St. Clair Shores

Health, effort key to Lake Shore wrestling team’s season

By Jason Carmel Davis
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Sean Work St. Clair Shores Lake Shore’s Quintin Zagumny works for a pin against Dakota Spanick, as A.J. Wuerth helps coach the move. Photo by Sean Work St. Clair Shores Lake Shore’s Quintin Zagumny works for a pin against Dakota Spanick, as A.J. Wuerth helps coach the move.

ST. CLAIR SHORES— St. Clair Shores Lake Shore senior grappler JacQuan Moore knows this year’s group has the potential to have a special season. That’s why members of the Shorians’ wrestling team push each other every day, he said.

“We know we need to work to get better. That’s what we do every day,” Moore said. “(Coach Dominic Zombo) pushes all of us really hard, too.”

That constant effort has led to Lake Shore winning Macomb Area Conference division titles in two of the past three seasons. The Shorians are now members of the MAC Gold, having won the Blue last year and the Gold in 2010.

Lake Shore has 10 wrestlers back from a team that went 16-4, 6-1 in the MAC Blue, according to Zombo. He said he likes the way his lineup is shaping up but wishes he had more wrestlers in the lower and upper weight classes.

“We’re heavy in the middle,” said Zombo, in his 20th year with the Shorians.

Moore, in his fourth year with the varsity squad, said the lineup is solid, with a nice mix of veteran and skilled new wrestlers. He agreed with Zombo that there are holes in spots, but he said guys need to step up to fill those holes.

“We’re just going to work hard every day and take the season one match at a time,” Moore said. “I think we have the guys in place to win the league again.”

Zombo said he expects big years from several of his grapplers, including Harlin Goodall, Cruz Kapp, Stephan Orlando, Kyle Kretschmer, Mike Jones, Ryan Lopen, Alexander Placido-Curle, Curtis Elam and Moore.

The longtime Shorians coach said avoiding injuries and illness, and working hard will play a big role in how Lake Shore finishes the season. He said the team must finish hard and wrestle strong in the eight-team MAC Gold.

If healthy, Zombo said, the Shorians could send six wrestlers to individual regionals. He added the competition in the Gold should be strong, as well.

“I’m looking forward to this year, and I really think I could have a few (wrestlers) at the (Michigan High School Athletic Association state finals),” Zombo said. “We just need to stay healthy and work hard.”

Lake Shore next hits the mat for a tri meet with St. Clair Shores Lakeview and Macomb Lutheran North. The meet gets under way at 5 p.m. Dec. 6 at Lake Shore.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Jason Carmel Davis at jdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1107. Follow Jason Carmel on Twitter.