Two Centre Wellington District High School students recently made it to the top of the podium at the OFSAA wrestling championships.
Rylie George and Kara Nixon, both Grade 12 students, placed first after the two-day championship on March 1 and 2 in Windsor.
Both students have competed in the OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) championships before, but this was the first gold medal for them both.
“It really showed how hard we worked and it just paid off,” said Nixon, who won the 83kg weight class.
George, who is in the 44kg class, had some tough matches in the championship tournament, including a semi-final match against one of the top wrestlers in her class.
“Everyone that I talked to said ‘she’s the top girl, she’s the best,’” said George.
“The way people were telling me (that) was like ‘you don’t have a shot, you’re not winning; this girl’s the best, she hasn’t been beaten in two years’ … anything can happen in wrestling, anybody can be beaten on any given day.”
Nixon said she had a “crazy” match against the wrestler who defeated her last year. After two challenges were called by the coaches, Nixon was down by eight points, but she was able to pin her opponent in the last minute of the second round.
“That was crazy. It was probably the most intense match I’ve ever been in, but the feeling after was amazing,” Nixon said.
On the sidelines cheering both CWDHS wrestlers on was Dave Ritter, the high school’s wrestling coach.
“It’s a great feeling to see them succeed and it’s little old Fergus and you’re competing against all over Ontario and your holding your own,” he said, joking his blood pressure goes up during matches.
Nixon said the key to victory was a positive mindset.
“This is my chance and my opportunity and I’m not going to let anyone stand in my way,” she said. “You work so hard that once you’re standing up there, it’s an amazing feeling because it really pays off.”
George agreed, noting she had a difficult year with injuries – including a torn rotator cuff and a broken foot – plus she wrestled in a higher weight class all year.
“I said, ‘I’m winning it this time … I didn’t go through all that to come second,’” she said.
Both Nixon and George started wrestling in Grade 7.
Nixon said she felt the urge to jump onto the mat after watching her brother in the sport. For George, it was the influence of her father. Both want to continue with post-secondary wrestling.
Other athletes
CWDHS’ Kenna Winget (41 kg) and Kathryn Starratt (61 kg) placed sixth in their classes. Tori Lawson (54kg), Esmee Hotson (57.5kg), Heather Vink (61kg), Fortius Banda Ay (51kg) and Jordan Van Milligen (83kg) also competed in the OFSAA championship, but did not place.
Along with Ritter, former CWDHS wrestlers Andrew Bingley and Dave Brunskill assist the team.
