The Caleb Waddell era of Gilmer High School wrestling is underway.
Gilmer is set to open its season this week, and preparations have been long in the making. The 19-time state champion Bobcats placed in the top six at state duals a season ago as they greatly surpassed expectations. GHS will have a roster of close to 60 wrestlers once football season wraps up, and Waddell and the Bobcats used June to set the foundation for the season.
“I was very pleased with our offseason,” said Waddell, who was a first-year assistant last year. “It gave me a lot of confidence in the team. Just because of how hard they worked, and it doesn’t take much motivation for them (to do so). They understand where we’re at and what’s going on and just put their nose down and work.”
Official practices started Oct. 21, and the Bobcats had some areas of focus to get squared away before they took the mat for real.
“It’s kind of been about our mindset of just going out there and always attacking and always being offensive and never backing up,” Waddell said. “We always want to be the guy who is pushing the pace.
“We’ve also really been diving into technique, the little things in our moves. Not all the big flashy moves, but working on the little things. We’re really breaking down technique and slowing it down and then we can speed it up after we progress.”
An area where the Bobcats faltered last season has also been addressed. GHS often found itself leading matches early only to lose them late.
“I want to see us finish the match,” Waddell said. “We struggled to put the nail in the coffin. In college, we called it ‘icing the match.’ Get that go-ahead takedown or that pin if we have an opportunity to finish the match. It’s something we talked about earlier in the year, and we want to finish the match when we have the opportunity.”
GHS has a roster that contains a lot of familiar faces, and one positive quality has carried over from last season. For Waddell, it makes his job easier as wrestlers come to practice with a key component in place.
“It’s their work ethic, and it’s kind of outrageous,” Waddell said when asked what he likes about the team. “They come in and want to get better every day. I always ask individual wrestlers while we’re stretching and getting ready for practice, ‘What are we going to do today?’ The answer is always ‘Get better.’ It’s pretty cool.”
GHS returns four state placers, and leading that pack is sophomore Daniel Escobar (currently 120 pounds), who was a state runner-up last year. Senior heavyweight Denny Ramirez is back again and placed third. Junior Braelyn Nelson (150) turned in a fifth-place finish. Adolfo Bautista (157) claimed sixth place as a sophomore and is also aiming for another spot on the medal stand.
“Daniel Escobar has really put in the work over the offseason and gone and done all the extra things. I’m excited about him to see what he does this year. Denny was a major point scorer and our MVP last year. Every time we needed a six-point match, he’d go out there and get us a pin. Braelyn is one of the hardest workers in the room. I don’t think he’s missed a single day in three years. He busts his tail. Adolfo is top-notch. I’ve got no worries about him.”
Also qualifying for state were seniors Manny Velazquez (138) and Deyson Lopez (106) and junior Dawson Richard (165).
“All three of those have the potential to step up this year and score a lot of points at the state tournament and place,” said Waddell.
Aforementioned weights will change for some as the season progresses. The remaining seven spots in the starting lineup will be decided in the coming weeks at the conclusion of football season.
Waddell is a GHS alum and was a three-time state finalist and two-time champ. He is well versed in the history and tradition of Gilmer wrestling and noted the emphasis on “the continuation and not restoration” of the program.
“Our goal isn’t to look back, but to continue the dynasty moving forward,” he said. “The foundation has been laid by all of the teams prior to us. We view ourselves as the next chapter in the dynasty and to continue to win state titles. We want (to win) No. 20 this year. The dynasty isn’t about the past 19 titles; it’s about the work we put in today for No. 20.”
The Bobcats will prepare for end-of-the-season state qualifying by testing themselves early and often at duals and invitationals in November and December.
“We are going to go out there and give 100 percent effort all the time,” Waddell said. “We’re never going to quit, even if we fail. I’m OK with us failing if you’re giving me 100 percent effort. There’s no way for me to be frustrated or mad if you do that. I want us to be high-paced, high-intensity, and 100 percent effort every match.”
Gilmer begins its season Saturday.