Over the past month, the NS boys wrestling team was able to duel and win against North Sevier on Nov 26, Maple Mountain on Dec 4, Richfield on Dec 10 (scores and winners), dominating Maple in the first half, 41-0.
They also took on Juab on Dec 5 (score and winners), and (names) placed (tournament placements) the Iron Man tournament Dec 6-7 and the Juab Winter Classic on Dec 13, (placers and winners) Their current record is 2-1.
This year, the NS boys wrestling team stands with nearly 30 boys. Their five seniors, Krew King, Odin Laupapa, Teagin Poulsen, Cole Staker and two-time state champion wrestler Cody Dyches find themselves fighting through their last tournaments and duels.
While the sport itself is full of challenges, it offers rewards that are more than gratifying. Being able to beat other athletes your size and weight in just six minutes or less is no small accomplishment.
“It’s hard to put another dude on his back and make it seem easy,” freshman Styker Lee said.
Lee has been wrestling since he was six years old, and, like many others on the team, wrestles to keep his body in shape for football.
Not only is the wrestling hard, but also the coaching. This year’s coaches include Spencer Dyches, Ty Lee and alumnus state wrestler and returning coach Kris King.
As an NS alumnus, wrestling has always been a huge part of King’s life. He believes that his athletes biggest takeaways are the attributes they learn along the way.
“I think you learn more about determination, sticking things out,” King said. “If you come up to something, whether it’s a physical problem or a mental problem, knowing just to persevere you’ll find a way over it, through it, around it, under it, you know one way or another you know you can get through things.”
Coach King is taking a new approach this year as he teaches the new wrestlers, instead of flooding them with new moves he will focus more on what he calls “mat smarts.”
“I’m trying to take time to kind of go over the mat smarts, like the strategic part,” King said.
With many predicted to make it to the finals, stats prove that the boys wrestling team is off to a great start for their season.