By BUTCH HARMON
Thanks to a strong senior class, the Birch Run wrestling team has experienced plenty of success the past four years.
After last year’s group of seniors ended their four-year run with a berth in the Division 3 team state finals, this year’s seniors set the bar even higher.
“Our seniors have been very important,” coach Bart Bennett said. “To sum it up, over four years our record in dual meets is 105-15. They have been a part of three league titles, four district titles, and two regional titles. They have been a huge part of our success over the past four years.”
The seniors have also accomplished plenty as individuals. Birch Run qualified eight wrestlers for the individual state finals, including five individual regional champions. Birch Run’s senior individual regional champions include Adam Bishop (125 pounds), Damian Johnson (130), and Lake Bennett (140). Senior Kyle Kelsey (112) also qualified for the state individual finals.
Those seniors will be joined at the state individual finals by sophomore Jerry Fenner, who won the 119-pound regional title; junior Jared Elliott, who won the 152-pound title; junior Mitch Franklin, who placed second at 145; and freshman Ean Taylor, who placed third at 140.
“I think a few guys have a legitimate shot at winning a state title,” Bennett said. “There is still work to do, and they have to be ready to rock, but they have set themselves up well.”
Overall, Bennett is proud of what the team has accomplished, and he knows that there is possibly more to come. “The season has gone well. We set some goals, and the kids have worked hard to achieve those goals. We’ve reached some of the goals, and we have some goals that are still attainable.”
The senior class has been key in what Birch Run has accomplished, following in the footsteps of last year’s seniors.
“The senior class last year did some things that had not been accomplished at Birch Run,” Bennett said. “This year’s group of seniors wanted to continue that and set the bar higher as much as they could.”
The Panthers had a large senior class. “The senior and freshman classes were our biggest classes numbers-wise,” Bennett said. “We have six or seven seniors in the lineup along with a couple of freshmen, juniors, and sophomores.”