By: Armando Barcenas
The Simpson University Men’s Wrestling Team is reaching the end of a very rigorous season. The wrestling team’s journey started in October leading all the way to Feb. 18, when it will start its post season. The men’s wrestling team will compete in the Cascade Collegiate Conference where the men must do well in the regional tournament to qualify to enter the NAIA National wrestling tournament.
Rodney Forseth, the head wrestling coach said,
“This year we’ve had a lot of traveling involved. We’ve had a decent season considering that we’ve lost some of our best wrestlers to injuries. And basically, we are getting prepared for regionals, because of that we are focusing mostly on our individual wrestlers that will be traveling to Montana for regionals as opposed to worrying about a dual meet team at this point of the year.”
As the regional tournament gets closer, Forseth said he feels good about being able to qualify some individuals on the team to be able to participate in the national tournament.
The wrestlers on the team have been working hard for months to prepare for the cascade Collegiate Conference Championships. They have been pushing their bodies to the limits in the wrestling room practicing for hours a day and cutting weight just to be ready for the next competition. For the wrestlers, the pressure is on where they must give it their all to qualify for nationals. With the pressure of completion closing in, Jacob Vincent, a sophomore wrestler at Simpson university, has agreed to share some words on his season. He shares that he has not been wrestling his best this year so far but is hoping to pull it together at the end to qualify for nationals. In asking on how does he feel about being so close to competing in post-season and finishing the season he shares that.
“Obviously our bodies are beat up with a few bumps and bruises and need to heal a little bit but what can you do, and I feel good mentally.”
Vincent also expresses that he feels pretty good overall and hopes that a few guys on the team will qualify for nationals.
With the end of wrestling season coming ever so close for the Simpson wrestlers. Let us wait and see how the Simpson Red Hawks do in their conference championships, and if they will qualify any wrestlers to go to the NAIA National Wrestling Championship.