Plains/Hot Springs hosts first wrestling meet of the season

Danielle Switalski

Plains/Hot Springs hosted their first wrestling meet of the season in Plains Friday night and hit the mats against Eureka, Libby and Superior.

Although there were not team scores given out at the meet because of the small schools competing, the seven Plains wrestlers showcased their abilities in their individual performances. Head Coach Kenny Marjerrison said it’s too early in the year to make judgments for how the Plains wrestlers will match up against their competitors this season, but it did give insight into areas where they will need to improve for the coming meets.

Junior Kenneth Beech is a returning star to the team this year. Beech is bringing experience to the small team as he placed in state two years in a row, coming home with 3rd last year. Beech won all three of his individual matches on Friday.

“He’s wrestling really well and is decent shape,” said Marjerrison of the returning wrestler who weighs in at 119 pounds.

Plains/Hot Springs has one of the few wrestling programs in the state to have female wrestlers stick with the sport all four years. This is senior Rio Crismore’s fourth year returning to the wrestling team. Crismore wrestles at the 112 weight class. Junior Zoe Banovich is also back on the team this year. Although both Crismore and Banovich lost their matches on Friday, Marjerrison said they wrestled really well and are looking strong for it being so early in the season.

“They (Crismore and Banovich) are very competitive and work really hard. It’s tough to intimidate those two,” said Marjerrison.

Freshman Kolby Chisholm weighs in at 140 pounds and started strong, winning his first match by pinning his opponent in a quick 30 seconds. Chisholm lost his second match.

Junior Cole Goodwin is returning for his second year on the team and weighs in at 145 pounds. Goodwin won one match and lost two on Friday.

Freshman Joe Reyna, weighing in at 171 pounds, is new to the wrestling world this year. Marjerrison said he did pretty well for it being his first meet and put in a lot of effort.

Freshman Kris Beech who weighs in at 135 pounds was not yet eligible to wrestle at Friday’s meet, but will be ready to compete at their second meet of the season.

“As a team we are pretty inexperienced, we need to work on getting in shape, it’s more about conditioning right now and cleaning up our technique,” said Marjerrison.

This is the first time in 13 years that Plains/Hot Springs has not had Hot Springs students go out for the wrestling team. Although it is hard on the kids having such a small team, Marjerrison said they also like the unity of a small team as they are “a lot closer family.”

Plains/Hot Springs next wrestling meet is Thursday, December 10 at 6 p.m. in Thompson Falls.