By Noah Robinson

Sports Editor

The wrestling team will soon be heading into the most important weeks of the season. With two weeks to go until the district tournament and the state tournament 20 days away, head coach Doug Black says the team is still trying to work out some small issues and improve their overall health.

“They’re progressing where they need to be,” Black said. “We’d like to, last couple weeks, try to clean up a bunch of little mistakes we’ve been making, but they’re coming along pretty good. Trying to get all of our kids healthy, that’s the big issue right now we’re fighting.”

Some stark differences can be seen when comparing the current group to the one witnessed when the season began on December 1. Among these, Black noted the maturation of some inexperienced wrestlers, many of whom have exceeded expectations.

Senior Trey Storey identified the camaraderie among the team as a talking point.

“We’ve gotten closer as a team, like a family,” Storey said.

Senior Sam Hampton echoed this claim by adding the team’s discipline as a noteworthy change over the last two months.

There are some flaws that will need to be worked out in order claim the coveted hardware at districts and the state tournament, and Black acknowledges the team’s health as a critical focus point.

“First thing we need to do is get everybody healthy, and then just clean up the little things,” Black said. “We’re making some mistakes that [have] cost us some matches.”

Storey included the team’s execution in matches as a point of improvement.

“We need to be in better shape and make sure we execute what we do in the practice room,” Storey said.

Black has maintained his lofty expectations for the team over the last few weeks of the season, keeping his sights set on getting as many wrestlers as possible to state.

“I believe that we have five or six kids that can get down there and do well down there and medal down there,” Black said. “And if that’s the case we could bring home a trophy from the state tournament, but it’s got to be a solid team effort, that’s what we’ve been preaching all year being shorthanded.”

The Jags will be competing in a home tournament today and Saturday. They will finish out the regular season with a conference match at Raytown South on Tuesday, February 2 before heading to districts at Staley High School on Friday, February 12 and the State Championships on Thursday, February 18.