The ADSS Armada competed at the annual War on the Floor Tournament, hosted by SFU wrestling this past Thursday and Friday.
The squad proved they are once again ready to compete at the provincial level, placing second in both the Boys’ and Girls’ divisions. Armada Boys had 25 points behind Tamanawis’ 35 points, while the Girls squad was 26 points behind Maple Ridge, who took top spot with 32 points.
Friday, the less experienced athletes competed in the Novice tournament. The Grade 8 division had Grade 7 wrestler Alex McKenzie (45 kg) placing fourth and Rowan Cole (43 kg) with Silver. In the Grade 9/10 division, Mason Bodnar (90 kg) claimed top spot, Jackie Lynn Croft (78+ kg) earned bronze, while Cole Robinson (70 kg) and Andrew Audet (74 kg) both placed fifth. In the Grade 11/12 division, Jackie Lynn Croft upset her competition, finishing first while teammate Duncan McLeod (54 kg) finished second and Mason Bodnar finished third.
“Our less experienced wrestlers competed well in their age divisions and showed promise for the future,” said Coach Russ Bodnar. “For many of these, it’s their first exposure to competition off the Island.”
Friday’s tournament showcased the province’s more experienced wrestlers. The Elite Tournament echoes the format of the Provincial Tournament, in that athletes are organized by weight only—not age. Results for the Elite Tournament include gold medals for Paige Maher (69 kg) and Miranda Barker (90 kg), silver medals for Mackenzie Boudreau (90 kg), Seth Price (63 kg), Rowan Cole (43 kg), and Jayce Clayton (90kg) and a bronze medal for Scott Coulthart (90 kg).
Rounding out the top six placings were Jackie-Lynn Croft (90 kg) and Owen Spencer (66 kg) in fourth place and Duncan McLeod (54 kg) and Bobby McKenzie (48 kg) in fifth place. Showing promise, but placing just outside the top six, were Jayden Iversen (78 kg), Prateesh Giri (70 kg) and Mason Bodnar (90 kg).
“For our senior wrestlers, this tournament is a good opportunity to see what they need to work on over the next few weeks before we head into the heart of the season,” said Coach John McDonald.
The Christmas break will allow some wrestlers to get much needed rest, while others will attend provincial camps as they prepare for a very busy January. Alberni wrestlers will be back in action January 11 and 12 in Vancouver. If you would like more information about the upcoming schedule, please visit www.alberniwrestling.com.