Coaches Have High Hopes for This Wrestling Season

James Kilroy, Reporter

Head coach Borkowski and assistant coaches Mr. Bonner, Mr. Nagel, and Mr. Miller are excited for the 2014-2015 wrestling season. They have high hopes for the team as a whole and expect great things to come from the past-years wrestlers and the newcomers.

Head coach Brad Borkowski has been wrestling since he could walk. He started in kindergarten and continued his wrestling career through middle school and all four years of high school. He’s been coaching wrestling at Manitou for 3 years now and doubles as the woodshop teacher. Manitou is the only team he’s coached for and will continue to put in work for the team.

As a coach, Borkowski’s goals for the season are to go undefeated in the duels that they compete in and to have at least 5 wrestlers make it to state this year. He expects two wrestlers to definitely be making it to state this year, Billy Ryan and Dominic Frankmore who were both close to making it last year but didn’t quite make the cut. This year he expects them to be able to redeem themselves.

Borkowski is also excited for a newcomer this year from Woodland Park Highschool, Xavier Dandurand (10). Dandurand came to Manitou Springs High School this year from Woodland Park. He had some great achievements at Woodland Park including placing 3rd in nationals his freshman year.

Dandurand has been wrestling for 5 years and has high hopes for this season. His personal goal is to win state and wrestle varsity all season. Dandurand has wrestled for two other schools before Manitou, Woodland Park High School and Scott City Middle School.

Another key player on the team is Billy Ryan (12). Ryan has been wrestling for Manitou since his freshman year. Last year he almost made it to state but just barely missed his shot and didn’t make the cut. Borkowski expects Ryan to be one of the wrestlers to make it to state this season.

This season is Ryan’s 7th year of wrestling. The only other school that he’s wrestled for is Horizon Middle school, starting in 6th grade. His personal goal for the season is to place in state. Ryan has has had some great achievements during his wrestling career, his personal favorite achievement was winning 20 matches in one season.

Another wrestler that almost made it to state last year was Dominic Frankmore (12). Frankmore has been wrestling since he was in 6th grade and has been wrestling for Manitou High School since his freshman year. The team expects him to make it to state this year.