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The Mountain Home High school wrestling team opens up its season today with a trip to the Springdale Har-Ber Tournament. This is the second season of wrestling at MHHS. The sport is not sanctioned by the Arkansas Activities Association this year, but added its 39th and 40th schools this week, according to head wrestling coach Randy Barnhill. Forty schools was the magic number for the AAA to sanction the sport next year. A state tournament involving all schools will be held in March. The Bombers have spent a month getting ready for the season, mostly working on fundamentals. "So far, we've had a great year," said Barnhill. "We have 31 kids out and I think last year they had 15. We've got a lot of the football players out, which will help football because it teaches them a lot of different ways to stay on their feet. I'm looking for great things and we've got a lot of good kids that wrestled last year and know what they're doing." With so many newcomers to the sport, teaching has been a big focus for Barnhill and volunteer assistants Mark Haynes, Harley Carlsen and Jim Brown. "They have to learn how to use their hands and how to use their hips, which is a big thing in wrestling," said Barnhill. "They also have to learn how to keep contact with the opponent. It's not an easy sport to learn, but it's amazing to see how much they've learned since we've started." The MHHS wrestling team also features two female wrestlers is the state's only co-ed sport. "We've got two girls, Heather Whitlow and Ashley Pellham," Barnhill said. "Wrestling is a co-ed sport, so they will be wrestling guys in their weight class. In practice, they've done well. They're tough girls and it's going to be interesting to see how they do at the meet." The Bombers don't have any goals set for today's tournament, but Barnhill expects big things from the team's returning wrestlers. "We've got Josh Koenen, who had a big year last year. We've got Adrian Hubbard, James Deen, Cody Cox, Cody Loftis, Dalton Carlsen," he said. "All those kids had a successful season last year and they've been instrumental in helping the kids that haven't wrestled before. They're teaching them the in's and out's of what to do and what not to do." Mountain Home will host two dual matches and one tournament this season, the first of which is slated for Jan. 15. "I hear a lot of people here in the community excited about it," Barnhill said. "Years ago, they had club wrestling here and at other different places and wrestling was big in this area. I think we'll have big crowds and I think a lot of people will want to come out and see what it's all about. I know we'll be able to put on a good show for them." |
She's not afraid of any challenge. She's tried tennis, swimming and track and has her strengths in each sport. Had her dad let her play football, she wanted to give that a try. Wrestling is in her blood. Her brothers hit the mat and last year when she said she was going out, she got some looks, but nobody doubted her when they saw her passion. Despite her long hair and stunning eyes, she doesn't consider herself a girlie girl. Mom put her in dresses when she was younger, but it's not a shocker that she has her own style now. Shelby gets banged up like any wrestler, but it's worth it to her. She wants to gain respect in everything she does and she doesn't care who gets in her way when she does it. Last summer she competed nationally against girls. She learned a lot about herself and her style. Finishing 5th in the nation gave her the confidence she can go up against the best and gave her hope for the future. Updated: November 30, 2007, 11:49 pm |
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Boys and girls squad look for continued
success at regional and city levels
By Carmine Bonanno (Posted Date:
Friday, November 30, 2007)
Newtonbrook Secondary School is in the midst of
a wrestling dynasty.
Last year alone, the North York high school was
home to a boys team that captured its third straight city crown and placed fifth
at OFSAA, and a girls squad that won its fourth straight city title and wound up
19th at OFSAA.
In overall score, Newtonbrook placed fourth at the
provincials.
In individual competition, Newtonbrook had eight boys city
title winners, a city and OFSAA gold medalist in the girls 41 kg division (the
recently graduated Mapleine Quizon), and an OFSAA silver medalist in the boys
77kg division (returning captain Alex Siplyarsky).
"We've definitely
been getting better and better the last five years," said head coach Leonid
Kilimnik, who is entering his ninth year of leading Newtonbrook's wrestling
squad. "And with seven of eight city champions back on the boys team, that is
why I am so optimistic.
"On paper, we have the tools to compete and be
successful, but it won't be easy because things like injuries can happen," he
added. "We're looking at this year as our opportunity to make history."
With so much success in 2006-07, it came as no surprise to Kilimnik that
a record 70 students came out for the first few practices. The number has since
dropped to 50, but that too is unprecedented at Newtonbrook.
"We've
never had so many students make a commitment to the team," said Kilimnik, who
doesn't make cuts unless the student doesn't come to practice.
"We've had to
move our practices from the wrestling room, which has one mat, to the gym, which
has room for two mat.
"Success is an attractive tool," he added. "Kids
want to be part of a winning team."
Siplyarsky, who is in his fifth year
of wrestling, agreed with his coach, saying a winning tradition is too much for
some students to pass up.
"In previous years, we've had a goal in mind,
trained very hard and fought to the pain and effort to become successful," said
the captain. "We became addicted and are now very proud of what we've
accomplished."
With the likes of Siplyarsky, Cruiz Manning, Brandon
Cockburn, Dima Peskin, Saaz Mariani and Tchermen Bedeov, Kilimnik is confident
the team should have another successful year.
"We only had one wrestler
graduate, so our expectations are high," he said. "What helps is that all the
guys are spread across the weight classes, so we can be strong in each one."
With three key members graduating, including Quizon, Kilimnik said the
girls team could be in a rebuilding year. But with the likes of Ashley Williams
and Jasmine Warner, anything can happen, he says.
"It's not going to be
easy," added Siplyarsky. "But we know where we want to go and we're going to
work hard to get there."
In preparations for the North Regionals in
February, Newtonbrook participates in meets with other schools and all-day
tournaments during the next two months. The meets are essential, not only for
experience and competition, but in order to qualify for the regionals, said
Kilimnik.
When it comes to schools posing a serious threat to
Newtonbrook's run atop the city, Kilimnik believes Central Tech, University of
Toronto Schools, Dr. Norman Bethune, Woburn, Weston, Martingrove and William
Lyon Mackenzie have the potential.
