Bellefonte wrestler Cole Stewart seeking to lose weight to gain postseason accolades

For the past two years, Red Raiders wrestler Cole Stewart has gone up and down on the scale in an effort to win.

At the start of the 2016-17 campaign, Stewart was 113 pounds and worked his way down to 106 by time the postseason came around. This season, the junior started out at 126 pounds thanks to a growth spurt and an introduction to football. By the District 6 Class 3A tournament in late February, Stewart plans to be in the 120 division.

For the individual and the team, shifting weight classes isn’t easy. But it’s common — and, in reality, it is what’s best for Stewart’s personal prospects.

“I’m looking to win districts, win regionals and place at states,” Stewart said. “As I’m going to go down to 120, I think it’s pretty realistic.”

Added Bellefonte head coach Mike Maney: “When it comes to the postseason, you have the team aspect, but you also have to do what’s best for you as an individual.”

Dropping weight in the midst of a successful season — Stewart is 14-5 at 126 pounds — may seem bizarre at first thought.

But this kind of decision isn’t one made in haste or rashly. It’s been calculated and understood for quite some time.

Stewart knew back in early December that he would follow a “descent plan” as the regular season came to a close. Before Monday’s match at Central Mountain, Stewart weighed 125.8 pounds. He was 125.5 as of Tuesday afternoon, and prior to Bellefonte’s meeting with State College on Thursday at Lock Haven, he intends to be 125.2 pounds.

Water, fruits and vegetables, lean meat and fish are important — but discipline and patience is key.

“When you sit down with guys and talk about their goals and they’re getting in the mix of things, you can’t let it creep up on you,” Maney said. “Where are you at? Where do you want to go? What are your goals? If this is something you want to do, you’re going to be serious about it and lay it out and plan accordingly.

“He experienced it last year, so I’m pretty confident he can do it again.”

That familiarity certainly helps Stewart. As a sophomore, he transitioned from 113 to 106 midseason, finished with a 30-10 record and reached the PIAA tournament.

About a month after last season ended, Stewart grew three inches, and over the summer he started training for his first season of football. Two-hour lifting sessions every Tuesday and Thursday in July and August helped the newbie defensive back fill out a new frame and set him up to wrestle in a new weight class.

Normally, there are growing pains that accompany moving up four weight classes, but Stewart avoided any letdown. He won his first three matches of the season and has triumphed in nine of his last 10.

“I’m a lot lankier than most of the guys,” Stewart said, comparing last season to this go-round. “I’ve got pretty long arms so I can just reach in there and scramble around and grab something.”

That ought to help even more when facing lighter, shiftier opponents at 120 pounds, opponents he hasn’t faced all season.

But before a leaner Stewart makes it to districts, he likely has to clear a hurdle more familiar: teammate Alex Coppolo. A sophomore with a 12-6 mark this year, Coppolo is wrestling at 120 pounds and isn’t certified to go down to 115 to make room for Stewart.

So, Coppolo — who had his 106-pound spot taken by Stewart last season — is set to fend off his friend and teammate yet again.

“He’ll have to wrestle off me,” Coppolo said. “He’s done it before. Now it’s time I have to keep him from taking my spot.”

If Stewart does beat out Coppolo, the former is set for a run at those district, regional and state goals at 120 pounds.

He believes it, and so do his teammates and coach.

“I think he should win districts, place in the finals at regionals and place in states,” Bellefonte sophomore Ethan Richner said. “He hasn’t placed before, but I expect him to place.”

Added Maney: “I feel pretty confident he can compete with anyone. The main thing with Cole is, he has to do it the right way. ... If he does it the right way and believes up here that he can compete with anyone, really I think the only obstacle is himself.”

This story was originally published January 30, 2018 at 11:16 PM with the headline "Bellefonte wrestler Cole Stewart seeking to lose weight to gain postseason accolades."