News Archive
WRESTLING TEAM LOOKS FOR SUCCESS ON THE MATS IN NEW SEASON
TEAM PREVIEW: Head Coach Pete Babinec returns for the seventh year to lead the Eagles into the 2018-2019 season. The previous team finished third at the Eastern Cincinnati Conference Championships, their best finish since 2014, and sent two athletes to compete at the District tournament.
With respect to the outlook for the upcoming season, Coach Babinec states, “The team is excited to get the season started. Our team motto is Strength Through Discipline. The harder we work the more freedom we have to succeed.”
Though just three seniors carry over from last year, the team boasts a number of athletes with varsity and post-season experience including 7 varsity starters. The team includes 12 freshmen along with a strong JV contingency with several expected to step into the Varsity line up this year. In addition, Milford welcomes 2 freshmen ladies to the team, as the sport continues to gain popularity with the girls buoyed by the surge of women's wrestling at the Olympic level.
The current roster includes a number of competitors who found success on the mats last season, including District qualifiers Kobey Bronaugh and Max Ward.
During the 2017-18 season, Bronaugh earned his 100th career win at the ECC Championships, becoming the 7th wrestler overall to claim 100 victories and the first to accomplish it as a junior. He won the ECC Championship title, his third consecutive MIT championship, and the #126 title at the Oak Hills Duals. At the Sectional Tournament, Bronaugh finished in third place to earn a trip to Districts where he left with a sixth-place finish. He finished the year with a 43-9 record, and earned first team honors for the second consecutive year.
Ward joined Bronaugh on the all-conference first team last season following an ECC individual championship at #120. The ECC meet was his first after an injury suffered in December at Edgewood, where he finished third. He found success at Sectionals by working his way through consolation rounds leave with a fourth-place medal. At the 2018 District meet, Ward was able to avenge an early season loss in overtime, with a third period fall as well as a 6-4 win in overtime. His final record was 17-9.
The roster includes a number of athletes with varsity experience, including seniors Alex Price and Jack Ward; juniors Adam Anderson, Justin Bell, Derek Elliott, Jonah Fouts, Luke Schneider and Isaac Sheldon; and sophomores Ray Clayton, Hayden Harvey, Connor Hawkins, Chad Lynn and Mason Roy.
Coach Babinec notes the team still has room for a few big guys at 195 and 220 pounds, as well as 106, and encourages all interested to come out and join the fun on the mats this year.
A LOOK AHEAD: The Eagles open the season on Sat., Dec. 1 at the inaugural Northwest Duals. The action is set to get underway at 10:00 am, and will be held at Northwest High School. In a true test of stamina, passion, and desire, the Eagles will wrestle 5 duals in one day against Princeton, Dixie Heights (KY), Logan Elm, Monroe, and host Northwest.
POLL WATCH: The Division I preseason area coaches’ poll from the Cincinnati Enquirer has been released, and Mason will start the year at the top of the rankings. LaSalle, Fairfield, Elder and Harrison round out the top five, followed by Moeller, Princeton, Lebanon, Loveland of the ECC and Western Brown. West Clermont (9) was the only ECC program to receive votes in the preseason poll. The poll can be found at http://preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.
