Broncos wrestling holds sole home match of season

The interior of Gilson gym was brightly lit and full of energy on Tuesday evening, Jan. 15. It was the beginning of Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Bronco’s only home wrestling match of the season.

At 7 p.m., well after an hour of competitor and team warm-ups, the gym lights darkened, and a single very bright spotlight descended from the high ceiling—dropping to 15-20 feet above the wrestling ring on the single wrestling mat. It was to be an evening of “wrestling under the light,” one match at a time. The result of the unusual environment gave spectators a very focused view of each match, and the cheers from spectators were enhanced by the limit of only two competitors to watch and receive fan support at any single moment.

The Mix-and-Match format consisted of competitors from Warden, Pomeroy, Almira-Coulee-Hartline (ACH) and the host Bronco team members. Two rounds allowed each competitor to wrestle twice and the format allowed wrestlers to face opponents in the same weight class, which doesn’t happen very easily for a limited number of team members at any school with a small wrestling team.

A post-match interview with Coach Jason Hilzer shed light on match results and the record of the team this year. This year’s LRS team is very young – only one senior, one junior, and the rest a sophomore, freshman, and 8th grader. As a result, this team has not seen a lot of matches, nor have they the kind of experience background so necessary to develop success. When a young team goes to a big tournament, they invariably are matched at some point with opponents with far more experience. Thus a match like this evening, a no-count match where wrestlers (especially younger ones) can wrestle opponents equal in size, is very valuable in the development of wrestling skills. It’s important that they have experience in actual competition.

Coach Hilzer noted that this year’s team has two smaller wrestlers about the same weight, which is an advantage for each in practicing against one of their own size. Coach Hilzer also addressed the process of developing wrestlers.

In summer, the boys attend a wrestling camp in Pasco. The competition is good to have against representatives from other schools. Early on, they see teams who they are going to face later in the season. Training curriculum begins with “the basics” (e.g.: rules) and moves on to teaching basic moves. Learning each individual move takes repetition – 7 or 8 repeats. The team uses these moves in warm-ups, which maintains a regular review.

Once the basics are mastered, coaches work with individuals on moves specifically chosen to take advantage of the skills and preferences of each individual. Perhaps surprising to some: they watch a lot of film.

AS the team is approaching the end of the wrestling season, thoughts turn toward the qualifying ladder necessary to reach the State finals. The next scheduled match—Kittitas Tournament—is a preview of wrestlers in the same region as LRS, so it’s an opportunity to check out some of the opposition necessary to reach State, and to gain more experience by wrestling opponents in the same weight class.

The road to State goes through a League meet, from which wrestlers are seeded for the next step—Districts (held this year in Pomeroy on February 2). From the District Tournament, the top four finishers in each weight class move on to the Regional Tournament (comprised of two Districts). From Regionals, the top four finishers in each class move on to the State Tournament.

The results for the LRS Mix-and-Match meet:

First Match

106: Brandon Davis, pinned at :34 of first period by Warden’s Jason Cox.

113: Johnny Ryan, pinned in second period by Warden’s Eric Chamberlin.

132: Sam Michels, pinned at :46 in first period by Pomeroy’s Devon Nofsinger.

152: Dylan Gaede, pinned at :48 in first period by Wyatt Wilinsky.

182: Doug Morris, won in first period by pin against ACH’s Connor Hicks.

Second Match

106: Johnny Ryan, pinned at :25 of second period by Warden’s Jason Cox.

113: Brandon Davis, pinned at 1:37 of third period by Hale Cox.

132: Sam Michels, pinned at :33 of third period by Pomeroys’ Davin Gould.

160: Dylan Lane, won in second period by pin against Higgs.

182: Doug Morris, won in first period by pin against ACH’s Patrick Roof.