The Lewiston High School wrestling team is competing exceptionally this season.
The head coach of wrestling is Colton Maddy, a biology, earth science, and physics teacher.
“This is the most formidable team since I moved here,” Maddy said. “From top to bottom, we have guys who can go to the state and challenge for state medals when we get there. Our seniors are heavy hitters, and our young guys in the lineup are developing their techniques and game plans at a rapid pace. Our girl’s team is the biggest it’s ever been and will have several girls looking to come home with state hardware.”
They had tournaments in Coeur d’Alene and Nampa. The Tri-state tournament was held at North Idaho College in December, and they kicked off the new year at the Rollie Lane Invite at the Ford Center in Nampa. Their JV squad has hit tournaments around the surrounding area in St. Maries, Kellogg, Grangeville, and Orofino.
“We have put a lot of miles under the wheels this year as we compete nearly every weekend,” Maddy notes.
Coach Maddy is proud of becoming doubled champs of their home tournament. He said it was a fantastic achievement for their team and one he will remember for a long time.
He has also been happy with the continued growth of the team culture. He pointed out that this team has been building since he took over in the 2022 – 2023 season.
“So far, our season has gone well. We had an incredibly tough schedule to start the season,” Maddy said. “Still, we’ve picked up momentum down the stretch coming home with team trophies three weekends in a row – including both our boys’ and girls’ teams winning our home Clearwater Classic tournament.”
Events include the girls’ district tournaments on Feb. 19 and the boys’ district tournaments on Feb. 22.
“At this time, we still have about 45 people on the team, including the boys and girls,” Maddy told the Purr. He added that girls’ wrestling is the fastest-growing sport in the country, and the LHS team has 45 players.
Maddy encourages any students interested in wrestling to participate.
“Wrestling is a sport with a place for everyone. We don’t cut anyone from the team; you will compete if you show up and work hard,” he said. “We have weight classes for a reason, and even if you’re completely brand new with no prior experience, we are here to help you succeed both on and off the mat. Wrestling is a hard and demanding sport, but the rewards you reap are rewards you won’t get anywhere else.”
Practices are every Monday through Saturday unless they have a 3 – 5:30 PM competition in the mat room. Once the season ends, they will have ample mat time opportunities posted throughout the spring and summer.
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