Gang of grapplers going

The entire Saratoga High School wrestling team is going to state after having all individuals earn at least a top eight finish at regionals on Feb. 15-16 in Wright.

“As a group, this is the best we have wrestled since before Christmas,” Head coach Zach Schmidt said. “We have had a lot of ups and downs since Christmas break with injuries, some move outs and attrition so our team did a great job coming together for regionals.”

At regionals only two teams fielded less wrestlers than the Panthers. Schmidt was happy where the Panthers came out.

“There were some teams that had double if not triple the wrestlers that Saratoga had,” Schmidt said. “That was a huge bonus for the guys to get those hard earned wins against teams that large. At one point we were ahead of Glenrock that was second last year.”

Although the Panthers did not eventually stay ahead of Glenrock, Schmidt saw excellent wrestling out of his squad.

“We didn’t have enough wrestlers to compete team wise, unless we got everyone into the finals, but collectively what they pulled off, was excellent,” Schmidt said. “They felt good about what they accomplished as a team, because every wrestler had to pull their weight.”

Some of the weight classes are extremely difficult said Schmidt. He singled out what Jerry Everett accomplished.

“What Jerry did in a ridiculously difficult weight class at 113 was good,” Schmidt said. “The four guys ahead of him were state placers and three of them were in final matches before.”

J. Everett will have a tough road to place at State, but Schmidt is encouraged with the wrestler’s dedication.

“The fact that Jerry is right there with those guys and we are hoping to tweak some things that will make him successful,” Schmidt said. “We like the game plan we have for him.”

He said John Powell could have been in the top four if he had just done a few different things during his matches.

“John wrestled well all tournament long,” Schmidt said. “It is just a matter of having tweaking a few things here and there.”

Kaden Hedley was moved up to the 220 weight class.

“We bumped up Kaden to 220 pounds to give him an opportunity to showcase his skills at little bit higher weight,” Schmidt said. “He wrestled some tough competition, but did well.”

Schmidt was extremely happy about having all his seniors place.

“Tristan (Gray) was in a barn burner that could have had him be third instead of fourth,” Schmidt said. “We will tweak some things with him and his goal is to be top six at state.”

Gray wrestled in the 195 weight class.

Schmidt said this was the third year in a row that Gray placed fourth at regionals in his weight class.

Trezdon Martinez came in second in the extremely competitive 126 weight class.

“Trez is Trez,” Schmidt said. “He is one of those kids that is very reliable. You know what kid you are going to get competing whether he is sick or injured. There are some things just like the other guys, we have to tweak.”

He said Martinez placing with an all conference honor and second at regionals is a major accomplishment considering a month ago, there was doubt the wrestler would be able to compete further in the season.

Schmidt said senior Andrew Everett did the best of all his wrestlers. A. Everett placed second in the 138 weight class.

“Andrew wrestled the best he ever has,” Schmidt said. “He didn’t feel well, we had to adjust his weight class and give up his seeding criteria, yet he wrestled excellent 90 percent of the time. When he wasn’t wrestling well that 10 percent, he was listening. He would slow things down to get coaching and that is the best I have ever seen him wrestle in four years. He did everything right.”

A. Everett walked with an all conference honors.

Schmidt said game plans will be done for each wrestler.

“We have three wrestlers that are seeded and that have real possibilities to come home as state placers,” Schmidt said. “And we have three others where placing is not out of the question.”

He said as the team goes to state, he reminds them that it is not about who has been good all season, but who is better today.

Schmidt said his message to his seniors who placed, is take the pressure of placing in the top six go.

“Our message to them this week, is there no pressure, these are just matches,” Schmidt said. “You go out there with the same short term goals where you have to execute on your feet, move on bottom and finish on top.”

Schmidt said if the wrestlers execute their game plan, he is confident good things will happen.

State will happen Feb. 22-23 in Casper.