Pin to Win

A review of the MHS wrestling team

Story by: Bruce Dredge, MaKenzie Lee, and Rilee Cikaitoga

Wrestling is made up of many challenges, managing weight is one of the hardest. The team faces this problem by simply keeping their minds set on that one weight class. It’s a self-controlling aspect of the game, and you have to be strong-willed to stay to it. There’s a list of challenges for all sports, wrestling just deals with a few harsher ones.

The Madison Bobcat Wrestling team started out the season strong as runner-ups at the Grace Tournament early in the season. With almost two-thirds of the wrestlers being under classmen, they stay tough about it. The team had to overcome multiple injuries early in the season, one of them being Jayson Wade with a broken collarbone at the first tournament they went to. The Madison wrestling team had no seniors to start out the season, with Caious Crawford as the captain, leading the team to a 11-11 season.

Then over half way through the season a senior finally  joins the team.

“I was inspired to join wrestling so late,” Beau Robison said, “By people, music, movies and I also felt bad for not doing wrestling, it’s my last year. I think I’m crazy joining this late in the season  I missed feeling in shape and hanging out with my buddies.”

Robison wrestles at the 285 weight class. The team is very large having a backup for every weight class except for 132 and 98. Austin Burrell being in the 132 weight class, doesn’t need a back up with his record of 33-7, 19 of those wins being falls. Burrell plans on placing in state this year.

“Practices this year are a lot easier and more helpful to prepare us for our matches. We are actually taught moves that will work in matches, instead of moves that work only against rookie wrestlers,” Burrell said.  

The Bobcat’s have multiple goals, one is mainly to get to state. Stat girl Mandy Sanders gave her personal opinion of the season so far. “The boys are really working hard this season, and I’m really impressed with how far they have come for some being as young as they are.” From starving yourself, to being slammed on the mat, wrestler’s are some of the toughest athletes known.

Madison took nine wrestlers to state: 98 Harry Feinberg, 106 Crit Wilcox, 113 Pax Ingram & Kaleb Christensen, 138 Moki Jensen & Austin Burrell, 152 Case Andrus, 195 Billy Berrett, 220 Tyrel Clark.

Austin Burrell took fifth out of all the 138 lb wrestlers at the 5A state tournament.