MEEKER | Meeker wrestling head coach JC Watt cannot be more excited for this year, 19 boys are on the team (about average) and he expects all will stick it out. Also on the lineup is the addition of two new coaches, bringing the number to six. Joining Watt are long-standing coaches Carl Padilla and Tyrell Turner, and returning again for his second year is Trevor Grant. New to the high school coaching staff is Kurt Blunt, who in 2018 was the assistant junior high coach, and Justin Grant, a new Meeker resident last summer, but not new to wrestling, he wrestled for CSU Pueblo during his undergraduate years.
Watt expects to have a full team and fill all the weights this year, last year they were down one weight, but this year the boys are spread out a bit more. There are three seniors on the team, two of the big guys Reese Harvey (heavyweight to 220) and Ridge Williams (220-195), and Charles Curry (152-145). Returning state qualifiers are Williams, Ty Goedert, Colby Clatterbaugh and Dax Sheridan.
Grant has brought something new to the wrestling room this year, an early morning practice on Mondays and Wednesdays. “This is going to be awesome,” said Watt, “this workout circuit that Trevor developed is wrestling specific for the muscles and wrestling positions. This workout along with the one-on-one our boys will get, they will just keep getting better.”
The team will first travel to the CMU duals on Dec. 7 for varsity and Olathe for JV. The first home matches will be a dual against Grand Valley on Jan 9.
By TIFFANY JEHOREK | Special to the Herald Times
