Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Serving the Platte Valley since 1888
Panthers send only four to grapple at Saratoga Quad
Panther Jerry Everett gets to take down his opponent in the 113 pound weight class at the Saratoga Quad.
Panther Tristan Gray, right, had a good showing in front of the home crowd.
Panther Josh Powell makes his coach proud at the Saratoga Quad.
The Saratoga Panthers wrestling team has been hit by injuries, health problems and attrition to a point that the team is down to seven grapplers.
"We have seven individuals that, as long as health stays intact, will represent us at regionals and state," Head Wrestling Coach Zach Schmidt said.
His wrestlers that were able to wrestle on Friday in Saratoga were Jerry Everett, Andrew Everett, John Powell and Tristan Gray.
"John Powell has been phenomenal," Schmidt said. "He did a great job this weekend. He wrestled well at the dual and wrestled four kids in Rawlins that were ranked in 3 A and 4 A."
Powell wrestles at the 145 weight class.
"Tristan did excellent on Friday," Schmidt said. "I was proud of his effort."
Trezdon Martinez, Kaden Hadley and Cole Verburg were out for health related injuries on Friday. Martinez has a shoulder injury and Schmidt wants to be careful before having the grappler start wrestling again.
"We want to take it slow with him. He is a wrestler we see going places if he is healthy," Schmidt said.
Gray was out for Rawlins on Saturday due to health.
"It was a little tough taking only three wrestlers to a meet like Rawlins, but the kids did well," Schmidt said. "The ones that made it impressed me with their determination to get better."
"Jerry is really improving so much," Schmidt said. "He wrestled in Rawlins a guy that had pinned him a couple times, but he lost only by one point this time."
J. Everett wrestles in the 113 weight class.
Schmidt had positive comments about A. Everett too. He wrestles at the 138 weight class.
"Andrew wrestled extremely well all weekend," Schmidt said. "We have some challenges for him to stay on the mat longer."
Schmidt understands that the team is smaller than when the season started, but he is happy with wrestlers who are still on the team.
"I have seven guys that are going to try and finish the next three weeks of wrestling the best they can," Schmidt said. "Our boys are excited to wrestle the Carbon Invite here in Saratoga because not every team gets to wrestle at home in a tournament."
The next scheduled tournament is on Feb 8-9 at the Carbon Invite in Saratoga.
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