GREENFIELD — With a lot of the lineup back from a season that included a Hoosier Heritage Conference title and third place finish in the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Class 3A Team State Duals, Greenfield-Central’s boys wrestling team could be on the way to similar or better things for the 2023-24 season.
Head coach Josh Holden, after losing just two starters to graduation, not only has a number of returnees from last season, but he has some kids back who had sat out a couple of seasons.
It’s made for a competitive room on practice days and should give the team depth.
We’re working hard and trying to get better every day,” Greenfield-Central coach Josh Holden said. “We’ve got an experienced bunch and are trying to focus in and get ready for (Saturday’s opener).”
Clay Guenin (190) and J.J. Harlow (132) are back after reaching last year’s New Castle semi-state ticket round.
Guenin, a 170-pounder and HHC champion a year ago, has bulked up to move up a couple weight classes. He was 36-4 last year and is preseason ranked No. 1 in his weight class from the New Castle Semi-State.
Harlow, No. 6 at 132, didn’t wrestle much in the regular season a year ago, but made his presence known in the postseason, which included a runner-up finish at the Warren Central Sectional.
Jett McGuire (120) is a returning sectional champion, but is bumping up a couple classes from 106 to 120. A year ago he won the Warren Central Sectional, but failed to make weight at the regional. McGuire is currently ranked No. 4 from the New Castle Semi-State.
Lincoln Parsons (126), Kannon Zuber (150) and Silas Frye (175) are all returning semi-state qualifiers.
Parsons, at 113 last year, was an HHC champion and sectional runner-up. Kannon Zuber won 27 matches at 138 in 2022-23 and Frye will be wrestling a little bit closer to his own weight this season after grappling at 182 last year. He, too, was an HHC champion and tied for second on the team in wins after posting a 29-9 record.
Braeden Ayres (106), Garrett Sirosky (113), and Nathan Miller (144) are all senior wrestlers that are in the starting lineup after taking some time off from the program.
Another senior, Gavin Phillips is new to the lineup at 157. He’s been in the program but has had some injuries that have kept him on the sidelines.
Sophomore Mason Thompson, a junior varsity wrestler last year, has worked his way into the lineup at 165.
Dylan Luther, a regional qualifier at 126 last season, is slated to start at 138. Tristen Lanum (215) and Brayden Flener (Hwt.) are back after reaching the regional round a year ago. Lanum has moved up from the 195 class.
Two other strong wrestlers from last year, Cade Zuber (semi-state qualifier at 120) and John Ubelhor (regional qualifier at 160) are working hard to get back in the Cougars deep lineup.
The team had just two graduation losses from the starting lineup, but they were good ones. Cohen Hager (145) and Isaiah Holden (152) were both semi-state qualifiers. Hager was 24-13 and Holden finished 29-10.
“I’m just excited to see what they can do,” coach Holden said of this year’s team. “I’ve got the best kids. I get great kids from our building. They work hard and we drive them. It ain’t for everybody. We’ve got 60 kids (boys and girls) on the team that are willing to go through what it takes to do this. I’m excited to see what they do. They deserve all the success they get.”
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2023-24 Greenfield-Central Wrestling Schedule
Date;Opponent;Time
Nov. 18;at Rex Leavitt Invitational (Elwood);8:30 a.m.
Nov. 22;at Pendleton Heights;6:30 p.m.
Nov. 30;at Franklin Central;6:30 p.m.
Dec. 6;vs. New Palestine;6 p.m.
Dec. 9;at Falcon Duals (Perry Meridian);9 a.m.
Dec. 13;at Shelbyville;6:30 p.m.
Dec. 28;at Spartan Classic (Connersville);9 a.m.
Jan. 3;vs. Roncalli;6:30 p.m.
Jan. 11;vs. Eastern Hancock;6:30 p.m.
Jan. 13;at HHC (Pendleton Heights);8:30 a.m.
