Chilliwack high-school and middle-school wrestlers brought home 11 medals during a hometown wrestling tournament on Friday.
A total of 160 athletes from across the province were in Chilliwack for the third annual Chilliwack Storm Wrestling Invitational at Chilliwack Secondary School (CSS) on Jan. 10.
Of those competing that day, 19 wrestlers were from Chilliwack and 10 received a total of 11 medals, including five gold, four silver and two bronze.
Orlando Petrel of GW Graham (GWG) won two medals: gold in the senior 66-kilogram boys weight class, and silver in the elite division.
"Orlando is a talented novice wrestler who challenged up to the elite division and won two of his three matches against more experienced wrestlers," said Sarah Lee, CSS counsellor and one of the tournament organizers.
Here are the local results from the Chilliwack Storm Wrestling Invitational:
Elite Division:
66kg boys:
2nd - Orlando Petrel, GWG
70kg boys:
1st - Finley Arnold, CSS
2nd - Ryder Emery, GWG
64kg girls
1st - Elizabeth Latulippe, CSS
Novice Division:
Junior 66kg boys:
1st - Baxter McDonald, Chilliwack Middle School
3rd - Kingston Ingram, Vedder Middle School
Senior 66kg boys:
1st - Orlando Petrel, GWG
Senior 70kg boys:
4th - Joshua Petrel, GWG
Senior 74kg boys:
5th - Isaac Dinardo, GWG
Senior 84kg boys:
2nd - Silvestro Gervais, CSS
4th - Liam Balding, CSS
6th - Damien Gunson, CSS
Senior 90kg boys:
2nd - Tyler Upton, CSS
47kg girls:
6th - Maia Carberry, GWG
51kg girls:
3rd - Gabby Patterson, GWG
60kg girls:
1st - Adaillia DeGroot, Sardis Secondary School
There are about 80 middle- and high-school students in the district-wide wrestling program, which operates out of CSS. All 80 wrestlers train together at CSS.
The head coach of the high-school program is Jenna Gillies, a former CSS student who went on to wrestle at SFU and at the national level. Elizabeth Latulippe, a senior CSS wrestler on the high-school team, is the head coach for the middle-school program.
"Elizabeth is also starting a free elementary training program next week at Bernard Elementary. This initiative is driven completely by high school students," Lee said.
The elementary program will run for six weeks and will focus on physical literacy, healthy living, positive role models, and good decision-making – all while learning fundamental wrestling skills.