• Taking it to the Mat

  Filed under Sports
  Mar 8
   

  Wrestlers rustle up wins at state, younger team shows future promise

  

  Rustler Wrestlers took on GFH in the annual cross-town meet on Jan. 21 at GFHS. Photo by Ashley Moore.

  by Meghan O’Dell

   

  To do well at the state wrestling meet, senior Cameron Ferrel and sophomore Marquis Archuletta know that toughness is essential.

  “We have some tough kids on the team,” Ferrel said. “Considering how many we brought to state and how young our team is we did alright.”

  “Wrestling is the hardest sport out there to train for. It tests you mentally and physically,” Archuletta added.

  Nine wrestlers set out for the Billings Metra on Feb. 11 to compete in the state wrestling meet, and three came out placing.

  “Not many people made it to state, but those who did performed pretty well,” freshman Connor Gusick said.

  Racking up 72 ½ points overall the team did not place very high, but the Rustler name was still included in the top three for individual weight classes.

  As a whole the team didn’t do as well as in the past, according to Ferrel, but individuals such as senior captains Mitch Rohrback and Cody West and junior Ryan Otto did particularly well taking the champ title, second and third place.

  “The season went pretty well,” West said. “At state we put forward our best effort.”

  Practice, focus and effort were the main components of training for the Rustlers to ready themselves for state. This extra push propelled West to the championship round in the 135 weight class in which he faced Sam Shelton of Billings Skyview. The final decision was 3-2, with West winning the round and the state champ title.

  West’s fellow captain, Rohrback, also fought his way to the championship round. Rohrback faced Michael Carpenter of Bozeman in the 152 weight class, but was defeated in a 12-2 major decision taking second place.

  Leading the Rustlers of the future is junior Ryan Otto. Taking third in state in the 189 weight class against Cody Hert of Billings Senior with a 3-1 decision, Otto’s performance foreshadows the future performance of this young team.

  “We did well sometimes (during the season), but sometimes if we weren’t warmed up or didn’t have our heads in it we kind of flopped,” Archuletta said.

  In order to fix those problems, the team is already focusing on next year’s goals. According to Gusick, the young team already is improving and many are taking the steps necessary to take on the next season.

  “We practice Monday through Saturday till 6:30 p.m. every night (during the season),” Gusick said. “Lifting is added in two times a week. It is much harder than middle school wrestling.”

  He added that many wrestlers attend weight lifting and practice on their own during the off-season.

  Archuletta also sees the team heading towards a strong season.

  “If we get the experience during the off season I think we can put up a good battle front,” he said.

  “Wrestling isn’t an easy sport,” Gusick added. “It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. It really isn’t a team sport. It’s you out on the mat with another guy. One winner, one loser.”

  Next season is shaping up to be a productive season for the team, and if each member puts forth the extra effort the rewards will begin to stack up.

  “You’ll know that you’ve accomplished something,” Archuletta said. “You’ll hate the practice, but love the payoff.”

   

  Tagged as: Mat, meghan, meghan o'dell, o'dell, Sports, state, wrestlers, wrestling
  
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