Staff writer
Both Hillsboro varsity and JV wrestling teams saw mat time this weekend with varsity competing in the Halstead Invitational and JV in Abilene. Varsity finished 13 out of 23 teams with 48 points.
“Friday afternoon and Saturday provided great opportunities for our wrestlers to get a lot of necessary mat time,” coach Scott O’Hare said. “Our 12 healthy wrestlers competed in almost 45 matches over that time. It gave them some great competition experience, and it gave us coaches a great opportunity to evaluate the things that each wrestler needs to improve on.”
O’Hare said it is necessary for wrestlers to pick up pace over the next month and a half and eliminate mistakes that cost them as the team moves into a tough stretch of its schedule including competing in the Eureka Invitational this Saturday.
“All of the guys will be getting a lot of matches over these next two weeks,” he said. “They will be challenged mentally and physically. Their ability to battle when things get tough and preserve through these next two weeks will go a long way to preparing them for the stretch in February and hopefully culminating, for some, with the state tournament.”
Cody Delk had a breakout performance, O’Hare said, after missing all of last season with an injury.
Individual results
Halstead Invitational
- 120 lbs., Travis King, 2-2.
- 152 lbs., Cody Delk, 3-1, runner-up.
- 160 lbs., Preston Nelson, 3-2, fifth place.
- 182 lbs., Levi Mendoza, 2-2, fifth place.
- 195 lbs., Nathan Simhiser, 0-2.
- 285 lbs., Matt Reeh, 0-2.
Abilene JV Tournament
- 106 lbs., Tristan Donaldson, 1-2, third place.
- 132 lbs., Brook Bradford, 3-0, first place.
- 145 lbs., Tyson Reimer, 2-1, second place.
- 182 lbs., Mark Reeh, 0-3, fourth place.
- 195 lbs., Franklin Jost, 1-2, third place.
- 195 lbs., Austin Welch, 1-3, fourth place.