Smithers wrestlers put on an impressive showing Northwest Zone Championships, with the team losing only to other Gryphons and suffering just one loss where an injury changed the outcome of the match.
Several athletes stood out with exceptional performances, including Grade 12 wrestler Abishai Hunter, who moved up two weight-classes to 84kg to challenge a much larger opponent. Hunter won all of his matches by pinning his opponent, a truly impressive feat.
Fiona Sullivan, also in grade 12, wrestled in her first tournament of the year at 64kg and won all of her matches by pin, not giving up a single point in any of her matches.
Meanwhile, grade 10 wrestlers Travis Stephens and Locke James, along with Grade 8 wrestler Isaiah Hunter, had one of the most competitive weight classes at 70kg. In the end, Stephens won gold, Hunter won silver, and James took home the bronze.
Taya Endacott dominated the 57kg weight class, winning all of her matches by technical superiority or by pinning her opponent to take home the gold medal.
Tyde Elliott and Tristan Harris competed in the largest weight class of the tournament, the 54kg weight-class. Elliott ultimately placed first, with Harris coming in at second.
Other standout performances included Eryn Wilkins, who battled through adversity to win bronze in the 64kg weight-class, and Reuben Vander Leest, who won all of his matches by technical superiority or by pinning his opponent to win gold in the 45kg weight-class. Eavan Sullivan also took first place in the 51kg weight-class.
The Smithers Secondary School wrestling team also won both the boys and girls team championships, besting Charles Hayes Secondary School out of Prince Rupert, GidGalang Kuuyas Naay Secondary School out of Dahjing Giids, and Gudangaay Tlaats’gaa Naay Secondary School out of Masset.
Smithers has produced some excellent individual results in recent years, but hasn’t had the team numbers to bring home banners since 2017.
Smithers Secondary School hosted the championship, a wrestling tournament that drew athletes from as far away as Haida Gwaii and Prince Rupert. Competitors came to vie for a chance to qualify for the provincial championships. The event was the largest wrestling tournament held west of Vanderhoof in years, with many top athletes in attendance.
The SSS team also travelled to compete at the BCSS provincials at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.
The competition team consisted of Fiona Sullivan, Travis Stephens, Taya Endacott, Tristan Harris, and Eavan Sullivan.
Fiona Sullivan produced the best result of the team. In her first match of the day, Sullivan faced the number 2-ranked girl in the province, and she gave up no points and reached the points difference to score a mercy stoppage. She cruised to the semi-finals, but badly injured her shoulder and was forced to withdraw from the tournament.
Despite this setback, she still placed sixth in the division with the most competitors, male and female. The team’s next competition will be Nationals at the end of March.
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