and depth," he says. "You earn everything you get against those kids." Kennebunk has some depth itself in the middle weights, says Lank, and the coach hopes to get his wrestlers through a tough 22 dual-meet schedule in good shape. "I don't want the kids to burn out early - I want them to peak for the regionals and states. Barring injuries, we're capable of doing well." The Rams will open the season at 1 p.m. Saturday, hosting Massabesic, Noble and Bonny Eagle.
