Freeman High School Wrestlers Having Most Successful Season

Freeman High School wrestling team is off to its most successful start to a season in some time. The wrestling team has 25 kids out for the pro-gram, the most they have had under Coach Ripke’s guidance.

The team started the season off at the Davenport tournament, and took 2nd as a team, and had individual champs in Billy Sims, Taylor Glidewell, and Avery Smetana.

From St. Maries tournament, they brought home a number of medals. Tournament Champions were Taylor Glidewell, Teigan Glidewell, as well as Jake Hanson and Wyatt Smith.

Taylor Glidwell and Avery Smetana were both successful when they went to the prestigious Tri-State tournament: Taylor finished 2-2, and Avery finished 6th place.

The rest of the wrestling team went to Springdale, where Teigan Glidewell won another tournament, and Isaiah Crane and Markus Goldbach brought home silver.

The wrestlers finished winning the Freeman Christmas Invite a week ago. It is the first tournament won at Freeman, as a team, in some time. The wrestlers edged out Selkirk ti win the tournament by one point, 166-165. The tournament came down to the night's last match -- Avery Smetana needed to pin his opponent in order to give the Scotties the title -- and he did just that. Taylor Glidewell brought home gold again, Billy Sims brought home silver.

The league season is next, and is expected to be very tough, with Colville, Lakeside, Riverside, and Chewelah posing great competition.

FHS team is still very young, with 14 freshman, and continues to improve.

"I am very excited about this team and what the future could hold for the wrestling program," the editor of the weekly Scottie Newsletter wrote. "Come support the wrestlers as they compete at home on January 19th (6 PM start), and then host the NEA District Tournament on the 4th of February (10 AM start). 

"Our little kids wrestling program will have their registration night on the 17th of January from 6-7 PM at the K-8 Multi-purpose room. Practices will start on the 22nd of February and the season will end March 31, 2012."
For Questions, contact Coach Ripke at the high school 291-3721 ext 222.