Many new faces on wrestling team

Numbers are up for the Whitefish High

School wrestling team this season, with 22 kids coming out for the

first day of practice — seven more than last year. While first-year

coach Ryan Boyle is energized about the high turnout, he notes that

this team is one of the youngest in recent memory.

Only two seniors are on the squad —

Grady Floyd and exchange student Marcelo Theodoro — and neither of

them have a single dual under their belt.

“We have a ton of new faces and a lot

of young guys,” Boyle said. “A lot of sophomores and handful of

juniors and freshmen.”

Still, Boyle knows that anything can

happen throughout the season and anticipates these raw grapples

will surprise a few teams.

“I think we have a lot of athletes in

the room,” Boyle said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what they

have on the mat. We’ll see in our first dual. If they catch on like

I think they can, they’ll surprise some people.”

Most of the wrestlers are still

learning the nuts and bolts of wrestling, Boyle said, from how to

start a match, to take downs and escapes.

“We’re just trying to get the basics

down real well,” he said.

Without a traditional veteran leader in

the locker room, a handful of returning wrestlers are stepping up

and filling the void. Robby Neff, Wolfe Zinke, Andrew Timmons and

Domonic Sargent all wrestled last season and are helping show their

new teammates the ropes.

“These guys that were here last year

have stepped up and are doing the little things,” Boyle said. “It’s

good to see.”

Zinke, a sophomore, is the lone

returning wrestler who went to the Class A state tournament last

year. He and a few others are seeking individual achievements.

“The experienced kids want to place at

the divisional tournament and make state,” Boyle said. “Then again,

a lot of these kids just want to win a match.”

As a team, Whitefish’s goal is to make

it through the season with a nearly full roster. Currently, they’ll

fill 13 of the 15 weight classes.

“We’re not shooting for the moon,”

Boyle said. “I think kids are excited and want to have fun, and

right now, we’re having fun.”

Whitefish opens the season Friday, Dec.

3, at Columbia Falls.