Valley Wrestling One of State's Best; Boys' Swimming Starts Thursday

Swimmers Have High Expectations

This season's boys' swim team is a veteran one, which has high expectations from sixth-year head coach Shawn DeBoef.

After a state championship in 2010, the boys had a disappointing 16th place finish at the state meet last season. The team is looking to get back to championship form by relying on its veteran leadership.

"We're definitely a veteran team," DeBoef said. "We don't have a lot of returning qualifiers, but the ones we do have are very good swimmers.

"I have very high expectations for our upperclassmen, so one of our goals is not only to develop them, but to really work with our underclassmen, too – the future of our team," he said. "We want them to not only be productive now, but in the future, as well." 

"Valley probably has their best [wrestling] team ever. They're so good this year it's ridiculous."

This season, the Tigers return four state qualifiers, including senior Conor Elliott, who spent a month and a half in the hospital before returning to the team to start practice. 

"It's a miracle that he's back and doing what he's doing," said DeBoef. "He's not nearly as strong as he was or as fast, but we're very excited that he's back swimming with us. We didn't know if we'd have him back at all, he's done a tremendous job of fighting back."

The other returning state qualifiers are Stephen Davick and David Merriman. Derek Yu-Alex Bodin is a returning alternate. DeBoef likes the experience his team has, but says it's hard to tell what will come of it until the season is under way.

"It's a little early to tell, but I would definitely say we're looking for a top 10 finish at state," DeBoef said. "But until we get some meets under our belt and see what other teams are going to do, it's hard to be sure."

The Tigers begin their season on Dec. 1 at Hoover High School in Des Moines.

Eight State Qualifiers Return to Wrestling Squad

The Valley wrestlers finished fifth at last year's state meet and the squad is returning eight state qualifiers, seven of them seniors, to this year's team.

These are reasons why the Tigers have the attention of their competitors going into the 2011-12 season. 

"Valley probably has their best team ever," said Waukee head coach Chad Vollmecke. "They're so good this year it's ridiculous."

Travis Young, in his 15th year as Valley's head coach, remains timid with his expectations, but knows he has plenty to work with this season.

"It's too early to tell how good we'll be," Young said. "As far as number of state qualifiers back, and number of state place-winners back, then on paper it has the potential to be [the best Valley team ever], that's for sure."

Two of those eight returning state qualifiers are seniors Trey Lewis and Kyle Larson.

Lewis just wrapped up an all-state campaign as starting running-back for the football team. He was the Tigers' only state champion wrestler last season at 152 pounds.

Young says Lewis is special.

"Trey is just a tremendous athlete," said Young. "He does things on the wrestling mat that normal guys can't, things you really can't coach. He doesn't like to lose and that's probably his greatest asset."

Larson finished third at last year's state meet at 125 pounds. Young will look to him for leadership this season.

"Kyle Larson is probably the leader of our team," said Young. "He had a tremendous summer; he was an All-American in Fargo at the national freestyle tournament. We'll be expecting big things out of him this year."

The Tigers will begin their state championship pursuit on Dec. 1 at Johnston.