Team South West Finishes Fifth In Team Duals Wrestling
WITH THE 2023 SASKATCHEWAN WINTER GAMES UNDERWAY IN REGINA WE STOPPED IN AT WRESTLING ON FRIDAY
Photos and Story by Robert Thomas
REGINA, SK - It was a strong showing for Team South West in Friday afternoon's final of Team Duals Competition Mix Wrestling but the team's round robin record meant no medal.
Team South West - consisting of athletes in the Moose Jaw, Swift Current and Maple Creek regions - came out of Thursday's Team Dual Competition Mix Wrestling's Pool B round robin play in third place with a 1 - 2 record.
Team South West first defeated Team North 51 - 8.
Seemingly a sign of strong team Team South West then stumbled and lost a close match 29 - 28 to Team Lakeland.
In their final round robin matchup Team South West lost 42 - 23 to Team Regina.
On Friday Team South West faced Team Rivers West (0 - 3 in Pool A round robin play) in a semi-final matchup.
Team South West dominated the semi-final defeating Team Rivers West 48 - 10.
In the afternoon finals Team South West dominated their matchup against Team South East 48 - 14.
Team South West coach Todd Tumback - co-coach of the Swift Current Titans Wrestling Team - said the team's fifth place finish was just the luck of the draw.
“My team had a few struggles along the way and that is just where we ended up,” Tumback said.
Asked about the seeming dominance Team South West had over Team South East in Friday afternoon finals he said it took time for the team to gel.
“Sometimes it takes a little while to get a team in gear. That’s really what I faced all the way along,” he said, adding “they performed well. What we saw at the end here is a culmination of a couple of days of hard work and some athletes figuring things out.”
The team is a tough one but there were slight weaknesses that were strengthened.
“I have a bunch of boys that hit like sledgehammers. They really pulled it all the way for my team. I had some work to do with some young girls. They faced some inexperience but we got around those corners and the team just looks like a high end team now.”
Team South West took 10 of 13 matchups against Team South East.
One of Team South East's three victories came as a forfeit in the female 42 - 46 kg weight class as Team South West did not gave a wrestler in this weight class.
Team South West also picked up a victory on a forfeit by Team South East in the male 60 kg weight class.
On Saturday the wrestlers return for individual competition.
It’s a day Tumback is looking forward to Team South West picking up the hardware.
“What I’m looking for is a bunch of medals.”
Nine of the 13 athletes on Team South West are from the Moose Jaw Kinsmen Wrestling Club.
The remainder of wrestling team members are from Swift Current's Titans Wrestling Club.
Come back tomorrow for the individual standings.