Comets looking to expedite their rebuilding process

After a rare season that saw the Genoa Comets deal with their share of setbacks, the team is primed for a rebound.

Gone from last year are Dustin Morgillo, Kevin Contos, Randy Matheny and Corey Welch. Leading the way are five seniors who hope to get Genoa back to competing at a high level against some of the best competition Northwest Ohio has to offer. Coach Bob Bergman likes the look of his team, but notes that there are youth who will need varsity experience. 

The five seniors are Tommy Giles (160 pounds), Darin Muir (138/145) Tony Morgillo (152), Devin D’Emilio (132) and Quintin Banks (145/152). 

“Those five seniors will be leaders for us. Tommy has been a contributor on our state championship teams and platooned in some matches,” said Bergman. “He brings a lot of experience. We’re looking at an ideal weight for him. Darin has a big gas tank. He can wrestle for six minutes and then some. Tony is very cerebral, very smart; he’ll fit in somewhere, maybe at 152 pounds. 

“We’re very excited for Devin, he’s had to (endure) shoulder surgeries. He went 3-0 in the state duals as a freshman. Quintin was partners of (former wrestlers) Kevin Contos and Dustin Morgillo. He’s wrestled in some great matches. He’s probably our most explosive wrestler.”

A number of other key wrestlers are Drew Posey (285), Ethan Crawford (220), Nate Partin (106/113), Mario Torres (113) and Jesse Sanchez (120).

“Drew put on 60 pounds of muscle. Last year, he was average-sized; this year, he’s going to be one of the biggest heavyweights around. He’s been a wrestler since he was in the program at 6 or 7-years-old. We hope for him to reach the podium,” said Bergman. “Ethan was 30-0 as an eighth-grader, he could’ve been a state champion had the (state tournament) not been cancelled.

“Nate was a district qualifier, he’s a scrappy kid. We’ve got some high hopes for him. Mario took fifth at sectionals in a good weight class. Sanchez showed steady improvement last year. We hope they can be a good 1-2 punch.”

Bergman expects a number of other wrestlers to compete for spots in the starting lineup, a group that includes Noah Tipton, Nate Tipton, Luke Erwin and Colin Brazelton.

“Nate could probably get us some varsity time at 126; he’s a go-getter. His twin brother Noah is a good wrestler. We’ve got a couple holes to fill at 170,” said Bergman. “Luke Erwin is long, tall and lanky, he’s a freshman; he’s very experienced and was part of our biddy program. Colin Brazelton is a great kid for us; he’s been at 182, could be 170. He’s just a dedicated guy that puts in a lot of hours in the offseason; he’s probably one of the most committed upper-weight wrestlers.”

It’s unknown how long it will take for Genoa to get back to the summit. 

“We’re in a rebuild mode. We have opportunities for our youngsters to rise up. The seniors will look to establish themselves, we like the way they mentor; great freshmen class,” Bergman said. “I think in a couple of years, we’ll be back to the top.”

Last year, the Comets finished seventh at the Northern Buckeye Conference tournament. Eastwood, the reigning league champions, was picked to repeat as champions. Bergman notes that Otsego and Elmwood will be in the mix as well. Genoa won the conference seven straight times from 2013-19. 

In 2018 and 2019, the Comets won back-to-back state championships in Division III in the dual team and the individual competitions before regressing last season under younger wrestlers.

“I think we’re in great shape. We’ve had a heck of a run and we plan to be back on top sooner rather than later,” Bergman said. “With 115 kids per class, you’re going to have some peaks and valleys. We’ll do the best we can.”

After missing out on the state tournament last year, the Comets are hoping for a return to greatness.

“One of the things we talk about is the fact that the future is guaranteed to no one, the Walter Payton quote. That resonates with us. The time and opportunity we have could evaporate pretty quickly, we need to make the most of that,” said Bergman. “The days are not mundane, we have more urgency and we have to prioritize a lot more because with this whole climate, there are so many moving parts. We focus on what we can control — our attitudes and our actions.”