Health issues plague wrestlers

"We're limping into regionals a little bit with illness, injuries and some wrestlers fighting grades," said Saratoga Boys Wrestling Head Coach Jared Mason.

With many of the boys either recovering or currently out of commission, Mason described last weekend at the Carbon County Invite in Hanna as kind of a rough one, with only three wrestlers competing for the duration of the tournament.

Daynon Mowry is out on concussion protocol, and Jaxon King struggled through one match Friday afternoon before being taken out for illness. Still, the remaining varsity boys, Thatcher Spiering, Thomas Ingraham and Bradley Bifano took first, second and third, respectively.

Overall, the invite was quality competition. Most of the teams from the region were represented, making the two day event a decent preview of what is to come next weekend at regionals. Bifano suffered a disappointing loss after several calls went against him. He took third place against Austin Guymon, of Lyman, whom Mason says is a competitor that has often switched ranks with Bifano throughout the season.

Ingraham took second to the no. 1 wrestler in the state from Lingle, which Mason said is very good considering the state of his health recently. Ingraham has wrestled despite testing positive for strep several times over the past few weeks and has suffered from an asthma attack.

Spiering took first place fairly easily in Hanna against Hayden Walker, of Kemmerer, winning with a pin. The regional meet next weekend will show many of the same faces, which is a bigger deal for King and Ingraham than some of their teammates. The best of the best in the state are in this region for their weight classes, so they have a tough weekend ahead of them. However, Mason is confident that they both have it in them to take first if things go right. In fact, all five varsity wrestlers are ranked in the top five in their weight classes for 2A schools.

Bifano and Spiering will see their biggest competition at state beginning on Feb. 26, with regionals not bringing the same deep challenge in their weight classes. Mason is hoping that all eight wrestlers will overcome health and injury concerns to make it to regionals and then state.

"I don't want them feeling worn down. I want them feeling fresh and strong," Mason said. The regional meet will begin on Feb. 19 in Lusk.