Most of the Oak Harbor High School wrestling team is young, but the handful of athletes with experience have a fistful of talent.

“Right now the majority of our team has one year or less of wrestling experience,” coach Peter Esvelt said. “We view this as a positive for the years to come, but this season will be a lot about growth.”

Though the team is young, it has “a ton of returning lettermen,” Esvelt said.

Among the notable returnees are seniors Christian Bertram (113 pounds), Jeremy Vester (132), Mark Johnston (152), Jackson Constant (285), Tyler Adamson (285) and Alexia Mobley (115); juniors Garrett Stahl (106) and Amber Cramsey-Behnke (235); and sophomores Sam Zook (285), Nick Dugin (160), Deasha O’Brien (120) and Meredith Bain (170).

Bertram, Vester, Johnston, Constant and Cramsey-Behnke qualified for the state tournament last winter, Cramsey-Behnke placing third and Vester fourth.

All five were also first-team, all-Wesco selections.

The veterans will give the Wildcats a strong tournament team, according to Esvelt, but the young dual team could suffer some growing pains.

The girls team has seven strong wrestlers, Esvelt said, and seven newcomers.

“They should do well when they compete together at our girls tournaments this season,” he said.

Among the key newcomers, according Esvelt, is junior transfer Dimond Piper and a strong sophomore class led by Brycin McIntyre, Nate Mecom, Eriq Boler, Zach Aketch, Caitlin Woodworth and Isabel Garcia.

Ryan Evans and Michael Lym lead a large freshman class.

“We are excited to see some of these kids break into the varsity ranks this year,” Esvelt said.

The team’s strength, Esvelt said, is its leadership: “Bertram, Vester, Johnston, and Constant are captains, but we also have a lot of others that are taking up positions of leadership.”

The Wildcats won the past two Wesco North titles.

“Though it won’t always be possible to replicate the exact feats of the last two years, we are continuing to focus on instilling the values and culture of a successful wrestling program,” Esvelt said. The success of the program, he added, is measured by in-season results and by “the quality of person” the wrestlers become.

Additionally, Esvelt said he would measure the success of the seniors and leaders “by what next year’s group enters the season like.”

The Wildcats begin the season at Stanwood Thursday, Dec. 4, when they face Lynnwood at 5:30 p.m. and Shorewood at 7.

Oak Harbor doesn’t compete at home until 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, when Marysville-Pilchuck visits.