Shelbyville High School’s wrestling program sent six to the 2021 regional round of competition. Only two return for the start of the 2022 season.

Cael Lux, a junior, and Elias Jones, a sophomore, lead a young squad of hard workers for ninth-year head coach Adam Miller.

The Golden Bears opened the season Saturday at the Cloverdale Invitational with a promising start.

Shelbyville finished 4-1 in dual matches, only losing to Sheridan (48-30). Team victories came over Kipp Legacy (66-0), Covington (42-27), Cloverdale (54-30) and South Putnam (52-12).

Isaiah Havens and Ryan Bradley each went 5-0 in the invitational.

Lux, Jones, Carson Linville, Andrew Burton, Benny Cazares and Angel Kreider each finished 4-1.

“We are young,” said Miller Friday night on the eve of the season. “We have no seniors in the lineup, which is good for us. We are in the middle of a rebuilding phase with a lot of good freshmen, sophomores and juniors. Over the next three years, we should be pretty decent.”

Havens is still cutting weight with Miller expecting him to compete at 106 pounds this season as a junior.

“I am expecting a lot of good things from him,” said Miller.

Ethan Watkins, a junior, and Kreider, a sophomore, will slot in at 120 or 126 pounds.

Lux has more focus this season, according to Miller. He competed at 138 pounds last season where he finished fourth in the sectional and lost his opening-round match at the regional.

Cazares is new to the wrestling program but has picked up the sport quickly. He will follow Lux in the lineup at 138 or 145 pounds.

Burton got off to a quick start at Cloverdale in his high school debut at 152 pounds.

“He works hard and has been around the sport for awhile,” said Miller.

Another freshman, Brayden Schultz, steps into the varsity lineup at 170 pounds. He finished 2-3 Saturday at Cloverdale.

“He looks really good,” said Miller. “That transition from middle school is tough. He will be different by midseason when he understands how all this works.”

Linville is another wrestler Miller has followed coming up through the system.

“I expect big things from him. He has a wild style but he has grown over the summer and is stronger,” said Miller, who has Linville, a junior, slotted at 182 pounds.

Bradley, a sophomore, returns at 195 pounds on the varsity roster.

Sophomore Jacob Harker suffered an injury prior to the 2021 postseason but now holds down the 220 weight class.

Sophomore Elias Jones, Shelbyville’s only other returning regional qualifier, fills the 285 weight class.

Miller was more concerned with seeing how the Golden Bears would compete in the season-opener than actual victories.

“I need to see how they respond, especially the freshmen,” he said. “When we get into the second and third periods, how will we respond? Will they listen?

“I know they will wrestle hard but they can’t be scared. But with this group, they don’t seem intimidated much.”

Shelbyville competes in its first dual match of the season Nov. 30 at Lawrence Central.

In December, the Golden Bears will wrestle invitationals at New Castle (Dec. 4), Franklin County (Dec. 18) and Connersville (Dec. 28-29) and travel to Whiteland for a dual match on Dec. 7.

Shelbyville travels to Triton Central on Jan. 6 and hosts Rushville on Jan. 20 with a trip to the Guerin Catholic Invitational in between on Jan. 8.

The Golden Bears will compete in the Warren Central Sectional on Jan. 29.