Last Tuesday at the wrestling meet between Central, South, West and Southwest Junior High, freshmen wrestlers were motivated to show off their wrestling skills for friends, family, teammates and coaches.

But they also showcased their skills for another purpose: in hopes making the wrestling teams at Free State and Lawrence High.

South wrestler Dustin Walthall came away victorious from the meet. He spoke of how much he wanted to wrestle for the Lions.

“I want to real bad,” he said.

And Walthall was not alone.

After the Dec. 12 Quad meet, the freshmen are eligible to wrestle at Free State or Lawrence High.

Central coach Pat Naughton said most of the freshmen wrestlers go on to wrestle at the high school level. He added that along the way the kids get a little push in that direction from the coaches.

“We encourage all our kids,” Naughton said. “It’s something that’s open to them. If they want to they can continue wrestling.”

West freshman Koty Russell didn’t need encouragement from his coaches. Russell has wrestled for nine years. Ironically, he got his start in the sport through a little family scuffle.

“My dad and mom got me into it,” Russell said. “One day I was wrestling with my dad. Afterwards, he said I should wrestle.”

While Russell has performed his favorite moves, including the sweeping single-leg takedown for years, Central wrestler Miles Austerman started his wrestling career just last year.

“I didn’t know about it in seventh grade,” Austerman said. “But I found out about it in eighth-grade. And I’ve loved it ever since.”

Austerman lost both of his matches at the meet last Tuesday. But despite still learning the ropes of the sport, he has already achieved success on the mat. Last season Austerman had four wins and lettered in wrestling. He said his goal this year was to wrestle at Lawrence High.

“It would mean a great deal to me,” Austerman said. “And I think I’d be a good student athlete at LHS.”

Austerman said among his many other accomplishments was his high grade in history class.

One person who has been making the grade for quite some time is Southwest wrestling coach Dave Drennan. At the meet last Tuesday, his team won 11 matches. Drennan said his team was still learning but it had an advantage because he has coached many of his wrestlers for three years.

Drennan has coached wrestling for more than 20 years and in that time has seen many of his wrestlers go on to perform at a high level in high school competition. Some of his students have even come back and become coaches themselves.

He said seeing his wrestlers succeed has been very enjoyable.

“It’s great to see kids come back and help,” Drennan said. “It makes you feel pretty good to see your kids do well.”