Dr. Phillips wrestling returns to form | Observer Preps

Sitting in a chair on the corner of the mat, David Aubrey rests his elbows on his knees as he watches the match in front of him.

It’s the District Duels at West Orange High School on Wednesday, Jan. 9, and his Dr. Phillips boys wrestling team is putting in work against Apopka — a team with which it has struggled.

But this year is different, much different. Instead of being blown out, by the end of the match, the Panthers find themselves on the right end of a 50-22 scoreline. 

Although the Panthers had duked it out in nine matches prior, this is the moment that really made an impact on Aubrey in his second year as the wrestling head coach.

“Last year, we got straight up dominated by Apopka,” Aubrey said. “This year to go out there and lay it all on the line and be as physical as we were, I think that match really stands out in my head.”

During that two-match night, which concluded with a 22-50 loss to West Orange, Aubrey saw the progress that had been made over the last two years. 

Built in his image, the once-proud Panthers wrestling team finally has established some roots and its athletes have bought into what Aubrey has been selling.

Just as he takes on his role as the defensive line coach for the Panthers’ football team, Aubrey utilizes a brashness he feels better prepares his athletes. The straightforward, no-sugarcoating approach of telling his wrestlers what they need to hear works, and it’s something that motivates his guys effectively.

Following a big win for junior Andre Young (195-pound weight class) against Apopka that Wednesday night at West Orange, Aubrey approached Young and talked to him about his upcoming matchup with West Orange.

“When I saw the 195-pounder (from West Orange) who wrestled the kid from Evans, I looked at Andre and said, ‘Man, you’re about to get wrecked this round, but go out there and do the best that you can,’” Aubrey said. “He looked at me and said, ‘All right coach.’ I challenged him. 

“Man, he went out and freaking demolished that kid; he just wore that kid out,” he said. “I think seeing those little spurts of intensity and mental toughness — I think that is going to spread.”

Coaching up his athletes with tough love and sometimes brutal honesty is the building block that Aubrey has utilized, and it’s helped the Panthers re-establish an identity for his team, which now sits at 6-5 on the year.

Furthermore, unlike last year’s team, which had only a half dozen participants, this year’s squad has a full deck to work with. It’s the first time in a good while the Panthers have been able to fill a roster.

Led by the returning trio of junior Ja Breil Etienne (145), senior Giovany Preval (138) and senior Tyrese Hicks (120), this year’s Panthers team has the pieces to be competitive and bring home wins.

At 12-2, Preval has become one of the biggest standouts.

“Last year, we got straight up dominated by Apopka. This year to go out there and lay it all on the line and be as physical as we were, I think that match really stands out in my head.”

— David Aubrey

“He is having a really good year,” Aubrey said. “He has gotten five times better than the last year — I wish I had him for one more year. He is one of those kids (who) is just physically tough, and he wrestles with really good technique and he has really surprised me, as well.”

Other athletes, such as sophomore Gerald Greaves (220), are stepping up as they look to become the future of the program.

“He is a first-year wrestler, but right now he is 11-4, and he is really dominating a lot of matches not just with his strength, but he is beating guys with technique,” Aubrey said. “And that’s what is really neat — that he has really grasped the concept of wrestling.”

Developing his athletes has been a big focal point for Aubrey since the beginning, and although there are short-term goals such as finishing in the top three at districts, those are just steps toward something bigger.

“(The goal) is to build the numbers, start a junior program and to ultimately win districts and be competitive in the districts,” Aubrey said. “Right now, it’s retaining the kids and then building up a younger program to just make sure the mentality is there by the time we get into the season.”