Reed City coach Roger Steig (right) will open his wrestling season on Dec. 11. (Herald Review file photo)
REED CITY - Veteran Reed City wrestling coach Roger Steig is ready for another season.
The Coyotes started practices on Nov. 18 and will open the season on Dec. 11 with a home quad.
Reed City also wrestles on Dec. 14 at the Big Rapids Invitational. The 2018-19 team had a state qualifier in Ryan Simmons, who notched his 100th career win.
He was the only graduate but leaves huge shoes to fill. He will be returning this year as an assistant coach.
"We have four 4-year outstanding returning senior starters that will lead this team by example with Mark White (152), Kellen Haney (160), Austin Fowler (215) and Ryan Neal (285)," Steig said. "At 103 we have second-year junior Andrew Clementshaw. We have very high expectations from Andrew; the best way to describe him is tough.
"We have two returning sophomores that the success of our team may very well be the results of how much they can step up their game with Mason Johnson (119) and Aaron Boucher (140)."
Steig is high on four freshmen who will be starters with Alex Andrus (135), Bryson Hughes (145), Eli Johnson (152) and Noah Morgan (189).
"To go with this group we have seven wrestlers that will be pushing these wrestlers for starting positions," Steig said "We have to have the attitude that we will out work and out hustle every opponent."
Steig said work ethic, strength and conditioning will be Coyote assets.
"We have some holes to fill in our lineup," Steig said.
He's expecting perennial state power Chippewa Hills to be tough again.
