April 20, 2024

Tigerhawk wrestlers look to improve at season’s end

By Troy Hyde

Members of the Colfax-Mingo wrestling team jump on a teammate during a preseason practice in Colfax earlier this season. (Troy Hyde)

COLFAX – With just 14 wrestlers and no returning district qualifiers from last season, Colfax-Mingo coach Bryan Poulter just hopes his young and inexperienced squad can be better at the end of the year then they were at the beginning.

There will be some open weights. And their lone state qualifier from a season ago graduated.

So that leaves Poulter with a lot of unknowns.

“We have a lot of inexperience,” Poulter said. “We know that we don’t have a lot of highly successful wrestlers returning for us. But we have guys that are willing to work hard to reach the goals they have set.”

Some of the returners include Richard Blom, who was a district qualifier two years ago as a sophomore. Blom is joined by fellow seniors Chris Warner and Jac Fisher, who moved in from Newton. Fisher will wrestle at 120, while Warner will hold down a spot at one of the two heaviest weights, 220 or 285.

Perhaps the wrestler with the biggest goals heading into the season is Ty Carlson, who was third at sectionals last year. Carlson won 20 matches as a freshman but should improve that number this year.

Adam Teed and Will Dunsbergen are both back for Colfax-Mingo this year. Teed has the most experience of any other wrestlers. He wrestled at 113 last year despite being more suited for 106. He couldn’t beat Carlson out at that spot but has gained plenty of weight this offseason and off to a good start.

“He got experience but was probably at the wrong weight class,” said Poulter. “He’ll be in the 126 area this year. He has made a change physically and he has looked good in the room so far.”

Dunsbergen was forced into varsity last year. He took some thumps but battled through and made some improvements along the way.

Poulter said he expects 106 to be open most of the year and the Tigerhawks got also will have an open weight at either 182 or 195.

The Tigerhawks season begins with a triangular in Pleasantville on Dec. 2. They head to the Woodward-Granger Tournament on Dec. 5 and the home opener is Dec. 16 against Lynnville-Sully and Southeast Warren.