The boys wrestling team hosted a meet on Thursday, Jan 30, losing 6-72 against the Northwest Lions, then beating the Union Wildcats 45-12.

Head coach Derryan Derrough said that the loss to Northwest was a good learning experience and that the team can use their mistakes to improve for future matches.
“We split against [Northwest and Union], so there was a lot to just learn from a ‘how hard you’re supposed to wrestle’ standpoint. Northwest is a really good team, so we struggled against them, but the good part about that is that we got a lot of wrestling on tape so that we know how to move forward and help our kids,” Derrough said.
Despite struggling in some areas, junior Ayden Guthrie said that the team reacted to their loss to the Lions, recovering well with their victory against Union.

“We definitely made a great effort, all in all. In the room we responded well, especially after with a win against Union,” Guthrie said.
With only two matches between Jan. 30 and the beginning of the Class 3 District 1 tournament, Derrough said that preparation is personalized to each wrestler in order to hone in on the skills at which they do best.

“We do a lot of individualizing, so we just take the kid and we just try to maximize everything that they’re good at, and we try to limit what they’re not good at and try to stay out of those positions,” Derrough said.
Guthrie said that older wrestlers on the team have worked to help support and prepare newer wrestlers for the difficulty of districts.

“Districts get very tough mentally, especially on a lot of the younger, new district up and comers, they get a little stressed out, so we like to push them in the room through showing them different techniques and different moves that help them stay focused and into the wrestling,” Guthrie said.