Williams Lake Wrestling Club grapplers joined close to 700 wrestlers from B.C. and Alberta from Jan. 13-15 at Kamloops’ Tournament Capital Centre to do battle at the Western Canada Age Class Tournament — B.C.’s premier high school wrestling event.
Lakecity grapplers once again showed their fine form, walking away from the event with a hefty medal haul.
In the schoolboy division, three WLWC athletes finished in the top five. Leading the way for Williams Lake was Braden Conrod, who took gold in the schoolboy 46 kilogram event, beating out 14 other grapplers in his age group. In the 64 kg schoolboy division Tesslar Sellars took fourth, while Sheldon Samra took fifth in the 42 kg event.
Taryn Dick, wrestling at 42 kg in the schoolgirl division, claimed fifth.
In the elementary division, Heatherly Mann, wrestling at 60 kg, finished with a gold medal.
Meanwhile, the cadet (15 and 16 year olds) girls nabbed four spots in the top six. Kara Pare, wrestling at 49 kg, took home a silver medal. Sherry Hance, in the 46 kg class, won bronze, while Shakira Dick took fourth at 43 kg, and Doreen Hance (49 kg) finished sixth.
In the cadet boys division, lakecity grappler Kerry Normand finished with a silver medal at 92 kg. Finishing in seventh was Conlan Sprickerhoff at 54 kg.
In the girls juvenile division (17 and 18 year olds) Shenaya Setah, wrestling at 52 kg, won bronze.
In total, 12 of the lakecity’s 23 wrestlers finished in the top seven in their respective divisions. Williams Lake’s schoolboy team finished seventh overall.
Coming up this weekend for the WLWC is B.C.’s largest elementary tournament, Smackdown 2011, which hits the mats on Saturday, Jan. 29 at Columneetza secondary. More than 200 young athletes are expected to participate.