February 6, 2013

Looking for good showing at Region IV Tourney

By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor

The Watford City varsity wrestling team closed out its 2012-2013 regular season with a home dual win against regional foe New Salem last Friday with Williston joining the action as the Coyotes brought a handful of wrestlers to take part in exhibition matches.
The varsity dual against the Holsteins featured only six matches that were actually wrestled and another six forfeited weights along with two double forfeits.
“New Salem brought some quality wrestlers, not a lot of quantity,” stated Mitch Greenwood, Wolves’ head coach on the match. “But the kids that they do have are tough as nails. We did not win a lot of the individual match-ups, but we definitely showed up ready to wrestle and put up a good fight.”
In the contested matches, Logan Gumke paced the Wolves with a pin in the third period, while Clay Jorgenson lost a 5-4 decision to New Salem’s Matt Neuman, who is ranked first in the region and has been ranked in the state polls as well this year. And Coleton Jore fell to Cullen Seeger, a returning state place winner.
“Clay wrestled very well,” stated Greenwood. “It may have been one of the best matches he has wrestled all season. Unfortunately, it didn’t end exactly how we wanted it to.”
Likewise, Greenwood praised Jore’s performance against a very tough opponent.
“Jore wrestled well, too,” stated Greenwood. “He did some great things including scoring a takedown late in the match and two sets of near fall points.”
The Wolves also picked up five forfeit victories by Jade Hepper, Dakota Garmann, Dakota Neether, Hunter Olson, and Logan Fettig.
Garmann, Hepper, Gumke, Jore, Kyle Cook and Logan Fettig also picked up exhibition wins in the matches held after the dual against opponents from New Salem and Williston.
Wolves head to Region IV
Tournament on Saturday
The Wolves now enter the post-season which begins on Saturday in Bowman with the Region IV Tournament.
According to Greenwood, the Wolves will have a full varsity roster consisting of 14 wrestlers competing at the tournament for a chance to qualify for the North Dakota State Class B Tournament. The State Tournament will run from Feb. 14 to16 in Fargo at the Fargodome.
The top four place winners from each weight class at the regional tournament will qualify for State.

WATFORD CITY WEATHER