Freedom has their share of veteran wrestlers back on this year’s team, but they also have an influx of freshmen entering the fold. How those two combine will ultimately determine the Pates drive toward a postseason run.

After an 11-9 campaign a year ago, head coach Anthony Marino is excited about the capabilities of this year’s group.

“We are a really young team but our community within the team has never been better,” he said. “The freshmen that came in this year are hungry to compete at the next level and working hard to prove themselves. This is the most committed group I have had since coming to Freedom. Over the summer and throughout the preseason we would have no less than 25 athletes in the room. I’m really looking forward to seeing these freshmen compete and seeing how the upperclassman guide the freshmen and help them get to the next level. We really have a good chance and competing with the top teams this year and I would like to see all the hard work pay off.”

Back for the Pates are Nick Lyden (So., 145); Keenan Ray (Sr., 152); Ivan Bonilla (Sr., 160); Noah MacIlroy (Sr., 189); Elliot Black (Sr., 215) and Dan Schiffert (Jr., 285).

MacIlroy returns with 25 wins and a fourth place finish at districts, while Schiffert won 28 matches last season. Ray also took fifth at districts last year rounding out the Pates returning medalists.

Newcomers include freshmen Lucas Ellis, Mikey Messa, Dom Aurin Webb Kurtz and Cole Retos.

Marino also expects Black and Lyden to make a push for district medals this season.

The Pates opened the season on November 30 at their own Battle of Bethlehem Duals and then host East Stroudsburg North on December 4.