KINGSTON — The Kingston Cavaliers Wrestling team’s biggest challenge will not be on the mats this year.

It will be when the team is off of them.

“Basically, we have holes in some weight classes,” Cavs’ head coach Chris Gilbreath said. “It’s going to be kind of a problem.”

“We have a lot of people in some weights,” added 145 pounder Tim McMullen. “And in some weights we have nobody.”

Nonetheless, 37 wrestlers turned out for this year’s squad, including three grapplers who went far in the post season in 2003: James Smith, who won the championship at 154 lbs., Lyle Welsh, who won at 115 and Josh Gilson, who was runner-up at 78.

At four weight classes, the Cavs spike in participation: there are five grapplers at 125 lbs., five at 164, six at 115 and six at 145. When 22 of 39 wrestlers occupy only four classes out of 19, things can get tricky when it comes to winning meets.

“It looks like we have a strong team this year — but not a lot of kids in certain weight classes,” commented Nathan Bilbao. “But we’re ahead of schedule (in practice).”

Coach Gilbreath said that while he knows having gaps might be a reality, the team will do well to focus on the wrestlers it actually has in attendance.

“We’re going to build skills and keep working on developing the work ethic,” Gilbreath said.

The team went 4-4 in the meet season last year but like Kingston Cavalier girls’ basketball team coach Tony Chisholm, Gilbreath said he knows sometimes winning is not key to success on the mats.

“I want all of these guys to have an experience where they love the sport,” Gilbreath said.

His team — which ranges in weight classes from 85 all the way to 194 — is an aspect of the sport in that makes him proud to coach.

“People of all sizes can make it in wrestling,” he said.

A typical wrestling practice at the Kingston mats consists of lots of technique work, fitness and strength drills and — of course — lots of wrestling. The results can be chaotic at times.

“If you can survive wrestling practice, you can survive anything,” Gilbreath said. By JOSH FARLEY

Staff Writer

KINGSTON — The Kingston Cavaliers Wrestling team’s biggest challenge will not be on the mats this year.

It will be when the team is off of them.

“Basically, we have holes in some weight classes,” Cavs’ head coach Chris Gilbreath said. “It’s going to be kind of a problem.”

“We have a lot of people in some weights,” added 145 pounder Tim McMullen. “And in some weights we have nobody.”

Nonetheless, 37 wrestlers turned out for this year’s squad, including three grapplers who went far in the post season in 2003: James Smith, who won the championship at 154 lbs., Lyle Welsh, who won at 115 and Josh Gilson, who was runner-up at 78.

At four weight classes, the Cavs spike in participation: there are five grapplers at 125 lbs., five at 164, six at 115 and six at 145. When 22 of 39 wrestlers occupy only four classes out of 19, things can get tricky when it comes to winning meets.

“It looks like we have a strong team this year — but not a lot of kids in certain weight classes,” commented Nathan Bilbao. “But we’re ahead of schedule (in practice).”

Coach Gilbreath said that while he knows having gaps might be a reality, the team will do well to focus on the wrestlers it actually has in attendance.

“We’re going to build skills and keep working on developing the work ethic,” Gilbreath said.

The team went 4-4 in the meet season last year but like Kingston Cavalier girls’ basketball team coach Tony Chisholm, Gilbreath said he knows sometimes winning is not key to success on the mats.

“I want all of these guys to have an experience where they love the sport,” Gilbreath said.

His team — which ranges in weight classes from 85 all the way to 194 — is an aspect of the sport in that makes him proud to coach.

“People of all sizes can make it in wrestling,” he said.

A typical wrestling practice at the Kingston mats consists of lots of technique work, fitness and strength drills and — of course — lots of wrestling. The results can be chaotic at times.

“If you can survive wrestling practice, you can survive anything,” Gilbreath said. By JOSH FARLEY

Staff Writer

KINGSTON — The Kingston Cavaliers Wrestling team’s biggest challenge will not be on the mats this year.

It will be when the team is off of them.

“Basically, we have holes in some weight classes,” Cavs’ head coach Chris Gilbreath said. “It’s going to be kind of a problem.”

“We have a lot of people in some weights,” added 145 pounder Tim McMullen. “And in some weights we have nobody.”

Nonetheless, 37 wrestlers turned out for this year’s squad, including three grapplers who went far in the post season in 2003: James Smith, who won the championship at 154 lbs., Lyle Welsh, who won at 115 and Josh Gilson, who was runner-up at 78.

At four weight classes, the Cavs spike in participation: there are five grapplers at 125 lbs., five at 164, six at 115 and six at 145. When 22 of 39 wrestlers occupy only four classes out of 19, things can get tricky when it comes to winning meets.

“It looks like we have a strong team this year — but not a lot of kids in certain weight classes,” commented Nathan Bilbao. “But we’re ahead of schedule (in practice).”

Coach Gilbreath said that while he knows having gaps might be a reality, the team will do well to focus on the wrestlers it actually has in attendance.

“We’re going to build skills and keep working on developing the work ethic,” Gilbreath said.

The team went 4-4 in the meet season last year but like Kingston Cavalier girls’ basketball team coach Tony Chisholm, Gilbreath said he knows sometimes winning is not key to success on the mats.

“I want all of these guys to have an experience where they love the sport,” Gilbreath said.

His team — which ranges in weight classes from 85 all the way to 194 — is an aspect of the sport in that makes him proud to coach.

“People of all sizes can make it in wrestling,” he said.

A typical wrestling practice at the Kingston mats consists of lots of technique work, fitness and strength drills and — of course — lots of wrestling. The results can be chaotic at times.

“If you can survive wrestling practice, you can survive anything,” Gilbreath said.