Bright spot in Wind River

“I saw some of the brightest moments of our wrestling team this season at Don Runner,” said Saratoga High School Wrestling Head Coach Zach Schmidt.

Panther wrestlers went to the Don Runner tournament in Wind River where they faced 16 different teams on Jan. 11-12.

“John Powell would be, hands down, my wrestler of the week,” Schmidt said. “For a kid who only two weeks ago had his first high school win, went to being only one round away from placing in one of the, historically, toughest weight classes (145).”

Schmidt said the week before, Powell faced the wrestler who beat him out of placing as Powell was pinned in 25 seconds. This match Powell went six minutes with same wrestler.

“The gains we have seen out of John from the beginning of the season to where we are right now is just crazy how much growth he has had,” Schmidt said. “He went 3-2 and that is a pretty good weekend when you look at some of the 145 pound names at Don Runner.”

Schmidt said Powell came out with confidence all of his matches.

“He drew the eventual Runner champ first and came back to win three tough matches and put himself in a position to place. Myself and Coach Stockwell were ecstatic about the way he wrestled,” Schmidt said.

In addition to Powell, the Panther coach was pleased with Harrison Jackson’s performance at the tournament.

“He is one or two moves away from putting himself there in placings at tournaments,” Schmidt said. “Experience will make him better.”

The weight class of 113 had a gratifying surprise for the Panther team in Jerry Everett.

“The spark plug for us in the beginning was Jerry Everett and he placed 5th,” Schmidt said. “The four names before him were all returning state placers and USA champs.”

Justin Shotwell, placed 4th in the 113 weight class, and was one of the wrestlers whose name was above Everett.

“Tristan (Gray) was another wrestler that did well at the tournament coming in 2nd,” Schmidt said. “He wrestled a weight class up and took 2nd. Tristan wrestled kids that were 18 to 20 pounds heavier than he is.”

Schmidt said that Gray was leaning down to wrestle in the 170 pound weight class, but at Don Runner his 2nd placing was in the 195 weight class although he currently weighs 180 pounds.

“To take second in the weight class he did, is amazing,” Schmidt said. “The kid who won the final was a tough kid from Pinedale who, in 3A, will probably be a state finalist in the 195 weight class.”

Schmidt was also happy with Gray’s leadership role for the team.

“He had a bunch of leadership moments off the mat in keeping the team together,” Schmidt said. “We are really happy with him.”

Schmidt said Trezdon Martinez had hurt his arm so it precluded him from placing. Andrew Everett also came close to placing.

“We put eight guys in the blood round which is if you win, you place and if you lose, you go home,” Schmidt said. “We had three guys go to the semis, so I am pleased with that.”

Schmidt said his concern was the inconsistency he saw with the team.

“We would look fantastic in one match and the next match it would look like we forgot how we put the previous match together,” Schmidt said. “It is something we will stress at practice.”

He takes pride in what he saw his young team members do this tourney.

“We did see a lot of good things from our young guys that made us happy this week,” Schmidt said.

The next scheduled tournament is the Dogger Invite on Jan. 19 in Lingle.