The Panthers are getting towards the stretch run of their season and are coming off a dual victory in Minnesota. They had four matchups against Itasca, Ridgewater, MSOE, and Northland.
They won against Northland 36-18, thanks to five wrestlers helping lead them to victory.
Aidan Baker,
Jean Guerrero,
Kacper Piskorz,
Josue Diaz, and
Isaac Albor earned victories.
"The main reason for our past duals was to see other JUCO competitions. With a lighter lineup, we saw how we compared to other teams, and it showed what we were doing compared to them. Getting an idea of what the Northern Junior College competition looks like is key. Northwood was light (weight classes), and that is where we picked up the dual victory. It was nice that both of us had lighter lineups, which made it an even dual between us," head coach Chris Butz said.
Coach Butz is looking forward to the weekend in Elmhurst and believes they are on the right path as the season winds down.
Looking ahead to the weekend, the Panthers will be participating in the Al Hanke Invite at Elmhurst University. A few factors are vital, and coach Chris Butz has been focusing on their health.
"Keeping guys healthy is key heading into Elmhurst. Everybody is getting down to their final weight class, and we are monitoring their health. We have been hit pretty hard with injuries, so we will try to come out of the weekend healthy. I have also been talking to other coaches (Division III) to help our wrestlers for their future success," Butz said.
The Panthers are looking for their positive momentum to make a difference in the final weeks of the season.
After their trip to Elmhurst, they head to Palatine for the Harper College Open on January 21. They will see Harper along with Triton, Joliet, and Bryant & Stratton when they host the Region IV Duals at the Henry J. Vais Gymnasium on January 28.
"The Al Hanke and Harper Invitation and the final tournaments before the district tournament. We will ensure our wrestlers have their routines down this month. For individual matches, it is all about them, so they need to be in their element to have the most success," Butz said.
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