PIERRE – Wrestlers Ireland Templeton and Josh Rydberg are the Pierre Athletic Coaches Association-Avera Athletes of the Week for the week ending December 11.
Templeton was second in her weight class at the Rapid Invitational and defeated a North Dakota wrestler to whom she had lost to the previous week at the Mandan Lions Invitational. Pierre Girls Wrestling Head Coach Matt Thorson said, “This comes as no surprise as she is one of the hardest workers in the room every single day. She is a sponge in the wrestling room and soaks up every bit of information that the coaches give her. This is Ireland’s first year of wrestling, and it is incredible how much she has grown in the first four weeks of the season. Ireland is often doing extra work after practice to make sure is prepared to wrestle against girls who have more experience than her. Ireland is a pleasure to coach and is going to have a lot of success down the road.”
Rydberg, after starting the season with the flu, made the finals in Rapid City at 285 pounds by pinning three opponents. Boys Wrestling Head Coach Shaun Lewis said, “Josh’s ability to outmaneuver and improvise at heavyweight will take him far. Often it is harder to place at the Rapid City Invite then it is at the State Tournament. Hopefully, this only a sign of what is to come for Josh.”
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