Overall Program Inprovement

[theflyguy]

Which programs does everyone think in both D1 & D2 have improved the most over the past few seasons? Basing this off of overall team success in multiple aspect.

[wrestlersdad]

Chariho and Ponaganset have both improved their programs drastically.
Both were division 2 teams 2 years ago, both were ranked high in Division 1 last year.
If anything Ponaganset has the edge. Last year tied for div 1 north, 2nd at states, most likely 1st in div 1 north this year, possibly undefeated, probably top 3 with Chariho at states, plus about half the size of the other top 10 teams.

[wiseowl]

Hope, Eddie has done a fantastic job w the city kids turning that team around. Keeping these kids involved on the mats while succeeding is a great accomplishment not to mention their academic success. Success comes in many forms and Hope I think by far has come the furthest from where they’ve been.

[atlantaal]

Those are all good examples. I think I'm most impressed with Chariho, which just keeps getting better each season. I remember a few years ago almost the entire Chariho team entered a post-season national tournament, and while I think only one wrestler even won a match then it demonstrated the program's willingness to do the work to get better. I believe all but one of their starters are home-grown, and the better ones were in last season's NHSCA championships like the top Ponagansett, Coventry and Hendricken wrestlers were as well.

Ponaganset could be the biggest example of continued improvement as they appear to be the best team in RI this season, both in duals and tournaments. I do note that two of their best wrestlers, Andrews and McGill, came from other programs originally. Ponaganset may never have a middle-of-the-order line-up like they have now where returning state place-winners have to compete with each other to earn a regular spot in their line-up. That's a nice problem to have.

Hope has been a revelation. I believe they benefit from the Beat the Streets program in Providence which also benefits Mt. Pleasant, Juanita Sanchez and a revived Central as well. I understand that former URI wrestler Jim Snead started that off-season program years ago and now Katelyn Bouysseau is one of their coaches. Hope had a terrific showing this weekend beating four Connecticut teams decisively, including two by shutout! Juanita Sanchez also picked up three wins against some of these same Connecticut teams. Here are the results from Connecticut Wrestling Online:

January 27
St. Bernard/NT 42, Juanita Sanchez-Providence RI 39
St. Bernard/Norwich Tech 48, New Haven 24
St. Bernard/Norwich Tech 54, Rockville 17
St. Bernard/Norwich Tech 60, St. Paul 6
Hope RI 65, Woodstock Academy 12
Hope RI 74, Rockville 3
Hope RI 80, New Haven 0
Hope RI 80, St. Paul 0
Juanita Sanchez 42, New Haven 36
Juanita Sanchez 42, Rockville 18
Juanita Sanchez 60, St. Paul 15
Woodstock Academy 27, Juanita Sanchez 25
Woodstock Academy 30, St. Paul 21
Woodstock Academy 33, New Haven 24
St. Paul 30, Rockville 18

[k1]

Judging by the underclassmen on their roster, and kids they have coming up form the middle school programs in town, North Providnece might be a team to watch for the next few seasons. They have a talent 145 in Freshman Materese, as well as Sophomores who finished top 4 in their weights last year at the freshman tournament (Ian Ford at 138, David Kettele at 152, and Young at 195) as well as Finalist at 195 who is now at 182, Nick Symmes. Hope and woonsocket also look to be much improved from last year, and with all the talent coming up from the middle schools, some of the providence schools might get really good soon

[anklepicker]

As far as programs on the rise I would definitely agree that Hope is building something really good. As someone that follows every level of RI wrestling the healthiest programs would be Mt. Hope and Coventry. Their middle school and youth feeder systems have great numbers and are putting out some great talent. Mt. Hope actually has a really young team and might turn some heads in the state tournament. The Beat The Streets program without question is making RI wrestling better and it is so nice to see those kids participating at a young age and that goes back to what I said about Hope. I have an incredible amount of respect for those schools who build it from the bottom up. Meaning it starts form the youth and they stay all the way through high school. In todays high school landscape it doesn't seem like it happens very often. Cumberland last year was a good story.