By Kevin Cunningham
Sports Correspondent
The Whitewater Whippets’ wrestling team hit the mats just once over the holiday break, and did so by hosting the 37th annual Mid-States Classic. The tournament consisted of 35 teams each coming from the states of Wisconsin and Illinois.
The two-day competition saw six of the 10 total Whippets competing into the second day. Three different Whippets ended up placing in the top-eight, with Max Reid, Jimmy DuVal and Daniel Soto each bowing out in that round.
Reid, DuVal and Soto each earned medals for their respective finishes. Reid ended the tournament in seventh, winning his seventh-place match by pinning his opponent.
“We were happy to see Max place, however, he had a couple of close losses and feel he could have easily been in the top-four or better in the tourney without an early loss,” Whippets head coach John Schimming said. “Max also had higher expectations as he was a medalist in this tournament last year as well and wanted to improve on that placement. This will provide Max with the drive needed to make the final push as we near February and the tournament series.”
Schimming also said DuVal wrestled really well throughout the tournament, showing his improvement.
“I believe it is a nice accomplishment for DuVal to place eighth in this tournament in only his first year on varsity at a weight class that has tough competitors,” Schimming said.
He also said Soto had aspirations of placing high, but because of an injury, the coaching staff held him out of any more competition to save him for the latter parts of the season. The wrestlers will also be back in action on Jan. 7, as the team will travel to a conference dual against Evansville.
Both Evansville and Whitewater enter undefeated in Rock Valley Conference play. The Whippets’ final home meet will then begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The varsity team will wrestle four duals while junior varsity will compete in three matches.
