by Chase Sondike ‘26

As the team portion of the season wraps up, Sherwood’s wrestling team now shifts its focus toward the individual competitions at counties, regionals, and states. While the dual season had its challenges, first-year head coach Nick Arnone remains optimistic about the team’s top wrestlers and their chances at success.

Leading the way for Sherwood are three standout wrestlers: junior JJ Andews (132 lbs), junior Connor Flickinger (165 lbs), and senior Brendan Heyer (175 lbs). “I expect all three of them to be competitive at all three levels,” Arnone said. “Brendan got injured to end the season last year, so we really never got to see him compete at states other than that first match, and Connor was one match away from placing at the state tournament last year. JJ has proven he can compete with the best kids this year.”
Flickinger, in particular, has made headlines this season by reaching the 100-win milestone, a rare achievement for a high school wrestler and especially for one who is still a junior. Arnone emphasized Flickinger’s commitment and dedication to the sport as some of the reasons for his success. “I think the number one reason is the buy-in that he has,” said Arnone. “He commits himself, he works hard, he makes sacrifices, he doesn’t make excuses, and it pays off.”

While Sherwood has strong individual competitors, the team faced several obstacles throughout the dual season, including injuries, disciplinary issues, and a roster filled with many new wrestlers. One major setback was the loss of standout wrestler Cade Muñoz (113 lbs), who had been one of the team’s top performers before suffering a season-ending injury. “Prior to injuries, I would have thrown Cade in there as one of our top wrestlers,” said Arnone.

Despite these challenges, Arnone remains hopeful about the upcoming individual postseason. “Wrestling is a unique sport in the sense that there is an individual season and a dual season,” he said. “From the dual portion of the season, I think we struggled for the reasons that I mentioned. Individually, I think we can still do very well with those three individuals performing here in the postseason.”

As Arnone wraps up his first season as Sherwood’s head coach, he reflects on the challenges and highlights of the role. “I would be lying if I said it hasn’t been a challenging year,” he admitted. “But I have 36 years of experience in this sport. I grew up in central Pennsylvania, where wrestling is a big deal, and I’ve learned from some of the best.”

Sherwood looks to take on the postseason and make a strong push at counties, regionals, and states. As Flickinger, Heyer, and Andrews prepare to take the mat, the Warriors hope to add more individual accolades to their program’s legacy.