While the squad was smaller this time, they were still mighty.
2 freestyle wrestlers from Port Hardy travelled down island to compete at Queen Margaret School's Christmas Classic tournament in Duncan on Saturday, Dec. 7, and they ended up coming back home with some shiny new medals to show for it.
Port Hardy Secondary School Grade 8 student Jayden Jones continued to showcase his skills at 132 lbs (60 kg) as he ended up finishing the tournament with a 1-2 record, securing his first bronze medal of the season.
Fort Rupert Elementary School Grade 4 student Oliver Cagna also had the opportunity to compete for the very first time in the Grade 4-7 division, receiving a consolation silver medal for his efforts.
PHSS Wrestling head coach Paul Cagna was proud of how his students performed, noting he thought his wrestlers just kept getting better as the tournament progressed.
"Jayden and Oliver were excited to be competing under the bright lights of QMS in Duncan," said Paul. "The gymnasium was packed and there were wrestlers from all over Vancouver Island and the mainland."
While Jones was caught early in his first match with a double leg that led right into a pin, he took the loss as a learning experience and made some necessary adjustments.
In his second match, Jones opened up with a collar tie and then dropped to land a double leg, scoring four points and almost completing a near pin.
"Unfortunately, he was stuffed on a double from his knees," said Paul. "We tried to stall from the ground to gain a standup, but the call never came and we lost on an attempt to wrestle back to our feet. It was a tough match for Jayden, but he came out of it injury free with the knowledge that he could finish a double leg takedown."
In his third match of the day, Jones took the experience from his first two matches and used forward pressure and double legs to score points. The match went into the second round and Jones could tell his opponent was wearing the fatigue of the match. He came out, landed a big takedown, and then used a half nelson to turn his opponent over for the pin.
Jones said afterwards the tournament was "really fun" and he enjoys getting to face new opponents whenever the PHSS wrestling team travels down island.
"It felt pretty nice to win my first medal of the season," he added, noting he will be going to compete in the Campbell River tournament in January and is hoping to medal there next.
As for Oliver, he had to face the same opponent three times as there was only one other wrestler in the Grade 4-7 division, and while he came up short in all of his matches, he battled hard all day and didn't quit on himself, noting he felt he could've beaten his opponent at least once with a few adjustments and some more training.
"I want to compete again, yeah," he said, adding his favourite thing about wrestling is "getting to tackle people."
"Both boys came to the tournament to represent the North Island," said Paul. "They arrived confident and left knowing they can compete with wrestlers from all over. They both earned their place and brought home medals. It was a successful event and we left with high spirits. Wrestling's a tough sport that tests a person's mental fortitude, grit, stamina, and perseverance. Some athletes wilt under pressure or succumb to fatigue, but both of our wrestlers put on solid performances. It was a long day, but a well run event by event coordinators from Queen Margaret School and Coach Nick Zuback."
