By STEVE SINISKI
"Most of the guys have been in the program at least 3 or 4 years so they have the terminology down," said Robinson. "Next we hope to get the guys into the right spots [weight classes]. We have a lot of great individuals."
Andrew Cardella (130-pound weight class), an All-County nominee after finishing third in the Nassau County tournament, spent the entire off season preparing for what could be a strong individual run. "We both feed off each other," Robinson said of Cardella, whom he's coached since the wrestler's junior high days. "We've both learned the same techniques, and as I've developed as a coach, he's developed as a wrestler."
Seniors Danny Wesselhoft, Greg Roll (130) and Andrew Del Pezzo (125), along with juniors Phil Eye, Brian Freehill, Phil Maltabano and Kyle Nordeck are among the returnees looking to take the next step forward. Eye, a fourth-place finisher in last year's county qualifying tournament, has looked strong in early workouts, and sophomore Dakota Lupo has become someone to keep an eye on as the season develops.
Goretti Boyer (215) is back after finishing sixth at least year's qualifying tournament, and Ernesto Estevez also returns to the mats. "The guys know their potential and have set their goals high," Robinson said. "They want to get to the county's and win the championship. They come to practice with the intention of doing that. We sat down with the seniors and wrote down the goals. The team's expectations are high and they're a very smart, intelligent team, too."
Baldwin also has a large number of freshmen among the 36 wrestlers that were on the team during training camp. And even if the newcomers don't earn a starting job right out of the gates, they will play a large role in the development of the team. "Practice partners are key," said Robinson, who added that the squad has 10 more wrestlers than last year. "The best [wrestling] rooms are the rooms with a lot of guys in them. The cream rises to the top.
"I think we're developing into a more cohesive team. Last year we had individuals doing well but now we're helping each other."
Coming off a successful 2002-03 campaign, the Bruins are aiming to return Baldwin's program to the Nassau County elite. And with that, the team is taking the next step in an aggressive approach on the mats. "We're trying to develop guys on their feet, and to make them tough on top," Robinson said. "We've been doing that with Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling [techniques]. Takedowns win championships."
