Grant Union's Antonio Dancer, left, and Clay Johnson practice wrestling along with Collin Harvey and Hunter Martin in back with head coach Andy Lusco.

JOHN DAY – The Grant Union wrestling team is hitting the mats, gearing up for its first competition – the Dec. 5 Enterprise Meet.

Head coach Andy Lusco, in his third year as head coach, is looking to four of his more experienced wrestlers to be a force on the team this season.

Overall, the group is young. Seven freshmen join four sophomores, two juniors and one senior to fill the roster of 14.

Lusco said having more wrestlers on a team can mean a lot, and he’s not dissatisfied with how many have joined this year.

“Our goal is to have as many kids out as we can,” he said.

Last season ended with 16 on the team.

Three qualified for the OSAA State Championships, including Caleb Batease ,who earned the 2A state title in the heavyweight division at 285; Tucker Wright who placed third at 285; and Clay Johnson, who was in the 120 weight class at the time.

Batease and Wright graduated in June; Johnson, now a sophomore, says he’s ready to work hard to reach state again.

Some of this year’s athletes are out for wrestling for the first time, or are in their second year.

Lusco said it’s refreshing to see younger athletes joining the team, and they’ll need to improve and stick with the program.

Returning assistant coach Tye Parsons is taking a bigger role this year, Lusco said.

On the days when both the high school team and junior high team, made up of seventh- and eighth-graders, have meets, Parsons will take a group on his own.

Next year, the team will have their first crop of wrestlers from the youth wrestling club headed by coach Mike Strong.

“That’s really the big thing – they’ll improve us a lot,” Lusco said. “Mike’s doing a dynamite job with that. The kids have fun – wrestling needs to be fun before it can be hard.”

The high school group has been building strength and learning the ropes of wrestling during the past couple of weeks, as most recently finished up with football.

“They’re working on fundamentals,” Lusco said. “We try to do a few things and do them well. Most are in weight training classes – part of being a success is being strong.”

He cited four with the best shot at qualifying for state: Johnson (126 weight class), juniors Antonio Dancer (145) and Andrew Copenhaver (152) and sophomore Chance Ballou (220).

“I’m happy about everyone that’s come out,” said Johnson. “We’re really improving and growing the program here. I’m going to try to place at state. It takes hard work all the time without letting up.”

“I’m looking forward to working harder this season to get to state,” Dancer said. “I’m going to put more individual time in with more running, drilling and working with the coaches and other wrestlers to get more experience.”

“We have a lot of weight classes and a lot of freshmen,” Copenhaver said. “We have solid workers who will continue the legacy that we leave. I’m hoping to make it to state and at least place. I love how wrestling is a one of one sport and how you can’t blame anyone else if you mess up.”

“We’re getting the new guys ready for the program,” Ballou said. “My goal is to take what I learned last year and learn more, and take knowledge from the other wrestlers and coaches and find out what my true potential is on the mat.”

Other wrestlers on the team include: freshman Hadley Boethin (170 weight class), freshman Joey Douglas (132), freshman Jay Goldblatt (120), freshman Collin Harvey (138), sophomore James Mabe (132), freshman Dillon Maley (195), freshman Hunter Martin (138), freshman Reuben Nelson (220), freshman Jessie Paulson (106) and senior Paul Roark (145).