An Okotoks wrestler cut close to seven kilograms to make weight for the Alberta Open and he nearly packed out that much weight in awards at the wrestling meet in Edson last weekend.
Reid Watkins won the 69kg weight class in the Juvenile Division with a 4-0 record at the Open.
None of his opponents scored so much as a single point on him.
“The toughest opponent was Connor Hodgins for the Junior Dinos,” Watkins said. “I enjoy wrestling against him because he is pretty close to my level.”
Watkins was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament and he also received the 2009-10 Male Cadet Wrestler of the Year. He was the national Cadet champion at 69kg last year.
“It was a great honour to be recognized by the organization,” he said.
Watkins had wrestled at 76kg for the Alberta High School championships on March 11-12. He was able to drop close to seven kilograms to make weight for the Alberta Open weigh-in on Friday.
“It was really a lot easier than I thought it was going to be,” he said.
Cassidy Barnert also won the gold medal at the girls’ Cadet 65kg. She had to wrestle one match, beating xxxxx from Westlock 7-4, 6-0.
Barnert, a Grade 10 student at Foothills Composite High School, lost the gold medal match at the high school provincial championships the week before.
“That prepared me for the Alberta Open because this time I was wrestling against girls my own age,” she said. “Now, I will be preparing for nationals in Ontario.”
In other Okotoks Wrestling Club results Victoria Bergeron took home the silver medal at the Juvenile girls’ 62kg division.
Abi Watkins took home the silver medal at 52kg in the Cadet girls’ division. The Grade 9 student at John Paul II Collegiate lost her first match of the Alberta Open in three rounds to Zoe Manfron from the Junior Dino Wrestling Club.
Abi lost the first round 5-2, but won the second round 4-1. The two wrestlers tied the final round at 3-3, but Manfron was selected the winner because she had won the last point.
Abi went on to win her remaining matches to win the silver medal.
Cody Thompson wrestled at 72kg Cadet and did not win a medal.
Reid Watkins will wrestle at 74kg in the Junior Nationals this weekend in Edmonton where the 16-year-old will be competing against 19 and 20-year-olds.
“I have been in the practice room against some of these guys, but wrestling is a lot different than in practice,” he said. “They will be university students and it will be difficult, but it will get me ready for age-group nationals in April… I’m going there for the experience.”
His brother Spencer will also compete at 84kg at the Junior Nationals. Spencer is a former Juvenile national champion.
Reid Watkins and Barnert will also compete in the Canadian Open (Cadet-Juvenile) in Ontario on April.
