Keisker and Bermudez make Horsepower All-Tournament Team, Moore Goes 22-21 Overall

    The Moore Middle School Wrestling team hosted the 2nd annual Middle School Horsepower Invitational. The team finished the pool tournament without any dual meet victories but they were 22-21 in individual match-ups. "We have a real young team. Only like 5 of these guys have ever wrestled before. If they stick together they will be really good in a couple years." said Coach Thomas. Notable performances were 110 pounder Justin Nichols who finished 4-0. 124 pounder Justin Keisker finished 4-0. 185 pounder Wilber Bermudez finished 3-1. Justin Keisker and Wilber Bermudez were elected to the All-Tournament team.

 

MOORE HAS 3 RANKED TOP 10 IN THE STATE 

   

Kentuckywrestling.com releases rankings about once a month. In the latest rankings (Sept. 26th) Moore is ranked 22nd. Three seniors are ranked in the top ten. Derek Farley is ranked 8th at HWT while James Schneider(160) and Ethan Dunn(171) are both ranked 6th. "Rankings are great to give wrestlers, coaches, and fans an idea of where they stand. It helps build confidence in these guys but once your on the mat with someone, rankings don't mean a thing. You have to wrestle" said Coach Thomas in regards to the significance of rankings.

Here is a rundown of all the ranked Moore Wrestlers:

112 Shawn Cook 25th
119 Zack Michael 16th
130 Nick Vincent 18th
140 Jimmy Roberts 24th
145 Steven Willbanks 24th
160 James Schneider 6th
171 Ethan Dunn 6th
HWT Derek Farley 8th

 

 

Wrestlers Begin Preseason Workouts

Six weeks before the start of the season wrestling conditioning begins. During wrestling conditioning wrestlers bodies are pushed to the limit in order to break them down and rebuild them stronger, faster, hungrier, and tougher then ever. Because of the difficulty of conditioning only returning wrestlers participate. "I don't want and I don't let rookies come to conditioning. This stuff is way too hard and if they have never stepped foot on the mat then they have this perception that this is wrestling" said Coach Thomas. "When I did let rookies come to conditioning, they would quit before they ever stepped foot on the mat. That hurts me because some of them, I never get to see the wrestling ability they might have. These kids that have been through a season of wrestling understand how tough the sport is and they know that this type of work is necessary to be the best". Conditioning is also optional for returning 8th graders. "I offer it to returning 8th graders because its their last year of middle school wrestling. All of my 8th graders have participated so far. They know its their last year to shine and then its back to the bottom as a freshmen" said Thomas.

We interviewed Nick Vincent, a junior 5th year wrestler, about this years conditioning program.

How hard is this years conditioning program?
The program is very hard and not everyone can do it. You have to be willing to push yourself.
What type of stuff do you do during conditioning?
We do a lot of things. One of the things that we do is flip these 200 pound tires back and forth. We do a lot of work with the kettlebells and we run the hill a lot also.
What is unique about Moore conditioning?
Because unlike other schools that just run around the track or go to the weight room, we do more things that focus in on the whole body. After a day of this you feel it everywhere.
What is the advantage of Moore conditioning?
It more so prepares you for wrestling. You are ready to go three periods and then some overtime.

How do you think the conditioning this year will positively affect your wrestling?
It will get me stronger then my opponent because he was doing nothing and I was doing all this.
What other thoughts do you have on Moore conditioning?
The only other thoughts that I have is that it's something that is really hard but it's also something that I think you have to do to make yourself better.