By John Leggett

The Courier-Herald

To say the Sumner High wrestling program is rebuilding would clearly be an understatement.

“We have exactly zero guys returning from last year’s squad and everyone on the team is brand new,” Spartan coach Jeremy Horsley said. “It is kind of weird, as we are starting this year’s crew from ground zero.”

None of the 30 or so athletes who turned out know much about wrestling, Horsley said, but they are good listeners and are eager to absorb the basics of the sport. Given that, he spent early practice sessions reviewing fundamental mat techniques.

Despite the inexperience, Horsley sees room for optimism.

“I am really excited about the possibilities with this bunch because they are all hungry and don’t think they already know it all like some of the kids I’ve coached in the past,” he said. Also, as the word is spreading that none of the weight classes are set in stone yet, there are new faces joining the program, he said.

Sumner’s greenhorn grapplers will quickly have some idea of how much they’ve learned or how far they still have to go, as they travel to White River Thursday to square off against a vastly more experienced swarm of Hornets.