Last season was a strong one for the Highland wrestling team as the Huskies won the Mid Hudson Athletic League championship and sent two wrestlers to the state championship meet.

Both Chris Gatto and Logan Smith – the Huskies’ two state qualifiers and Section 9 Division II champions – have graduated from the team that posted a 6-1 dual meet record last year, leaving behind a very young Huskies squad.

Smith’s run to the sectional title went through his brother, Gunner, who he beat in the sectional semifinals. Gunner is returning for his sophomore year, as is Chris Gatto’s younger brother, Bradley Gatto.

Smith, Gatto and Jones all placed fourth at last year’s sectional tournament.

Also returning are Quinn Jones, Danny Fratz, Nick Violaris, and John Vett. They’ll be joined by Marco Garrity-Mangi and Ryder Otayek.

The Huskies also are shadowed by a small contingent of wrestlers from Marlboro, and they had some success as well in 2021-22. At last year’s sectional tournament, Marlboro’s Lorenzo Caserto finished second place at sectionals after being pinned by Port Jervis’ Charlie Wylie as a seventh grader, while Reese Greathouse made the sectional finals as a sophomore last year.

“We’re a young team with a lot of room to grow,” said John McFarland, in his 27th year as Highland coach. “We are looking to place as many wrestlers as possible this year.”