By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
Now is the time, young man, if ever you wanted to wrestle at Catholic Central High School. Opportunity is plentiful because bodies are not.
Two wrestlers are participating for the Hilltoppers this season.
“It will be a challenge,” first-year coach Zach Fisher said. “I just need to get my face known around school and get our numbers up.”
Catholic Central opened its season Dec. 6 at the Tom McGarvie Early Bird Scramble at Watertown High School. John Czerwinski (113) finished the day 1-4 and lost 19-14 in the consolation bracket to Sauk Prairie’s Gavin Lankey. Czerwinski finished 12th.
Anthony Simonelli (132) finished 14th after finishing 2-3 on the day. Simonelli wrestled two matches and had a bye in another.
Czerwinski wrestled last year for the Hilltoppers at 106. Fisher said the sophomore’s goal is to advance to the WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament at the end of the season.
Simonelli, a freshman, is out for wrestling for the first time.
“He’s a great worker,” Fisher said. “He really works his butt off. It can be frustrating for someone who’s coming out his first time and the only person he has to work against (Czerwinski) is someone who’s pretty good.”
Fisher said the difference in ability between Czerwinski and Simonelli is related to time spent on the mat.
“There’s a pretty big ability difference between the two of them,” Fisher said. “Antony’s wrestled for three weeks. Jack’s in his ninth year. They work pretty well together.”
Fisher coached at Kenosha Christian Life in recent years. He wrestled in high school at Kenosha St. Joseph and collegiately at UW-Platteville. He’s also worked with different youth wrestling organizations in the area.
Fisher said the Metro Classic is improving as a wrestling conference.
“It’s not the best conference in the state, but it’s getting better, and it’s getting better fast,” Fisher said.
Fisher said defending champions Kenosha Christian Life, Somers Shoreland Lutheran and Greendale Martin Luther should compete for the conference title.
The Hilltoppers’ next meet is the Whitewater Invitational Saturday at Whitewater High School.
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