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Show Siring Ii TeuFisp? By DAVE WIGHAM Wrestling can provide some very strange happenings. For example, it's very possible for a wrestling team to be stronger in tournaments than they are in dual meets with other school'. Such is the case with the Layton High grapplers this year, they seem to do better in the tournaments tour-naments they have been in than they have in dual matches. REMEMBER in dual meets the scoring is simple, either your team gets the points or the opponents do. In tournaments tour-naments any one of sixteen, or whatever the number, of teams can get the points in a given weight class. Coach Mike Hansen of the Lancers points this out, "In the Madison, Ida. tournament we were in last week we had five wrestlers going for the' title. Outside of them we only had one other wrestler in finals, he was going for fourth place honors. So I guess you could say were were half tough." THAT means in dual meets the Lancers have five or six good wrestlers who usually win, but then the others are a toss-up, but in tournaments those five can usually put the team on or near the top. In that tournament last week, they were one of sixteen teams, the Lancers came away with third place honors. One of their better wrestlers was unable to compete which hampered their title hopes r considerably. LEADING off in the 98 pound class for Layton is sophomore Lance Olsen who is improving with each match and is gaining confidence for the region battles, his coaches feel he'll be a good one by the ' end of the season. The 103 class is a two man battle with each seeing var- sity action. They have i challenge matches with each ' other during the week with the winner going varsity and . the other JV. These two, ) junior Wayne Gutierrez and sophomore Kirk Gallegos, are about as close as two can come, and both are very promising wrestlers. CONSISTENT Larry Stott is back at 112 this year for his senior year, last year Larry placed high in the region meet, he is strong and sturdy according to his coaches. Senior Byron Weaver goes at 119 while another senior Billy Dugmore is at 126, along with Stott, Coach Hansen considers these three his strength in the lower weights. Weaver had a good tournament tour-nament in Idaho last week including a victory over the defending state champion of that state. DUGMORE is another returning re-turning veteran, he probably would have placed high in region last year but an illness prevented that. His only loss is a 1-0 decision to a Bonneville kid, the latter won the MVP in the tournament, so coaches have hopes for this weight class. Junior Danny Love, that's a wrestling family if there ever ' was one, holds down the 132 class for the Lancers. Danny has a lot of ability and skill and Coach Hansen is looking for big things out of him. THE 145 pound class has been somewhat of a problem for Layton, one kid was hurt, another ineligible and that put the burden on sophomore Gary Christiansen. Coach Hansen calls Gary a great sophomore wrestler but in that weight he gives up too much experience. He usually goes up against seniors. At 138 is senior Mike Gallegos who is a consistent wrestler who is improving with each match. Junior Mike Meacham, who placed second in last week's Idaho tournament, tour-nament, is the strong fighter type, never knows when to give up, he was the surprise of the tournament. AT 167 the Lancers are very strong with senior Wayne Kittrell, a defending region champion. Wayne is one of the best wrestlers in the area, a definite state champion prospect. He has all the tools, knowledge, strength and skills to win the big one. Doug Littlefield goes at 185, if needed he could go down one or two weights for meets. He's considered the most physical of the Lancer grapplers by his coaches. The heavyweight is big junior Chuck Ehin, who goes 6' 5" and 260, who placed second in region last year, and second in last week's Idaho tourney. The main problem facing Chuck is no one to work out with during the week. Coach Hansen noted that if Chuck is aggressive and gets the take down then he'll win it all. SO THE Lancers might not appear to be too tough by comparing dual meet scores, but come tournament time they will always be near the top. |