ShawneeDispatch.com

Entering the 2006-2007 season, the Shawnee Mission Northwest wrestling team severely lacked experience.

But after two weeks of practice and a small break that saw the team take itself through individual workouts, the Cougars are making progress.

Senior Michael Eckard decided to come back to wrestling after taking a break his junior year. Head coach Howard Newcomb says Eckard is among his group of seniors he is expecting good things from.

Two weeks ago, the Cougars took part in the Johnson County Classic, and two wrestlers achieved the accomplishment of placing at the challenging meet. But for head coach Howard Newcomb, the medals and the accolades don't matter as much as what his guys gained from their matches.

"We wrestled well," Newcomb said. "The kids are learning. They're being competitive and wrestling pretty well. They're winning the matches they should be winning and hanging in there in the others. I'm super-pleased with these kids."

Senior Matt Lange, at 171 lbs, took the honor of placing fourth at the JoCo Classic while sophomore Glenn Schongar, 103 lbs, took sixth.

Despite that success, Newcomb knows his team of inexperienced grapplers needs more experience to battle with the elite programs in the area.

"They've got a long way to go," Newcomb said, "but they pick up things really fast. We show them a move and then, five minutes later, they're doing it. Now it's just getting the concept of strategy involved."

Newcomb pointed to the recently completed Leavenworth Junior Varsity tournament as evidence of his young team's quick study. In that meet, two freshmen -- Grant Berning (215) and Nick Caldwell (171) -- took second place in an extremely competitive field.

When the Cougars return from winter break, they will enter the most intense portion of their season. With that, Newcomb knows his team is going to have to grow up in a hurry if it wants to put itself in a position to contend for postseason glory.

"It definitely is the meat of the season," Newcomb said. "We've just got to get better. We've got to get more experienced, and that means more mat time. We need to get into the weight room. I don't like my wrestlers to cut weight to wrestle, so I have them wrestle at their natural weight most of the time. In order to do that they have to get stronger."

Newcomb has been impressed with the leadership of his senior class this season. Although the seniors didn't return much in the way of varsity experience, the morale they have provided the team has been immeasurable, Newcomb said.

"They're a good group of leaders," Newcomb said. "They lead by example. They're learning what it's like to be at a different level of competition. These kids have kind of gotten thrown to the wolves. The more we get into the season the better they're going to get. They've just been so positive."

For Cougars fans, Newcomb expects several names to pop up out of nowhere in the next couple of months, as a few of his young, inexperienced wrestlers start to make an impact.

Newcomb points to the return of senior Jordan Swoyer as having an impact on his squad. Swoyer, the only returning state qualifier on the team, was injured in the first tournament of the season, but will resume competitive wrestling in January.

Newcomb also sees good things ahead for seniors Lange, Dave Guerin and Mike Eckard.

"Matt and Dave are guys who are slowly coming into their own," Newcomb said. "They will be very competitive at the end of the season. Mike Eckard was with us two years ago, decided not to wrestle last year, and then decided to only wrestle this year. He was just one match away from placing at the Johnson County Classic. He's one of those I can count on at the end of the season."

Newcomb also has a stable full of younger wrestlers he expects to contribute as the season goes on.

Freshman Devin Covell (135) and juniors Corbin Phillips (145), Nolan Howlett (140) and Tyler Williams (152) all are expected to compete for varsity time by February.

After taking two weeks off for break, the Cougars will return to the mat at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6 at Bonner Springs.