MEEKER I The Cowboy wrestling team will open the 2011-2012 in Hotchkiss under a new head coach, the program’s sixth in its history.
J.C. Watt, a former graduate of Meeker High School, was selected to lead the Cowboys after Joe Gutierrez resigned at the end of last season.
“I’m looking forward to giving the kids the opportunity to learn from the sport of wrestling,” Watt said. He captained the 1990 Cowboy state championship wrestling team and was a two-time individual state champion for the Cowboys.
Watt and assistant coach Lee Overton will give 17 wrestlers the opportunity to learn, starting with the Hotchkiss tournament this Saturday.
Justin Hardy and Ethan Overton will provide senior leadership for the young team which features six freshmen, six sophomores and three juniors.
“Both seem to be hard workers,” Watt said of his two seniors. “Hopefully the young kids can learn from their leadership.”
Hardy qualified for the state tournament as a sophomore but not as a junior. The Cowboys also return state qualifiers J.R. Crawford, a junior, and sophomore J.C. Henderson.
There will be 14 weights again this year but some of the weights have changed. The new weight classes are as follows: 106-113-120-126-132-138-145-152-160-170-182-195-220-285.
“We are a young team and we hope to fill 10 or 11 of the weights,” Watt said. All 17 wrestlers will travel to Hotchkiss and all should get to wrestle.
“Everybody is healthy and ready to go,” Watt said. “We hope to improve every day.”
