Members of the Williams Lake Wrestling Club packed up their singlets, laced up their boots and headed to Kamloops last weekend for one of their largest tournaments of the year — the Western Canada Age Class Tournament.
Eleven members of the WLWC joined close to 800 other high school grapplers from around the province with national tournament berths up for grabs.
“Our kids did awesome,” said WLWC president Sonia Conrod. “This was the best of the best tournament, and a national qualifying tournament.”
Battling his way to a gold medal at the tournament was Braden Conrod. Braden, competing in the schoolboy division at 53 kilograms (grade 7-8 wrestlers), managed a clean sweep, beating all of his opponents.
“He had some incredible competition with very tight matchups,” Sonia said.
Next, fighting to a silver medal, was Kara Pare in the girls 54 kilogram cadet division (grades 9-10).
In the schoolgirl division Haleigh Stubitch, also known as “Mighty Mouse” by club members, finished fifth in the 44 kilogram class.
“She was a firecracker in there,” Sonia said. “She battled very hard.”
Next, in the cadet division, were Sheldon Samra at 54 kilograms in eighth and Austin Haller at 58 kilograms, who finished just out of a placing.
Also in the cadet girls division, at 60 kilograms, was Makaela Haller finishing fifth.
In the juvenile division (grades 11-12) Sonia said the competition was fierce.
“The kids were faced with provincial and national medalists,” she said.
The WLWC’s Kerry Normand’s division was especially difficult, she said, with some intense competition.
“He had three provincial medalists and a national champion competing with him in the 92 kilogram division,” she said.
Despite that, Normand took a respectable eighth-place finish. Meanwhile, teammate Jeremy Thompson, in the 72 kilogram class, took 10th. Tyson Rich, in the 58 kilogram class, took 10th out of 21.
Additionally, at the tournament was a mini tournament for elementary wrestlers. There, Grade 5 Alexander Eves finished fourth in the 36 kilogram division, while being paired with former WLWC member Parker Engle, who won the gold medal.
Coming up for the WLWC is Smackdown, the club’s annual elementary wrestling playday at Columneetza Secondary School Jan. 28. Following that are zone qualifiers on Feb. 11.