Coos Bay teen wrestlers on road to nationals
COOS BAY, Ore. — Eight club wrestlers in Coos Bay are hoping to add more hardware to their collection.
The Northwest Wrestling Club teens have qualified for national meets coming up this summer and need community support to get there.
Each of the wrestlers finished in the top four at the state tournament in April, qualifying for various national championships in North Dakota, Illinois and Utah.
MJHS Buccaneer Skylar Folau managed a triple crown, winning in all three styles including collegiate, freestyle and Greco Roman.
Elyssa Diego (junior), Rowan Hampton (8th grade), Mariana Velasquez (freshman), Trayton Forbes (freshman), Ethan Flood (junior), Aryan Wright (sophomore) and Garron Castro (freshman) each extended their seasons after their state championship showings.
Now the coaching staff for Northwest says they're getting the kids in top physical condition to compete at the national level in June and July.
"It's a higher level of competition, and by going out and raising the money, it allows these kids to focus more on their practice and focus on school instead of focusing on how we're going to raise the money to get there," said Head Coach Bo Hampton.
"A lot of the kids, this is like their first year in Greco and freestyle, so a lot of it's built by building their foundation for the sport," said Coach Emma Truex. "So a lot of them have gotten better at throws. More comfortable getting thrown and the safety side of that."
Meanwhile, the team is excited to see just how far they can go one throw at a time.
"I look forward to getting more experience and to learn new stuff that I haven't learned yet," said freestyle and Greco state champion Mariana Velasquez.
"I'm very excited. I've never been to something that big before, and this is my first year doing freestyle and Greco, so I was pretty surprised that I made it," said Diego.
"It's nerve-racking, but it's definitely exciting. I'll wrestle the same way I always do and hopefully come out with an All-American," said Forbes.
The meets include National Duals in Illinois, Western States in Utah, and the USA Wrestling National Championship in North Dakota.
The team hopes to raise $18,000 for travel expenses, lodging, and their tournament gear packs.
To donate, click here.
