Winter Sports Preview: Stout Pekin lineup gearing up for late season run

Like just about all wrestling teams, Pekin hopes to be a tough match at every weight class.

The 2009 Panthers appear to be able to back that up.

Leading the charge will be tough as nails heavyweight Darin Adam, who tacked a state tournament appearance to his already impressive 2009 resume. The state meet is where Adam has his sights set for this season and a higher finish is certainly in view as well. Several other Panthers could also make a run for the state tournament at the lower weights including sophomore Philip Laux at 103.

?Our expectation is always to hit our peak come the beginning of February,? said first-year head coach Al Chapman. ?That?s when we want to turn it on ? nothing really counts until then, and we really want to get after it.?

Chapman is now the head man for the Panthers but it?s certainly not as if he doesn?t know what to expect from his team ? or vice versa. Before stepping in for departed head coach Juston Lamb, Chapman has been an assistant for the past six years and have worked with many of the same varsity wrestlers as part of the youth program.

?It?s a big advantage to step in right away as a new coach, but still have the respect with the kids ? they?ve really been working hard for me,? he said.

While Laux had his season cut short a year ago, he more than made up for lost time on the summer circuit. The sophomore brought plenty of hardware and awards from around the country back to Pekin High School and now prepares for the high school season with Chapman.

Austin Adam, Hunter Maeder, Spencer Adam, Chase Chapman and Zach Mosbey also put in strong 2009 campaigns and will return to the mat for Pekin. Making his Panther debut will be freshman Austin Vogle, who Chapman says should be able to make an immediate impact. Vogle is the younger brother of two state qualifiers that went through the Pekin system but now sets out to make a name for himself. Vogle should fit into the lineup at either 125 or 130 pounds.

?There really should only be one weight class that will be tough to fill in, but by the time January rolls around, we should have our strongest lineup on the mat,? said Chapman.

With the Panthers? strong expectations not fully in tact until February, January will be plenty early. Pekin gets its season started at Montezuma Tuesday evening.