2A-16 Preview: Somerset chasing three-peat

Notable losses (Graduation/Transfer): Noah Catala, 43-13, 6th, R2, D2; Duly Brutus, 46-7, 7th, R2, DC; Alexander Harding, 35-14, SQ, R4, D2; Mallard Mondesir, 28-21, SQ, R4, D3; Dayian Bernot, 39-15, RQ, D4; Famous Nealy, 36-6, RQ, DC; Domonic Charles, 38-13, RQ-BR, D3.

Notable returning wrestlers: Jayden Rivas, Jr., 42-12, SQ, R3, D2; Lamon Witherspoon, Sr., 18-15, RQ, D2; Vankermaury Souffrant, Sr., 32-17, RQ, D3; Mike Jn Baptiste, Jr., 14-30, RQ, D4.

New wrestler: Marley Judge

What they are saying: “We have a lot of guys that I guess you could say have been playing second fiddle and now it's their turn. That last class, they had to go through it too. We're going to take our bumps this year. We're going to get smacked around. But we'll be there by regionals, by state. We'll be there. The way we work, it always takes us just a little bit longer.

On senior legacy: In the last three years, and not to toot our horn, but the duals that we've lost have been only to top programs. I think out of that group, I only had four four-year wrestlers. All our guys were young and they were hungry. They worked hard. And the great thing is you're going forward and you have all these young guys now, but the work ethic hasn't changed. The culture hasn't changed."

On not having feeder programs: "I don't have that privilege of having kids just walk into that room ready. I'm spending a month 'All right, this is a stance. this is your a takedown, this is how you pin a guy.' We got to teach them the basics, and then we just got to from there, we make no excuses. I tell them if you want to win, you're going to face guys who have been wrestling since kindergarten. So, where we lack technique, we got to make up with athleticism, speed, strength, all that stuff."

On the tough region: We finished third last year behind Jensen Beach and Somerset of course, but our guys are always ready for the test. I guess sometimes that it helps a lot too that we don't have, those wrestlers that been on the mat forever because they don't get caught up in the moment, they just wrestle the guy in front of them. We have our lighter guys, but it's always one of these football players that I have that will put on a hell of a performance at regionals and punch their ticket at state. It happens every year and not just on our team. They're like, 'Hey, this kid's a stud. Who's this guy?' I just pulled him off the football field.”

Outlook: That Patriots kept on performing well last year, finishing third in the hardened 2A-4 region race. Last year’s senior class was a good one, and this team might take part of the year to find replacements in the lineup, but don’t expect a dropoff in the effort and potential.