As a freshman, Collin Gaj finished fourth in the state last season and captured sectional and regional titles in the process.
Yet, the incoming Quakertown sophomore grappler wasn’t satisfied. Looking to improve, he brought close friends Mason Ziegler and Calvin Lachman along with him on a cross-country tournament trip from South Dakota to Tennessee, and to Lancaster. They also made a stop at State College, and their final stop will be in Tyrone, Pa., on Oct. 15.
The venture for the trio was a productive one, a true primer for the upcoming season. All of the tournaments featured some of the top wrestlers across the country.
They set aside records and highlights, and concentrated on working on technique and style.
Gaj, the 145-pounder who took third at a tournament in Fargo, thoroughly enjoyed the hectic and competitive schedule. He finished with an overall 45-7 record last year.
“I took third, but I could have won,” said Gaj. “I was wrestling against some very good kids. But I was able to take a lot from each match, and realize what I needed to do moving forward.
“It got me pumped up, and I was ready to get right back to work. It was as good mentally as it was physically. I got a chance to work on my posturing. But it really helped my overall game.”
Ziegler, an incoming 126-pound junior who will bring a 72-10 career slate into this winter, echoed his teammates sentiments, but he also took a different approach. However, he did lose a tight match to state champion Bethlehem Catholic’s Nathan Desmond along the way.
“It was very competitive,” he stressed. “I had a lot of different kinds of matchups and saw different styles. It’s good to see different wrestlers who you don’t see every year.
“But for me, it comes down to wrestling my own match and not worrying about someone else.”
Like his teammates, Ziegler’s focus was on the big picture.
“The offseason is about putting in all the hard work that is a big part of the process,” he said. “We took it a step further. I feel very confident in my abilities and my coaches as well.
“I know this is going to make me a lot better. A coach told me that wrestling is 90% mental and 10% physical. It is just about building confidence in yourself.”
One of the major goals accomplished was the strengthening of the bond among the trio.
“We are all super close to each other,” said Ziegler. “We always have been close and now we’re closer. We’re truly like brothers to each other.
“We all share the same goals and we all want to get to Hershey. We’ll support each other to get there like we did this summer.”
Head coach Kurt Wentzel isn’t surprised by the trio’s efforts.
“They are all very close, and are extremely hard workers,” he said. “These guys are on a mission this year. They realized what they could do.”
Gaj is anxious to prove their point.
“The season is right around the corner,” he added. “We will all be in midseason form.”
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