PATRICK SCHMIEDT Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Friday, January 4, 2008 12:00 am
The timing couldn't be much better for what might be the Natrona County Mustangs' toughest dual of the year.
NC faces top-ranked Gillette tonight in Casper, but fortunately for the Mustangs, they come into the dual fresh.
"I think it's been good," NC coach Scott Russell said. "In December, we were going pretty hard-core every weekend and got in lots of matches.
"I think the time off rejuvenated us and got us back healthy and more focused and ready to take on these next two months."
The second-ranked Mustangs haven't wrestled since the Worland Duals on Dec. 15. Russell gave his team a week off, then went back to work with two-a-day practices until Wednesday.
And right out of the gate, NC has one of its toughest tests of the year. Gillette has won the Class 4A state championship five consecutive years and has started strong again this season.
The Camels went 6-1 at the Pat Weede Memorial dual tournament during the holiday break.
"They have a very quality program, and not only on the varsity, but on the JV," Russell said. " … It'll be a hard dual, no doubt about it, but this year I think we stack up pretty well."
Russell said the keys for his team will be to win the close matches and to keep the Camels from racking up pins.
The dual is Natrona's second-to-last home dual of the season, and it's the beginning of a long two-month stretch that culminates with the state meet.
"It's going to be a real haul, because we'll be going every Friday (and) Saturday," Russell said.
Today's varsity matches are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
n KW HITS THE ROAD: The Kelly Walsh Trojans will be heading southwest this weekend to participate in the Thoman Memorial Tournament in Green River.
The meet is the largest in-state meet of the weekend with 14 Wyoming teams scheduled to attend.
KW, like NC, has not wrestled since Dec. 15 at the Worland Duals.
Wrestling Tracker
WHAT Gillette at Natrona County
WHEN: 7 p.m. today
WHERE: NCHS Gym
AT STAKE: Gillette brings the No. 1 ranking in Class 4A into tonight's dual. Natrona is ranked second.