By Kary Booher (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
West Plains High School offered varsity wrestling for the first time last season and, apparently, the understandable learning lessons didn’t scare anyone off.
This year, coaches Dan Taylor, Chris Taylor and Abby Eldringhoff expect about 50 boys and 20 girls on the roster this season. That’s up from 30 and 12, respectively.
“Our goals as a coaching staff for our team is to continue to grow the enthusiasm for wrestling at West Plains and show the community how this additional sport will be beneficial for kids,” Chris Taylor said. “Not only will it help them be better-developed athletes for their other sports, but will also help them grow confidence and competitiveness as individuals.”
On the boys side, the projected roster could see: sophomore Kody Apel (113), junior Brodie Callahan and sophomore Ridge Smith (120), followed by a string of sophomores in Josh Ingram (126), Jack Hathcock and Joah Jones (132) and Blake Tinsley (138).
Look for seniors Teagan Adams and Ramsey Brower at 145 and 160, respectively, while junior Micah Mattsfield (182), senior Trinton Clark (195), sophomore Logan Sitzes (220) and junior Brenden Marks (285) could be in the rotation.
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Smith was 15-20 last season at 106 pounds and placed fourth at the Ozark Conference Tournament.
“(Jones) will be a sophomore and one of our most skilled wrestlers,” Taylor said. “He is a technically skilled wrestler that has shown good leadership skills in our room. We hope we can build on the success (13-18) that he had last year to become a better team leader and a tougher wrestler that helps continue building our new program.”
Ramsey will be the boys captain this year because of his tenacious work ethic and leadership in the room.
“He was a first-year wrestler last year and did not see a whole lot of success, but he has cut some weight over the summer and the coaches hope to see results with Ramsey this year,” Taylor said.
Girls wrestling
On the girls side, Zizzers placed fourth at the district tournament last February.
The projected roster features: junior Kyla Weisbrod (110), junior Ellie Cooper (115), junior Natalie Stewart (120), sophomore Jordan Tollenaar (125), junior Lianna Ward (130), sophomore Lillian Ingram (135), junior Jade Martin (142), junior Brynn Watson (166), sophomore Madison Easter (187) and freshman Miranda Smith (235). Almost all placed at the Ozark Conference Tournament.
Martin was a Class 1 District 3 runner-up and will be the team captain after finishing 31-7 as a first-year wrestler. She pinned 25 opponents.
“She is dropping down a weight class, which I think will allow her even greater success,” Eldringhoff said.
Easter was 27-6 last year and a semifinalist at the district tournament.
“This year she has come back to school in better shape and will wrestle 187,” Eldringhoff said. “I fully expect her to have a great year dropping down.”
Overall, the Lady Zizzer wrestling team had one state qualifier and six other girls make the district semifinals last year.
Said Eldringhoff, “We expect to put several of those wrestlers through to state this year.”
