The SMHS wrestling team traveled to Shoshoni for a dual tournament, which brought mixed results. Shoshoni is one of the few events in the state that doesn’t use digital scoring and recording, so all of the results and match records come via the work of volunteer parents. The teams are also mixed as athletes are traded to fill empty weight classes on other teams. SMHS itself had a few athletes from other teams compete as Panthers for several duals. Saratoga had duals against Wyoming Indian, Big Piney, Lovell, Worland, and Rocky Mountain and had some strong showings from individual wrestlers.
Coach Rusty Arnold stated that the team was wrestling well before the Christmas break but they came back ‘a little sluggish in Shoshoni.’ He mentioned that that it is always hard to come back and compete at a high level after the holidays, even though the team had a good week of practice.
At 106 pounds, freshman Ace Arnold won all four matches he wrestled by fall. Anthony Campbell at 120 pounds lost one match by fall. Freshman Ben Miller had five hard fought matches at 126 pounds, but was unable to come up with a win. In the 132 pound class, Chase Brown won his first match with a pin, but lost his next four. Skyler Wood is the Panther’s 138 pounder, and his record was three wins and two losses.
Allyster Ingraham powered his way through the competition at 144, recording two wins by fall and two wins by technical fall. Senior Douglass Campbell won his first match at 165 with a pin, but lost the next two he wrestled. Atom Lindsey got into the action this weekend with a tough loss at 215 pounds. Rounding out the Panthers was Lane Robinson at 285. Robinson faced gritty competition every dual and was 0 – 5 on the day.
Coach Arnold stated, ‘We have a very talented group of young men who are out working very hard to be the best.’ The plan for this month is to get the team in the best shape possible and work on mental toughness. Arnold added, ‘they all know how to wrestle, but the team needs their attitudes to match their skill levels.’
The Panthers have the most difficult stretch of the season before them, as they travel to central Wyoming throughout January. Next weekend brings the Don Runner tournament in Pavillion, followed by a Lander tournament. The month ends with, what many in the wrestling community consider, the “real” state championship when the Panthers compete in Riverton at the all-class Ron Thon tournament. The Panther coaching staff plans on having the team ready to rise to the challenge.
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