By RICK THORP

Times Leader Sports Writer

River and Monroe Central might be sending small contingents to this week’s Ron Mauck OVAC Wrestling Tournament, but both head coaches are eager to see what kind of impacts they can have on the mat.

Pilots boss Chuck Baker and Seminoles mentor Robert Muntz will both guide two competitors each at the 64th annual event in downtown Wheeling and both see positives in their entrants.

”They both have improved tremendously from last year,” Baker said of his wrestlers.

Competing for River will be Zach Talbot and Ethan Lively.

Talbot, a 160-pound junior, is ranked eighth by the local website oveac.org. He’s 11-6.

”He’s strong, a good worker and is quite a young man to have on the team,” Baker said. ”He works hard. He’s been lifting constantly and his upper body is well-built.”

Baker said Talbot has been wrestling about years. He added that he sometimes falls under the radar.

”He can place,” he said. ”He’s that good. He’s beaten a couple of good kids.

”He went out to Barnesville and finished fourth.

“And, everyone knows what a beast that tournament is. He was getting beat by two good kids and went out and pinned them in the third period.

”It’s always a battle for six minutes when you wrestle him.”

While Talbot has been through the rigors, Baker said Lively isn’t as polished, but he’s getting there.

”He’s doing pretty good,” Baker said. ”Next year, I expect a lot more out of him.”

Having two wrestlers presents pluses and minuses, Baker noted.

”It’s very challenging,” he said. ”Those same two kids go after it night in and night out. It gets kind of boring, you have to mix it up.

”The only good thing about it is the kids get more individual attention.”

That’s what Muntz is doing with his two wrestlers at Monroe Central.

The Seminoles will be represented by freshman Gage Modra and junior Renee Richter. Modra competed at 138 pounds, while Richter checks in at 132.

”I’m proud of how they compete everyday,” Muntz said.

Muntz, a 1999 Monroe Central grad, said Modra keeps growing as a wrestler each time out.

”He’s trying to get better and better,” he said.

As for what that means this week?

”I’m hoping he can reach Day 2,” he said. ”That would be a good goal.”

For Richter, Muntz has been around her since she was a youngster.

”Her goal was to win 10 matches last year,” he said, adding he’s hopeful she can taste victory this weekend.”