Wrestlers set to embark on Fargo!

Every summer 3,500+ high school wrestlers head to Fargo, North Dakota.  Cadet and Junior Nationals is the largest and toughest wrestling tournament in the world.  Not only do the wrestlers head to the land of the frozen tundra but also every college coach in the country.  Placing in Fargo almost but guarantees a wrestler NCAA Division I scholarship.  This tournament is broken into not only two age groups Cadets (Freshman and Sophmores) and Juniors (Junior and Seniors) but focuses only on the Olympic Styles of Wrestling (Freestyle and Greco Roman).

This summer we have five wrestlers heading to try their best against nation’s best and we believe our wrestlers are primed and ready to go.  Our wrestlers have been working hard none stop since November pushing hard to be ready and place in the Top Eight of the country.  Being a wrestler is tough but being able to compete at events like this and all of the other tournaments throughout the season get’s very expensive for the athletes.  I am asking you to take the time read their story and if you can help them our program would greatly appreciate it!

Let’s look at the wrestlers

Cade Lindsey is one of the great young talents in Kansas wrestling.  Last year as a freshman Cade achieved a feat many have tried and failed and that was winning a high school state championship as a Freshman. 

Cade winning his High School State Championship


http://www.varsitykansas.com/2016/02/27/80661/derbys-cade-lindsey-follows-father.html

To top it off Cade was Kansas Triple Crown recipient winning Folkstyle, Freestyle, and Greco Roman within the same season.   Cade finished up his sophomore season finishing 3rd at state after a heart breaking loss in the semi-finals.  Most would have hung it up for the season yet not this kid as he only dialed in more. 

Cade with the winning takedown for a High School State Championship

Cade went to Folkstyle Nationals in Iowa in early April and finished 4th in the country while moving up a weight class and earning All-American status there now back to back years.  Cade won Freestyle and Greco state championships and then pushed to Southern Plains Regional.  Once again Cade got it done winning both Greco and Freestyle.  Trackwrestling noted that he was one of the ten wrestlers to watch out of 700 at this event and they were spot on!

http://s200.trackwrestling.com/tw/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1496501117704&twSessionId=xdfzqiagvcfkiye&postId=570406009

We firmly believe as a coach staff Cade has what it takes and will be a double All-American once the dust settles at this event.

Cade Lindsey working with our youth wrestlers

Anayka Besco is one of the best young female wrestlers in the country.  Over the past five years of working with her she continues to impress and handle business.  Anayka has won some very large tournaments (Monster Match Denver and Brute Nationals Kansas City while be named Most Outstanding Wrestler) over the years and placed at countless others nationally.  Anayka this past season was a Kansas Girls State Champion at 106lbs for Rose Hill High School.

Anayka Besco in action at the Girls High School State Tournament on her way to a High School Championship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8x7FsRSwG8

Anayka crowning achievement through all the competing, practicing, and hard work though was her dedication and desire to get better as she graduated from the toughest and longest intensive camp in the country J. Robison 28 Day.   Very special moment being a graduate myself as we both share the same understanding of what hard work means with legendary coach J. Robinson.

Anayka wining Monster Match Nationals in Denver

Triston Wills has overcome a lot since about this time last year.   While competing on the Kansas Cadet National Dual Team he injured his head.   This injury was unlike your normal concussion as he was born with an abnormal cyst.  Through all the wrestling, training, and competing the right impact made it burst sadly and now he is writing the best chapter in his life story.  Triston was told he was would never wrestle again yet defined the odds and worked harder than he has ever worked to get back on the mat in late December. 

Triston wrestling at Newman Univsersity

http://www.derbyinformer.com/sports/battle-of-wills-derby-wrestler-defies-all-odds-to-return/article_2a1a6712-fdcf-11e6-bad3-c70365f4a1be.html

Triston is former Freestyle All-American (Top 8 in the country at his age and weight) and is peaking at exactly the right moment.  Triston is two state place winner in high school with two season to go there is no doubt he will climb the podium at Derby High.  I have seen a lot of hard workers over my lifetime in wrestling shoes (30+ years on a wrestling) and there is no doubt he is one of the hardest workers I have ever trained with. 

Triston working with our younger wrestlers in the summer

Over the past two seasons Triston has beaten multiple time state champions and the who’s who in our state and region.  There is no task or detail that he won’t do not only for himself but also the wrestlers that he train’s with him.  This past month Triston placed 4th in our region and we believe Triston is more than ready and capable of placing in Fargo.

Triston with his coaches after winning Freestyle and Greco State Championships last season

Taidon Wills the younger brother of Triston is becoming the wrestler we all believe he could be.  That turning moment was last summer.  While Triston was in surgery Taidon wrestled his best beating multiple wrestlers from across the country and finish and to become a Schoolboy Freestyle All American (Top Eight in the country) in Wisconsin Dells. 
Taidon on the podium after becoming an All American last summer in Wisconsin Dells

It was that moment that all wrestlers or athletes need to know it is now: “their time” now.  It was the tournament and finish he needed to prove he could not only wrestle the best in the country but was also more than capable of beating them.  This past month Taidon went to York, Pennsylvania as a part of Team Kansas and wrestled the best across the country at his age and weight.  Taidon also placed 4th at the Southern Plains Regionals.  We believe with Taidon placing last year he knows what it takes to reach the podium again in Fargo.

Taidon after competing last month at Southern Plains regionals

Rocky Sisco is one of the most dynamic wrestlers on the wrestling mat.  At any moment in a match Rocky is capable of letting the fireworks go putting any wrestler away he has faced. 

Rocky Sisco about to work for the pin during a dual this past season at Derby High

Rocky will be a senior this season at Derby High but isn’t only a talented wrestler yet but a great singer.  We believe Rocky will be a state placer this upcoming season after being a state qualifier this past season. Throughout the season when not in the practice room Rocky also worked a part time job.  Managing a steady course load in the classroom, managing a job, and getting in all the practices required to compete at a high level is difficult.  Rocky is a wrestler that will beat some talented wrestlers in Fargo and if they have not heard about him before this event trust me by the time it is over they will know exactly who is.

Rocky wrestling this past season..fireworks about to happen

Thank you for taking the time to learn about our wrestlers.  If you can help contribute and donate to their success our program greatly appreciates it as each of them are role model wrestlers in our program and also to our younger wrestlers. The total of this amount will be divided evenly between the five of them, we will keep you posted on training/competing, and most importantly we will mail you a thank you card signed by each of them!

Thank you,

James Bilby
South Central Punishers