Two years ago, the John Stark wrestling team finished third in Division II and sent seven grapplers to the Meet of Champions.

And last season, which some believe featured the strongest overall crop of D-II talent in more than a decade, the Generals placed fifth as a team and garnered six MOC nods and one regional invite.

This year? Following a 63-12 setback at Souhegan on Jan. 20, JS head coach Bill Walton stood, arms crossed, and struggled to pinpoint one reason for his team’s general lack of success this season.

“It’s definitely been a tough year. We’re really young, we’ve lost four or five kids to eligibility, and we just haven’t been able to bounce back, so I’ve been plugging the lineup with first-year wrestlers,” said Walton. “I was hoping to have 25 guys in my room this year, and I only have 12 or 13. The numbers just aren’t there, and I don’t know what it is, but it seems like it’s throughout the state this year.

“I think it’s just emblematic right now,” he continued. “Kids are afraid to wrestle. You know, it takes a ton of commitment, and the kids just aren’t willing to dedicate themselves.”

Walton is currently without a 103-pounder. His 112-pounder, Ryan Dahl, is hurt, and his 189- pounder recently quit the team. To make matters worse, he has only one freshman – 135-pounder Zachary Foote.

“We have 200 freshmen walking the halls, and one wants to wrestle? I think it says something about the class – it’s just a lazy class,” said Walton.

It’s not all bad, though. Keith Morrell pinned his Souhegan opponent 2 minutes, 30 seconds into his 140-pound match, but the host Sabers wiped the mat with the Generals from that point forward.

Stark lost eight consecutive contests, then salvaged a hint of pride when Souhegan’s coach scratched 119-pound Dylan Shultz from his match against fellow standout Greg Jones, providing the locals with a hollow-feeling forfeit victory.

“It should have been a great match tonight, but they ducked (Jones) to protect Dylan’s seed,” said Walton. “That’s what’s disappointing, because Dylan is ranked No. 2 and Greg is fifth right now, and they’re similar-type wrestlers, so it would have been a really fun match to watch. It’s unfortunate, because Greg really wanted a chance to fight him.”

Jones, a junior, may be Stark’s lone representative at this year’s Meet of Champions, said his coach, though Morrell certainly has a shot if he wards off the pain of a lingering shoulder injury.

Jones’ co-captain, 171-pound senior Derek Burns, has the ability to place at states, but must avoid costly mistakes, said Walton, adding Cody Wilkins, at 145 pounds, also has the necessary talent, but currently lacks the confidence to win the big match.

At 160 pounds, Paul Jamikowski can beat anyone in the state, but can just as easily fall to anyone, said the JS mentor.

That across-the-board inconsistency is dooming the Generals.

“Right now, we’re just trying to get through it without getting anyone injured,” said the coach. “We’re just trying to build them up and keep them encouraged. We want to make sure they come back.”

Others wrestling for John Stark this season include 125-pounder Paul Flaherty, 130-pounder Brandon Hunt, 152-pounder Bobby Beaulieu, 171-pounder Matt Horne, 215-pounder David Wilson and heavyweight Ben O’Donal.