The Wildcat wrestling team will benefit from a depth that comes from years of experience on the mat.

Mount Si, under four-year head coach Tony Schlotfedlt, includes a set of varsity returning seniors including Nate Whited (220 pounds), Tim Corrie (182), Max Kenaghy (160), Mitch Rorem (195), Cole Palmer (170) and Bruce Stuart (145).

“We’re going to do pretty well this year,” predicts Whited, who returns at 220. He took fourth in Kingco last year; Overall, Mount Si was Kingco’s champion team.

This sport prepares him for a career goal with the U.S. Marines. He runs two miles daily and works out after school.

He’s pumped about beating rival and potentially toughest competition, Mercer Island.

Every sports fuels another sport for Tim Corrie, who will wrestle at 182. He ran this fall on the Mount Si cross country team, one of the faster boys, and lifted weights. Wrestling is a big focus, but it also powers up the balanced senior for track.

Corrie seeks to master a few more moves, and “This year, I want to make state, not just by a little bit, but by a lot,” he says.

Stuart recalls being caught early and laid flat by a Bellevue opponent late last season. Ever since, he’s been hungry for a rematch, pushing the cardio, running plenty, and working on speed.

He expects the Wildcats to send plenty of wrestlers to state.

“We have the mentality now,” he says. “We went from a team that wanted to do well at league to a team who thinks we can place at state.”

You can follow Mount Si wrestling at http://snovalleywrestling.weebly.com/

Mount Si wrestling events

Thursday, Dec. 6

• Mount Si at Interlake, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 13

• Mount Si at Sammamish, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 18

• Mount Si at Liberty vs. Lake Washington, Liberty.

Thursday, Jan. 10

• Mount Si hosts Bellevue, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 17

• Mount Si at Mercer Island, 7:30 p.m.