A strong season from Davie wrestling is one of those things we can truly count on year after year. It has been a model of consistency for longer than anyone can remember.

Coach Buddy Lowery, 64, is back leading the historic program for a 41st season. He will carry an 812-127 record into Davie’s opener.

When all the pieces are in place, it’s going to be tough for many teams to slow down the War Eagles in 2016-17. But things could be dicey in the early going. The Olmedo twins (Anthony and Jesus) and Bryson Hunter are playing football.

“I’m not going to have my lineup until who knows when,” Lowery said. “We might have to wrestle West Forsyth (Dec. 21) with guys who haven’t practiced long. I think we’re going to play football for a while. I think I’ll get four or five football players, and three of them are probably going to be starters.”

Last year the War Eagles went 28-3 overall and 5-1 in the Central Piedmont Conference, finishing second to West Forsyth, which won the 4-A state championship. Davie joined the CPC in 1985-86, and the only time it went back-to-back years without winning the league was the seasons of 1991-92 and 1992-93.

While West figures to be a big obstacle again, Davie will trot out 13 guys who have significant varsity experience.

The biggest star is senior Hunter Smith, who has 127 career wins. That ranks tied for third in terms of wins through a junior season. He went 27-20 as a freshman, 46-11 as a sophomore and 54-8 as a junior. Last year at 113, he won the CPC, was regional runner-up and split four matches in the state tournament. Lowery hopes to have him back at 113.

Davie returns two state qualifiers, including senior Kyle McCune. As a sophomore at 170, he went 41-19 and won the CPC. Last year at 170, he went 42-22, finished third in the regional and took one of three matches in the state tournament.

Among the seniors are Tommy Trader, David Sigmon, Will Allen, Jesse Carter and Nolan Osborne.

Last year Trader went 43-20, and he has 53 career wins. Lowery is hoping he’ll get down to 126. Sigmon (132) went 16-8 last year and is 27-9 in his varsity career. Allen (138) was 31-16 last year. Carter (195) went 29-16 last year and brings 56 career wins into his final campaign. Osborne went 14-15 last year.

Josh Shore, Hunter Strickland, Crayton Wise, Hunter and Joseph Myers are among the key juniors. Shore was 37-18 last year. Strickland (152) was 14-14 a year ago. Wise went 30-14 and has 49 career Ws. Hunter went 5-1 in spot duty. He has the genes. Bryson’s father, Michael Hunter, finished third in the state at 145 in 1994. Myers was 11-10 last year.

The super sophomores are the Olmedo twins. Last year at 220,  Jesus won the CPC and finished 32-12. “Jesus wrestled his butt off in the offseason,” Lowery said. Last year at heavyweight, Anthony collected 40 victories against 19 defeats.

Notes: Davie’s record the past three years is a sparkling 84-13. … Lowery’s assistant coaches are Timmy Allen, Carl Wagstaff and Mike Dunn. … Allen is one of the all-time greats. In 2005, he won the state championship at 171 with a 55-1 record. He went 133-25 in his career (2002-06). A knee injury short-circuited his senior year. … Wagstaff was a football/wrestling athlete at Davie. He graduated in 2001 and is a teacher at Davie.