Warhawks Boys Wrestling Shows Flashes in Early Meets

The West Fork Warhawks boys wrestling team has dealt with some growing pains during their first two meets so far this year. The team had their first meet at Saint Ansgar on Nov. 30. And the team was at the Chris Davis JV Invitational on Dec. 2. Where the team finished in 16th place out of 16 teams.

Head coach Daniel Westhoff said that the growing pains were expected and that they are working on correcting their mistakes. The guys are going after it and they have a good attitude,” Westhoff said. “We are taking the good with the bad and there is a lot to correct for sure but the guys are working hard and will continue to improve.”

One thing that the wrestlers can build off is the fact that everyone in the program has a win so far. Another positive for Westhoff is that he said he has seen good techniques from the wrestlers and that everyone is competing.

“There are moments where their confidence is growing and they are doing good things,” Westhoff said. “It is those little things, even in the losses we are doing good things and we just have to clean it up a little bit.”

At the Chris Davis JV Invitational, Caleb Kruger went 1-2, Brooks Jones took second place in the 132-lbs weight class and went 2-1, Jasper Jones went 1-2, and Andrew Baker went 1-2.

Brooks Jones, a freshman, who is in his first year wrestling at highschool said that it was tough to get used to wrestling at that level. Jones said that he thinks the team has to work on sprawling and getting more shots in.

“I have not been taking the best shots right now,” Jones said. “And our sprawling can be a lot better because we are getting easily pinned and we can work on that to get better.”

Jones said he has been looking forward to the wrestling season and that so far it has been a lot of fun for him.

“It has been exciting to wrestle varsity and have new competition,” Jones said. 

Jasper Jones, a junior, who is also in his first year of high school wrestling said that so far he thinks there is a lot of room to improve.

There have been good things and bad things but I know what I have to work on and I have been putting in the effort and I think things are going to go good this season,” Jones said.

Jasper Jones said he took a few years off after wrestling in middle school and he said it has been fun getting back into the sport.

“It has been a while since I have done it and it has been tough wrestling a lot of guys that have been doing this throughout their high school career, but it is good competition and I enjoy it,” Jones said.

The team’s next meet is on Dec. 16. at the North Linn Invitational at 8:30 a.m.