Allentown wrestling is young but experienced

Teams taking a quick glance at the Allentown High School wrestling team should be careful.

Don't let the youth of this roster give you the wrong idea about this season's Redbirds squad. First-year head coach Larry Kimport will be the first to tell you — what they lack in experience they more than make up for in talent.

"This is my first year as the head coach at Allentown High School, so I don't know how to compare this team to last year's team, but I'll tell you this: this is a pretty good young team," he said. "We've got a very strong sophomore class with a bunch of kids who had solid freshman seasons a year ago."

For Kimport, who coached at Allentown Middle School for 24 years before taking over the high school program this winter, a lot of the faces on the squad are familiar.

"I'd say about half the kids came through our program in middle school, with the rest coming from Millstone," the coach said. "And they've got a real strong program over there, so having those two feeder programs certainly helps."

Last season, while the Redbirds were establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the Colonial Valley Conference, head coach Bob Mussari was quick to deflect much of the credit toward Kimport and the work he was doing with the middle school wrestlers.

"They came in wrestlers," Mussari said of the freshmen who helped rejuvenate the program last year. "There's a very good middle school program here in Allentown, and a lot of these kids work real hard in the wrestling clubs, and it's really starting to show.

"You can see the freshmen that are coming in are wrestlers. They're not new to the sport, and understand what it takes to be successful. I think that's a credit to the middle school program."

It is many of those same youngsters on the Redbirds team

that are expected to anchor the lineup this winter.

"Our strength is definitely in our middle weights, from 125 pounds to 145," Kimport said.

Leading off for the Redbirds, who opened their season last week against Hopewell Valley, will be junior Steve Coletti, followed by the first of a bunch of talented sophomores in Justin Duffy at 112.S

ophomore Lenny Gigantino starts at 119, followed by one of the Colonial Valley Conference's up-and-coming stars in sophomore Taylor Maul at 125.

Justin's older brother, Adam Duffy, a senior, starts at 130, followed by 135- pound sophomore Sam Shank and 140- pound senior Jason Beleom.

Up next is another of the CVC's top young talents in sophomore Ross Schuermann.

"Both Taylor and Ross had outstanding freshman seasons last year, so they certainly won't be sneaking up on anyone this year," Kimport said. "Everybody already knows who they are."

Another sophomore, James Corcoles, starts at 152, followed by junior Joe Werner at 160. At 171 is junior Garett Marshall, followed by the team's three other seniors, 189-pounder Michael Waldron, Mark Mangano at 215, and heavyweight Sean Beans.

But the talent doesn't end there. Kimport also plans to get a host of other wrestlers some quality mat time this winter, including impressive freshmen Don Panzeo and Dan Lamb, sophomore Tyler Tice and Cody Marks, and junior Arri Lambrose.

"We'll definitely be able to throw those guys in the lineup at times and move some people around," the coach said.

After taking on a Hopewell team that has historically given Allentown fits, the Redbirds will be busy over the holiday season, participating in three separate tournaments.

"We're entering the Collingswood Tournament, followed by a tournament that's new to us, the East Brunswick Tournament, and then finally the Holy Cross tournament," Kimport said.

As he prepares his team for those tournaments, Kimport is anxious to see how some of his younger wrestlers respond to the high quality of competition they will see this year.

"We're young, in the sense that most teams try to fill their rosters with juniors and seniors," the coach said. "We have a lot of sophomores and juniors, but they're certainly ready to compete."

After putting together a strong 10-4 season a year ago, the Redbirds hope to take the next step this year.

"From what I understand, they didn't qualify for the [team] state tournament because they didn't have enough power points," Kimport said. "As a result, they've put together a much tougher schedule for us this season. It's a very different schedule from a year ago, I'm told.

"But we're trying to raise the bar," added the coach, who is ably assisted by coaches Matt Junior and Shamon Dale, as well as volunteers Nick DePinto and Cody Keim. "These kids are getting a lot of help in the room, and a lot of individual attention from the guys helping me. I think they will all benefit from that."

And if things go according to plan, no one will be taking the youthful Redbirds lightly for very long.