The North Battleford Comprehensive High School wrestling team battled in the Western Canadian High School Wrestling Tournament Feb. 3 and 4 in Saskatoon.
The tournament was held in the Hank Ruys Soccer Centre. It was a hectic place, as there were 12 mats running at the centre. Friday, there was a tournament for novice wrestlers where the wrestlers are pooled into groups of six and are guaranteed five matches. Saturday, the elite tournament for the more experienced wrestlers was underway. These wrestlers are grouped into their weight classes and they wrestle in a double elimination draw.
Participating in the novice tournament from NBCHS were Jesse Odishaw, Colton Huber, Wei Lui, Nick Buck, Erica Landrie, Taylor Reiley and Taisley Isaac. Reiley won all his matches earning gold, Landrie and Isaac won four of five matches and won silver. Huber won three of his matches and Odishaw had only two matches due to an injury. Participating in the elite tournament were Reiley, Landrie, Schalk Engelbrecht and Isaac. Reiley won one match and lost two.
Landrie won her first two matches putting her into the semifinal, but she then lost her next two matches putting her in the fifth/sixth place match. She won that match and finished in fifth place.
Isaac won her first match, which put her into the semifinal. She lost the semifinal match, but won her next match putting her into the third/fourth place match. She lost that and finished in fourth.
The NBCHS wrestling team valued the learning experience, the fun times the tournament had to offer and felt privileged to be able to participate.
To continue to prepare for the provincial season, the wrestling team hosted Wilkie, Meadow Lake, Prince Albert Carlton and Prince Albert St. Mary's Tuesday in a supervised scrimmage. All the wrestlers had an opportunity to wrestle a few matches and sharpen their skills before regionals, which take place March 3 in Saskatoon.
