Indian River wrestling head coach Jeff Windish has a lot to be proud of with the conclusion of this year’s season. Wrapping up his fourth year for the Indians wasn’t easy, as, for the first time, he has to say goodbye to senior athletes that he has coached all the way from freshmen year. And, although there are only three seniors leaving the team, the reflection on the long road through high school is memorable one.
Coastal Point • File Photo
An IR wrestler tries to maintain control of the match during a meet this year.
“This year has been a lot of fun for me,” Windish said, “and I think it has for the wrestlers, too. Each year we’re getting a little better. We’re setting our goals higher and achieving them.”
Three seniors — Mike Magaha, Luke Saylor and Nick Kmetz — will be graduating this spring, leaving behind their marks on the mat.
Windish said he is pleased with how his team came together, as a whole and as individuals.
“The first part of the year,” he said, “you definitely have to be very team-oriented. We get the guys ready for dual meets, but at the same time, you’re getting them used to challenging matches, bringing in more of an individual aspect.”
The Indians rounded out their season with a winning record on the year, sweeping past opponents such as Delmar, Sussex Tech, Dover and Seaford. They finished 14th out of 25 in December’s War on the Shore and 10th out of 20 teams as they hosted the Battle at the Beach.
“We fell a little short at the beginning of the year,” said Windish, who coached as an assistant for two years at Indian River and in Pennsylvania, as well. “We had a legitimate chance of winning in the team dual meet, but fell seven points short.”
The Indians defeated Milford in the semifinals of the Dual Meet State Championship at Delaware State University, held earlier in February, but slipped to Hodgson Vo-Tech. The Indians finished seventh in the 13-team Henlopen Athletic Conference that followed.
“That’s not a bad showing for a team that started five freshmen,” Windish added. “Individually, we had seven state qualifiers, and of them, we had three state place-winners.”
Juniors Delfino Pascual (103) and Darjuan Pitts (130) both took sixth place in their weight classes, while Magaha finished second in the 125-pound class. This marked the second time Magaha finished as a state finalist in his class.
“He’s had a really good career here,” said Windish.
Magaha finished at Indian River with a 123-25 record.
“He’s a three-time placer. He went out a little bit on a sour note finishing second, but nothing to be ashamed of. He was a great kid to coach, and more importantly, a great individual. He’s a good young man with a lot of good things in his future.”
As of right now, Magaha plans to wrestle at the collegiate level. “He’s well within his expectations to be able to do that,” Windish added.
The dedication that Windish has seen over the years is more than enough reason for him to return each winter.
“I’ve been fortunate over the years,” he added. “We’ve had guys come out and stick with it. This was my first batch of seniors that I coached all the way through. I’m really pleased with the way the program’s developing.”
He is optimistic in looking to next year.
“We’ve got a bright future with getting 12 of 14 starters back,” he said.
He credits much of the team’s success to the preparation and training that the athletes receive prior to enrollment at the high school.
“I have to give credit to the middle-school program,” he said. “They are sending quality wrestlers into the high school that are ready to step up to that level. The high-school level is definitely a result of your feeder program, from the elementary leg all the way up through middle school. These kids are taking the next step each time and by the time they get into high school, they’re ready to go,” Windish concluded.