Four members proudly represented the black and blue colours of the Williams Lake Wrestling Club in Abbotsford two weekends ago at the provincial championships.
Taryn Dick, Darian Atkins, Braden Conrod and Peter Fayowski — after each winning either gold or silver in their respective weight classes at the North Zone Championships at Prince George’s Kelly Road secondary last month — all battled hard at provincials, said WLWC head coach Sonia Conrod.
“They were amazing,” she said.
Braden, in a packed 32-competitor division in the 66-kilogram weight class, fell just one win away from the gold medal match, meeting up with the No.1 seed in B.C. after three consecutive wins prior, pushing him to the ‘B’ side of the bracket.
“He then lost to the eventual bronze medalist and then came back and won the last one for a fifth-place podium finish,” Sonia said, noting the top-six wrestlers reach the podium at provincials and earn a berth the national championships.
Braden finished the tournament with a four-win, two-loss record, and had added inspiration as former longtime WLWC head coach Rick Bryan, who now lives in and coaches the Cowichan wrestling team, sat in his corner.
“He coached Braden from the time he was six years old,” Sonia said. “Braden respects him, and it was an incredible time.”
Fayowski, meanwhile, competiting in the 130-kilogram weight class, finished with two wins and two losses in a respectable eighth place.
WLWC rookie, Grade 8 Atkins, won his first match, then fell to the No. 2 seed in B.C., finishing with a one-win, two-loss record.
“He never backed down,” Sonia said. “An incredible first provincial experience.”
Dick, with more than 20 competitors in her 51-kilogram division facing grapplers from Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, went 0-2.
“She had amazing matches going strong,” Sonia said. “It was a tough weight class.”
Sonia added she was proud of all the WLWC grapplers and noted provincials were an amazing time.
“Everyone fought so hard, showing that true black and blue heart,” she said.