The door opened to a room in the back of Landrum High School. Some wrestlers emerged and along with them steam from the heated room in which they practice.
Landrum wrestling coach Josh Fowler followed them, dripping wet with sweat, patted them on the back and told them to get ready for the season.
Fowler and the Cardinals are in a position to repeat this season as region champions.
To do that they will rely on a talented base of returning wrestlers in Danny Seay, Drew Burns, Josh Jones, Ryan Herbst, Edward Molina and Jeremy Graham.
There will also be some strong newcomers in Alex Samenko, Heath Jordan, Hunter Rossi, Chris Padilla and Jonah Terry.
Even with that corps returning for the Cardinals, youth will be an issue for Landrum as a whole.
“This year’s team will be a fairly young team after graduating an experienced core group of starters,” Fowler said. “The key to success this year will be gaining experience on the mat and working every day to improve.”
Last season was a special season for the Cardinals. It was the first season that they were able to win a region championship officially because of the number of teams in the region.
Fowler and company would like to hang another banner this season.