ARBUCKLE, CA (MPG) – When wrestlers from Colusa, Maxwell and Williams joined host Pierce at a match night on Dec. 17, it marked the first time that the four Colusa County teams competed against one another all at the same event.
Although Live Oak also participated, according to Pierce head coach Devin Harris not only did having athletes from all four schools involved provide an incredible experience, but one that bodes well for the future of the sport.
“If you would have told someone three years ago that Pierce would be hosting a wrestling meet and all four county schools would be in attendance, you would have been laughed at, seeing as only Williams had a program at that time,” said Harris. “The excitement around this sport and the tenacity of the kids that are raised in this county are conditioned for success in this sport, so its rapid growth in our area does not surprise me. Colusa County has all the factors to produce powerhouse wrestling with the unique mindset and work ethic that is bred into these kids by all the hardworking families that power our local economy. I look forward to how our county will transform and elevate the Northern Section in the coming decade as our athletes develop and evolve in this sport.”
Although Harris did not provide specific details about his team’s performance, some of his most successful wrestlers thus far have
been the girls on the Bears’ squad, prompting him to point out that, “girls wrestling is the fastest growing sport in the country right now and that we are just beginning to see what this looks like as a school program and state. In 2018, there were roughly 20,000 girls competing, today we are seeing 80,000 plus for nearly a 400% increase in six years. I see huge things for the girls’ side of this sport.”
As for Williams, another of the larger county teams, Coach Nik Willis was happy with his team’s ongoing pursuit of improvement and singled out the efforts of freshman Miguel Romero at 144 pounds and junior Rafael Moreno in the 157-pound weight class, both of whom came away with two wins.
Maxwell’s five wrestlers finished the night having their hands raised six times, while in its debut Colusa tallied five.
Although the respective squads will be involved in various tournaments starting on Jan. 2, match night competition against area teams will resume in Trowbridge on Jan. 7 in an event hosted by East Nicolaus.
