Moose Jaw competitors put together an impressive showing at the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association regional wrestling championship this past weekend in Meadow Lake, and as a result there will be no shortage of local representation at provincials in two weeks’ time.
A total of 11 competitors from three local high schools have advanced to provincials in Regina during the Mar. 17 weekend, with the Peacock Toilers sending a total of six competitors.
Kruz Babich needed less than 1:30 to sweep through the entire male 50 kg draw, winning his three matches by pinfall in 22 seconds, 38 seconds and 20 seconds to book his spot in provincials.
Tanner Kivol took a similar road in the male 53 kg division, pinning two of his opponents in under a minute and winning his other match by superiority 13-2.
The male 65 kg division saw Kayde Kell win his first two matches in comfortable fashion before needing only 17 seconds to get past Swift Current’s Wyatt Ratzlaff in the final. Kell might have received an unofficial assist from Central competitor and Moose Jaw Kinsmen Wrestling Club teammate Nigel Fang in the semifinal, as he pushed Ratzlaff to 5:14 before eventually losing by pinfall.
Kingston Usher had a slightly easier road in the male 73 kg division, winning by superiority in his semifinal match and claiming the regional win by pinfall in 52 seconds.
It was all superiority, all day for Brady Ross in the male 77 kg class, as the defending provincial silver medalist won 10-0 in his first two bouts before claiming gold with a 12-1 win in his final.
The other first-place showing on the day came from Central’s Evelyn Eros in the female 73 kg class, where she went 4-0 with three wins in under 50 seconds and all four victories by pinfall.
Claiming second-place finishes were Peacock’s Akela Sand in the female 64 kg division and Wyatt Behiel in the make 115 kg class. Sand won her first three matches by fall before losing a heartbreaker in her final bout; Behiel split his two matches to land second.
Claiming third-place finishes were Central’s Eisa Tondevold (53 kg) and Aurelia Eros (56 kg), while Fang overcame his semifinal loss to finish fourth.
The top four from each weight class advance to provincials.
Peacock won the 4A boys regional championship, while Central claimed the 4A girls championship.
You can check out all the results from SHSAA regional championship at www.trackwrestling.com.
