Wrestlers pin down second

The 2014-15 season is already off to a hot start for the Saratoga wrestling team after the Panthers posted strong individual performances at the Soroco Duel/Invite this weekend.

All Saratoga wrestlers placed in the tournament and Panthers took second in team points.

"It went well," Saratoga wrestling head coach JaredMason said about the Soroco invite. "It was a smaller tournament than expected with eight teams total."

The Panthers posted first-place performances from Jaxon King (113), Bradley Bifano (132) and Thatcher Spiering (152). Mason highlighted Bradley Bifano as the team's standout wrestler for the weekend.

"Bradley looked good. He wrestled the most matches out of everyone and any time you start the season with a 5-0 record it's a good thing," Mason said.

The Soroco Invite used a round-robin format for the tournament, so each wrestler wrestled anywhere from two to five matches. Mason said it is important for his team to get mat time in the beginning of the year.

Colorado tournaments provide a unique perspective for the Saratoga wrestling team, especially during the beginning of the season. The Panthers match up against Colorado high schools that started practice many weeks before Wyoming schools had. But Mason said his team was in fantastic condition during the tournament.

"I was pleasantly surprised," Mason said. "We were in as good, if not better shape than the Colorado schools ... they had been going hard for a couple of weeks, but our conditioning was right there with them."

The Panthers will compete in the Quadrangular tournament tomorrow against Hanna/Elk Mountain/Medicine Bow (HEM), Rawlins, North Park and possibly Laramie. With very few opportunities to compete at home, Mason hopes to see a great deal of community support.

On Saturday, the squad heads to Kremmling, Colo., to compete in the Kremmling Invite. Mason expects more team and tougher competition for his wrestlers.

"I am hoping for similar results. (The tournament) is going to be bigger," Mason said. "But I expect our kids to do well."

The Quadrangular begins tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at Saratoga High School. The Kremmling Invite begins 9 a.m. on Dec. 20 in Kremmling, Colo.