Jeff Harrison
The Edmond Sun

EDMOND - After missing a couple of duals and a some valuable practice time on the mat, Edmond Santa Fe head wrestling coach Tim Draper was unsure of what to expect from his young team entering its dual with Norman on Thursday night.

Draper was pleasantly surprised to say the least after his squad downed Norman 39-28.

“We have such a young squad, every night is a surprise for us. But it is a good win for us, and it was good for us to get back out there tonight,” Draper said. “We hadn’t wrestled in a while with the weather the way it was last week, and not going back to school until yesterday. It can be pretty tough on you.”

Derick Wadlington earned a big win at 189 pounds earning a fall to give the Wolves a little breathing room, before senior heavyweight Tyler Shaw finished it off with a pin.

Tre Doakes decisioned his opponent at 152 pounds, and sophomore Eric Hebert won a decision at 140 pounds.

“I was pleasantly surprised with Eric’s win. That was big for us for him to beat his opponent,” Draper said.

The Wolves will take on Bishop McGuinness on Tuesday night and wrap up the regular season with Mustang later in the week. Santa Fe didn’t get to wrestle in the Chickasha Tournament due to cancellation, but hopes to wrestle in the Northwest Classen tournament.

“The next three weeks are very important for us as we get ready for regionals. This was a good win. This is a very young team and conditioning is so important in this sport. So with practice being hit and miss, this is was a building block for us,” Draper said. ‘We’re just trying to get back on the winning track and we want to finish strong. We competed tough tonight.”