Expectations are understandably high for this season’s Northwestern wrestling team. The Tigers are coming off a year that included a spot in the PIAA team dual tournament and an individual state medalist performance by Caleb Clymer.

Northwestern’s renaissance appears to be on track to continue this season, with several talented wrestlers back in the fold and the team’s lineup drawing statewide recognition.

But for the success to continue, head coach Jim Moll knows the Tigers can’t rest on their laurels.

“I look at this year as kind of a question mark right now,” Moll said. “I’m not sure how we’ll be. It’s hard to evaluate this early in the season.

“I know we have some guys, individually, who have high expectations; I have high expectations for a number of our guys. As a team, we’ll have to see how we are once the competition starts.”

Despite returning Clymer, a junior who took sixth at last year’s state tournament, and Matt Peters, who made it to Hershey two seasons ago as a freshman, Moll is keenly aware that others will have to step up to fill the voids left by the likes of Quentin Bernhard (126, 38-13) and Jarett White (132, 31-9), both state qualifiers in their own right.

“We have a lot of guys that wrestled junior high last year that are in the room now,” said Moll. “A lot of new varsity wrestlers in the room. So far they’ve done pretty well.

“But we have to see if that can last long enough into the season where we see the results on the mat.”

Moll will be looking to freshmen Harrison Bernhard (113/120), Anthony Russo (113/120), junior Colin Rex and senior Dalton Webster, among others, to fill out a lineup that should also include senior Baily Wehr (120, 27-16, regional qualifer) and junior Jackson Bernhard (138, 27-13), both of whom were key cogs in last season’s lineup.

Though losing David VanBlargan (152, 24-14), Andrew Sorensen (170, 21-16) and Jacob Murray (285, 18-12) will be hard to overcome, Northwestern should benefit from the healthy returns of Clymer and Peters.

Clymer (18-7) battled through a hip injury suffered on the second day of practice last season to claim his first state medal despite forfeiting his final three matches in Hershey.

With health on his side – and full football season under his belt - Clymer is eager to move up a few steps on the podium.

“For the first week or two, I was kind of hesitant, just to kind of do some of the moves that hurt me last year,” Clymer said. “Now it feels a lot better this year and I can hit the switch, I can throw with the legs. It’s been a lot better so far.

“It’s still early in the season, still kind of shaking off the rust a little bit. But I did well at the end of last season and my goals are a little bit bigger this year. We busted our butt in the summer and now and I see no reason why we shouldn’t be top three to a state champion.”

Peters (14-2) had his season cut short in January due to a viral issue. The junior’s return to the lineup is certainly one reason the Tigers checked in at No. 15 in PaPowerWrestling’s Class 2A preseason state dual rankings.

“We worked hard all summer,” Peters said. “I believe a state championship or top four is definitely possible. We just have to stay healthy throughout the season and I believe those goals are very possible.”

Moll is doing all he can to make sure the Tigers are ready to live up to – and exceed – all of their expectations.

“They’re working hard. They’ve looked good in the room so far,” Moll said of his team. “We were down at Nazareth (ranked second in PAPowerWrestling’s Class 3A preseason poll) for a practice and they’re tough. They’re as advertised. They’re ranked ninth in the country for a reason.

“Getting down there, seeing what that room looks like, to be ninth in the country and see how those guys drill, their work ethic, their focus in the room, it’s important for our guys to see that so they know what the room is supposed to look like.”