The lights are bearing down, the crowd is silent, the feeling is tense. This year, the spotlight is on the sophomores because there are not many junior or senior wrestlers. North Platte wrestling coach Dale Hall hopes that someone will step up and lead. They really don’t have one leader of the team. Hall said, ”It’s one of those things that changes on a daily basis, and that’s because we have we young group.”

Hall isn’t concerned about their record. ”We have been winning some but losing a bit more.”
Hall said that one thing they need to work on is being more consistent in what they do. He said they ‘ll do great, and then they don’t do as well at the next meet.This year, the wrestling team dropped down to Class B for districts in Ogallala. Hall said the competition won’t be any easier though. “It is going to be a tough district,” he said. The head coach thinks that if the players believe in what they’re doing, they will do better and work harder.

That shows in their practice. After school, you will find the wrestlers doing a circuit work out, running stairs, laps, push-ups, sit-ups and stretching in the commons. In the wrestling room, they’re building strength with wrestling-specific walks and strides. Followed by a bunch of stretches like leg lifts and core-strength exercises. Afterwards they run drills and do choreographed fights.

Some of the best and most hardworking wrestlers this year, according to Hall, are sophomores Brock Little and Jaylen Ruffin, and senior Doc Rodgers. They and others are stepping up to the mat, and are working hard to help out the other wrestlers Hall said.