MMS Wrestlers host home meet

The Malta Middle School Wrestlers hosted their home meet last Thursday evening at the Old Gym with close to 300 in attendance.

The event hosted several teams including Chinook, Harlem, Havre, Glasgow, Lewistown and Hays.

The event featured new technology, including two new digital scoreboards that were operated by members of the Malta High School Wrestling team. The event also featured new mats that were donated by the Malta Athletic Fund, covered by the Malta Athletic Club and Malta Schools.

"Wrestlers were able to use a full size mat for their matches instead of splitting a full size mat in half," Malta Middle School Coach Nick Oxarart said. "Our wrestling team would like to thank the Malta Athletic Club for all their donations for our new mats, digital scoreboards, etc... Our kids are very fortunate to have the community support that they do."

Though the winning records were not tallied during the mixer event, Coach Oxarart expressed pride in his team.

"I am proud of how our wrestlers competed at our mixer on Thursday," Coach Oxarart said." It's always nice for them to wrestle in front of their friends and family. There are still a lot of things we can get better at, but they are getting better every day and that is all I can ask of them."

Sixth grade heavyweight Reese Brown was one of several Colts Wrestlers who picked up a win that night.

Brown had just pinned an opponent from Hays in the first round. He was asked about his victory.

"Just by shoving his head down into the mat and putting a half into him," Brown said.

He nearly got a pin by cradle earlier in the match.

"We both got into it," Brown said. "And he was lying on his side, so I cross-faced him. I tried but then my arms broke apart. I almost had him but I didn't."

Being that it is his first year of middle school wrestling, Brown enjoys his new team.

"It's fun," Brown said, mentioning his favorite part about middle school wrestling. "I like riding on the bus with my teammates because they are my friends."

He also mentioned how he could improve himself as a wrestler.

"Not weighing as much," Brown said.

Camryn Mears is also a sixth grader, but wrestles in the 110 pound class. He had picked up his first win at the mixer in the opening round of matches by pin fall.

"First I did a spiral and then I landed on his elbow, making him fall on his back and sucked it up," Mears said.

Mears has also been enjoying his first year of middle school wrestling.

"It's been pretty good this year," Mears said also mentioning his favorite part of middle school wrestling. "I enjoy the bus rides and getting to compete."

Mears shed some light on these popular trips.

"We usually try to get some sleep before going to the tournament, but that doesn't happen," Mears said. "We are usually jumping around and eating a whole bunch of bad junk food when we come back."

His junk food snack of choice is a bag of Oreo cookies. And though his sweet tooth may not be held in check, Mears knows the result he wants to see in the near future.

"I want people to see that I'm a good wrestler and that I try hard," he said.