Pioneer Wrestlers Finish out their Season
The Pioneer wrestlers traveled to Fort Smith, Arkansas, for the Big West Conference Tournament. This tournament took place on Friday, February 12th and Saturday the 13th.
Pioneers Austin Trimble and Garrett Hays both placed 6th in their weight class. Trimble, who is a junior, weighed in at 138 pounds, while freshman Hays weighed 182.
The Pioneer Wrestlers pose with their medals after the state tournament in Little Rock, Arkansas. Top row left to right: Austin Trimble (11), Garrett Hays (9), Matthew Nance (10), JT Crosby (10). Bottom row left to right: Zach Palmer (9), Petter Thao (12), Konner Hodges (10), Kong Lor (12).
When asked how he felt about the tournament, Trimble told us, “I feel like we were fearless coming into the tournament and that was our biggest advantage. I was proud of our guys for having a couple of us place, but mostly just for never backing down and having a lot of heart. I think that will be our strong point in the future as well, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us.”
The Pioneer wrestlers finished out their season at the state tournament in Little Rock, Arkansas. They travelled to the state capital on February 19th and 20th for the tournament.
Senior Petter Thao told us, “This season has been like running through a field of landmines. We started the season off with enough people to fill up the weight classes but as we ran through that field, some gave up and stayed behind while others didn’t make the best of decisions while running through. As we inclosed at the end of the field there was only 8 of us left. ‘The fewer the proud,’ Coach Henderson kept telling us as it got closer to state. When state, the last stretch of the field, came along, everyone pushed themselves to the fullest just to make the others proud. Although none of us finished first, we were all champions in each others hearts. We were more of a team than the individual medals we got. I am proud to have been a part of this team and family. I couldn’t have asked for more and I hope the best for the years to come.”
For the first time in Gentry wrestling history, every boy won at least one of their matches. Gentry finished 8th out of the 24 teams that participated. Senior Petter Thao placed 4th in his weight class, senior Kong Lor placed 5th, sophomores JT Crosby and Matthew Nance got 6th and 5th, and then freshman Zach Palmer finished 5th.
