The North Callaway boys want to win even when they’re at a disadvantage.
The Thunderbirds didn’t have their full roster available on Saturday at the Mexico Duals Tournament but still went …
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The North Callaway boys want to win even when they’re at a disadvantage.
The Thunderbirds didn’t have their full roster available on Saturday at the Mexico Duals Tournament but still went 5-0. They defeated Sullivan 54-23, Monett 39-29, Orchard Farm 48-26, Boonville 47-15 and district foe Missouri Military Academy 42-40.
Head coach Brock Davis said North Callaway is getting ready for February and wants to be in “the best position possible to do what we want to do.” Part of that is being good in positions on the mat.
“I was looking a lot at bottom,” Davis said. “As a team, we needed to get better on bottom in January. Today, on bottom, we looked tremendously better than we have all season. That’s a really good sign.”
It is the job of the bottom wrestler to escape the clutches of their opponent, and Davis said North Callaway did that despite not having a full roster all week. North Callaway beat district foe Palmyra 54-18 but lost to Chillicothe 44-36 and to district foe Macon 42-38 two days prior in a road quad meet in Macon where Davis said he had even less wrestlers available.
In Mexico, Davis listed off four kids who were hurt and added that Wyatt Haden returned during the tournament after also spending some time sidelined due to injury. Davis said he expects to have everybody back before districts.
“We’re on bare bones right now,” Davis said. “To come out and have the day like we had today shows we are doing the right things.”
“Wins and losses aside,” Davis said North Callaway looked good from “top to bottom.” He said he liked what he saw from Wyatt Haden, Collin Moore, Kellen Long, Carver Safranski and Bryce Haden. Heavyweight Gunnar Wenneker is included after a season he medaled at state for finishing fifth.
“He looks great,” Davis said. “He’s doing all the right things to accomplish his goals in the room and out here.”
North Callaway has one more regular season event at the Cody Greene Memorial Tournament at Seckman High School in Imperial.
“We’re better wrestlers than we were in December,” Davis said. “Literally everybody. My little guys. Everybody.”
