The Hockinson Hawks boys wrestling program continues its undefeated league record, and the girls experienced success, as well, last week.
The Hawks boys wrestled the R.A. Long Lumberjacks to a 49-26 team win. The Hawks came out strong with a pin in each of the first three matches, starting at 165, 175 and 190 pounds.
“I’ve actually been very impressed with our team, you know,” Hawks head coach Brandon Redeau said, adding both the boys and girls teams have demonstrated strong work ethic this season. “Actually, at the beginning of our season we had a couple of our seniors approach me and [were] kind of telling me to turn up the heat. … I’m like, ‘Do you know what you’re asking for?’ ”
Redeau added that moment was nice for him as a head coach in his third season.
“I’ve kind of been waiting for that moment,” he said. “Especially with wrestling, it’s a hard sport already, and so being a coach trying to balance pushing kids but not pushing them to the point where they’re trying to get away from wrestling has always been a tricky balance, but having these kids this season, it’s been a true blessing.”
The match against R.A. Long High School also highlighted the youth program, and the Hockinson band’s drumline performed between matches and featured an energetic student section.
Redeau said he has always dreamed of a large student section and band to play at a wrestling match, adding that atmosphere with the dome light over the mat energizes the wrestlers even more.
Redeau emphasized the efforts of Jasper Armstrong at 190 pounds. He said he is always impressed with Armstrong’s abilities, who does well at each tournament and dual meet. Armstrong secured a first-round pin in the meet against the Lumberjacks.
Also, John Carey, a 120-pounder, is someone that Redeau is thankful to have.
“For someone who has been wrestling only for a short period of tim, many of our coaches say it time and time again, if we could have 20 Johns in the room, the world would be a better place,” Redeau said of Carey. “His work ethic is like no other. He has a very strong mindset and [is] a very humble young man.”
On the girls squad, Redeau says 130-pound junior Teagan Trenda impresses the coaching staff every time, and sophomore 130-pounder Sophia Berezhnoy has improved with each match, as well.
“Gosh, this is her first year wrestling, and her first dual, you could totally tell. You know, it’s that deer straight out of the womb walk, but now that we’re four duals and a couple tournaments in, she’s starting to pick up on things,” Redeau said. “She’s finding things that work for her and she’s starting to dominate already, and so that has also been pretty impressive.”
The Hawks boys and girls next wrestled against Columbia River High School at home on Tuesday, Jan. 14, but results were unavailable at press time.