Elementary wrestling meet tests new skills from school program

Dozens of kids competed in the Medicine Hat elementary school wrestling championships Thursday at Hat High, the culmination of a school program this year.

Hawks club athletes helped coach kids at Elm Street School, Crestwood School and Southview School, giving them some basic techniques and an understanding of the sport. The kids put that to the test Thursday, with medals handed out to seemingly everyone.

“The older athletes have shown tremendous leadership and after a night like this I could not have been more proud of these young mentors,” wrote Hawks head coach Darren Klein in a press release. “It was a great example of the fact that it takes a community to raise a child.”

First place awards went to Nathan Mackinnon, Marcus Baker, Truman Hellawell, Cavin Maksymovich, Kiana Ivey, Aubrey Baugh, Tye Simms, Cooper Buckler and Clarke Campbell.

Second-place finishers were Edin Buljabasic, Takoda Franz, Wynter Bouchard Hoovey, Steele Rushton, Hannah Kozakewich, Reese Tschritter, Vince Newel, Kade Lindford and Rylan Ryrthe.

Coming in third was Kimberly Maine, Matt Vandermullen, Tiffany Clemis-Love, Stetson McCaskill, Aisley Maine, Autumn Robinson, Kaden Buckler, Kaitlin Carson and Matius Muise.