Wahkiakum wrestling program celebrates

Wahkiakum wrestlers celebrated all their hard work this season with a banquet on Monday. They also took time to take a picture for the Washington National Guard as a thank you for the donation of a new mat.

Coaches handed out awards and recognized wrestlers as young as five, all the way up to members of the high school team.

Coach Crystal Davis reported that a team of local girls, age five to 12, had taken second place at a girls only tournament on April 22 in Arlington, and they had a big trophy to prove it.

"We were a small school competing with the big schools," Davis said. "For our girls to take second place is awesome."

According to Davis, there were 35 youth wrestlers this year. Ten kids participated in club wrestling and have been traveling all over the state since November to attend tournaments.

"We're excited," Davis said. "We're finally growing."

They're also excited about the new wrestling mat, donated by the Washington National Guard. Davis' husband Dave is a volunteer. When he found out about the mats, he tracked down the right person and talked to him about donating to the Wahkiakum wrestling program.

"We got it!" Davis said happily.

The mat is valued at over $10,000. One person can roll it up, while their other older mat takes six people just to move one section.

They have been fundraising for two years, Davis said. Now that they don't have to buy a mat, they are going to buy wrestling circuit equipment, like burpee bags, shot dummies, and pull up bars.