ECC Large

East Lyme

Coach: Ed Lorah (8th year)

Key returnees: David Gill, Jason Williams, Brian Heaton, Tim Jantori.

Top newcomers: Everett Minevich, Greg Slater, Jake Hughes.

Outlook: With low numbers, the Vikings don't have a full roster to be competitive at the team level, but Lorah does have some quality individuals and the focus will be preparing them to be place-winners at the ECC and Class M state meets.

Fitch

Coach: Mark Kosman (18th year)

Key returnees: Billy Goff, Trent Evans, Kevin Bernardi, Daniel Benitez, Ryan Koehler, John Fenty, Shawn Sandt, Hollis Scott, Devon Blais, Jarod Kosman.

Top newcomers: Fr. Zach Letellier (145), Sr. Kwadjo Bedjrah (152), Jr. Dakota Bryson, So. Anthony Moore (113), Fr. Chauncey White (145), Fr. Christian Esposito (106), Fr. David Magowan, Fr. Andrew Garza, Jr. Aston Foley, Fr. Angelina Doak, Fr. Drake Flory, So. Mohammad Monsour (126).

Outlook: Could this be the season the Falcons challenge Ledyard for supremacy in the ECC Large? Time will tell, but the Falcons return the bulk of their roster, led by Class L finalists Goff and Jarod Kosman. If Fitch's newcomers are able to follow the lead of its veterans, the Falcons should soar this winter.

Ledyard

Coach: Steve Bilheimer (13th year)

Key returnees: Jr. Bo Nguyen (120), Sr. Christian Fogg (138), Jr. Danny Contino (220), Sr. Daric Johnson (195), Jr. Michael Sullivan (170).

Top newcomers: Sr. Chris Cliett (220), Sr. Tannor Daggett (285), Sr. Shawn Hundley (195).

Outlook: Another year, another Class M state championship for the Colonels in 2014-15. Ledyard expects to be a factor at the ECC and state levels again and returns a number of place-winners from a year ago, including reigning Class M champion Johnson, who moves down from 220 to 195 this winter.

NFA

Coach: Kirk Jenkins (2nd year)

Key returnees: Sr. Richard Crooks (285), Sr. Matt Foster (126), Sr. Tony Hong (170), Sr. Jose Lotts (915), Jr. Alec Olesen (138), Jr. Jen Sanon (106), Sr. Angelie Deslandes (120), So. Jacob Foster (113).

Top newcomers: Sr. Mike Velez (152).

Outlook: Matt Foster (second), Hong (third) and Crooks (fifth) had top five finishes at last season's Class LL meet. The Wildcats did lose 220-pound State Open champion Khaleed Exum-Strong to graduation.

ECC Small

Montville

Coach: Gary Wilcox (18th year)

Key returnees: So. Noah Caskey (113), Sr. Joe Barber (106), Sr. Hunter Driscoll (122), Sr. Zach Looney (126), Jr. Joel Morth (132), So. Sam Kury (138), Sr. Austin Concascia (145), Jr. Nick Laracuente (152), So. Doug Delacruz (160-170), Jr. Emanuel Diaz (182-195), So. Nick Tibbetts (220/285), Sr. Casey MacCracken (195), Jr. Dakota Leonard (285), So. Josh Taylor (120).

Top newcomers: Fr. Jack Varley (106), Fr. Sean Murallo (145-152), Fr. Zach Navarrete (160), Fr. Ezra Spreng (120-126), Fr. Ian Anderson (126-132), Fr. Dominic Emmons (145-152), Jr. Matias Hailu (160), So. Adam Brycki (145).

Outlook: Is this the year that Montville finally passes Windham? The two division rivals finished 1-2 a competitive Class S meet a year ago, but the Indians return veterans throughout the lineup, including Class S champ Caskey and three Class S runnerups — Looney, Morth and Concascia. "We expect to be a very solid team with hopes of high placements at the state meets," said Wilcox.

New London

Coach: Mike Gorton (4th year)

Key returnees: Sr. George Hidalgo, Sr. Alejandro Paulino, Sr. Anson Wang, Jr. Renelson Michel, Jr. Efrain Santiago, Sr. Xavier Benson, Jr. Hiram Soto, Jr. Jacques Elissaint, Sr. Brittany Hernandez.

Top newcomers: Fr. Jacob Commander, Fr. Anthony Hildago, Jr. Augustine Cornish, Jr. Billy Clark.

Outlook: The Whalers, after a number of lean seasons, quietly developed into a solid program a year ago, as evidenced by their fourth-place finish in Class M. And with the return of a solid cast, headlined by reigning Class M champ Paulino and third-place finisher Hidalgo, New London looks to take another step forward in a strong division that features Class M hopeful Waterford and the top two finishers in Class S last season, Windham and Montville. "After two weeks of practice," Gorton said, "the newcomers have proven they can handle the hard work and are ready to follow."

Waterford

Coach: Chris Gamble (16th year)

Key returnees: Sr. Sam Lindblom (145-160), Sr. Noah Concascia (145-152), Sr. Justin Keating (170-182), Sr. Ben Pickowitz (195-220), Sr. Connor Gregoire (285), Sr. Niko Randolph (132-138), So. Luther Wade (126-132).

Top newcomer: Fr. Logan Smith (106-113).

Outlook: The Lancers return six wrestlers who were ECC place-winners and welcome back Randolph, a Class M runnerup as a sophomore who missed his junior season with an injury. Lindblom is a two-time ECC and Class M champ and one of the state's top returnees. The Small Division is loaded with defending champion Windham (the reigning ECC and Class S tournament champions) and Montville, last year's Class S runnerup, but Waterford has the talent and depth to challenge at the conference and state levels this winter.

St. Bernard/Norwich Tech

Coach: Tom Dowler (4th year)

Key returnees: Sr. Matt Dowler, Jr. Chris Doran, So. Caleb Marsh, Sr. Dalton Nelson, So. Jaron Reed, Jr. Nick Roch, Sr. Robert Newton, Sr. Dylan Renshaw, Jr. Koby Cunningham.

Top newcomers: Sr. Chris Johnson, Fr. Domini Cianciolo, Fr. Caexar Bellamy, Fr. Joshua Brown, Fr. Doug Rediger, Sr. Tim Foster, Jr. Steven Gerovitz.

Outlook: The Saints return nine starters from a solidd dual-meet team that finished 18-10 a year ago, and Dowler expects the cooperative program to improve again this season. His son, Matt, who has accepted a Division I scholarship to Edinboro (Pa.), remains one of the state's elite lightweights and is a two-time Class M champion. "The team looks to build on last year," Tom Dowler said, "and with some strong off season work we're looking forward to the upcoming season."