WRES: Cascades welcome Canada West’s best

Brian Swane, Special to Canada West

ABBOTSFORD – Grapplers from across the conference are headed to the Envision Financial Athletic Centre in Abbotsford, B.C., for the 2019 Canada West Wrestling Championships, being hosted for the first time by the University of the Fraser Valley, Feb. 8 and 9.

WATCH THE CHAMPIONSHIP ON CANADA WEST TV

With its deepest roster ever, UFV is targeting its best performance in its five-year history of Canada West competition, while Alberta aims to repeat its sweep from last year, when the Bears won a second consecutive men’s title and the Pandas took the women’s crown. Calgary is looking to build momentum ahead of hosting the 2019 U SPORTS Wrestling Championships later this month, and Saskatchewan wants to bring home plenty of hardware, as medals will be handed out in 11 men’s and eight women’s weight classes over two days of inspired competition.

The host Cascades feature defending U SPORTS gold medalists Brad Hildenbrandt and Parker McBride, last year’s national Rookie of the Year, along with two-time 120 kg reigning national champion Cascade Hildenbrandt, as well as Ana Godinez Gonzalez, the 2018 Canada West Rookie of the Year.

Alberta boasts experienced veterans who have been at the top of their sport for years, with seniors such as Krystin Paquette, a three-time conference championship medalist, and Marcus Peterson, a two-time medal winner at this event and Canada West’s 2017 Male Wrestler of the Year.

The Dinos, whose storied history includes a record 10 women’s Canada West wrestling championships and another five men’s titles, are led by fourth-year Callum McNeice, who was last year’s Canada West Outstanding Male Wrestler of the Year when he grabbed gold in the 72-kg class.

Saskatchewan is riding on momentum from the Cascades Classic, hosted by UFV the last weekend of January, taking home the men’s and women’s aggregate banners, with defending U SPORTS women’s 48-kg champ Alex Schell among four Huskies that placed first in their individual weight class.

The 2018-19 Canada West wrestling season began in October with Calgary hosting competition, and continued through meets in Saskatoon and Edmonton, before culminating with the Cascades Classic in Abbotsford. Alberta, Calgary, Fraser Valley and Saskatchewan have all spent the duration of the season ranked in the U SPORTS top 10, with both Alberta teams peaking at No. 1.

The Canada West men’s wrestling championship was first awarded in 1972-73, when the Golden Bears won their first of a record 11 conference titles. The women’s championship was introduced in 1999-2000, with Calgary coming out on top.

Top performers from the Canada West Championships will go on to the 2019 U SPORTS Wrestling Championships, in Red Gym at the University of Calgary campus, Feb. 22 – 23.

WOMEN’S SCHEDULE

All rounds will be streamed on Canada West TV.

• Friday, Feb. 8
  • Rnd. 1 (mat 1): UFV vs. CGY – 7 p.m.
  • Rnd. 1 (mat 2): ALB vs. SSK – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 9
  • Rnd. 2 (mat 1): UFV vs. SSK – 11 a.m.
  • Rnd. 2 (mat 2): ALB vs. CGY – 11 a.m.
  • Rnd. 3 (mat 1): UFV vs. ALB – 2 p.m.
  • Rnd. 3 (mat 2): SSK vs. CGY – 2 p.m.

MEN’S SCHEDULE

All rounds will be streamed on Canada West TV.

• Friday, Feb. 8
  • Rnd. 1 (mat 1): UFV vs. CGY – 8 p.m.
  • Rnd. 1 (mat 2): ALB vs. SSK – 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 9
  
  • Rnd. 2 (mat 1): UFV vs. SSK – 12 p.m.
  • Rnd. 2 (mat 2): ALB vs. CGY – 12 p.m.
  • Rnd. 3 (mat 1): UFV vs. ALB – 3 p.m.
  • Rnd. 3 (mat 2): SSK vs. CGY – 3 p.m.

TEAM PREVIEWS

2018 CW finish: Men - 1st / Women - 1st

2018 U SPORTS finish: Men – 3rd / Women – 2nd

Last CW championship / total CW championships: Men – 2018 (11) / Women – 2018 (4)

Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: Men – 2013 (4) / Women – 2011 (1)

Number of competitors: 20 total (12 men, 8 women)

Returning CW gold medalists

• Men: Jordan Wong – 54kg / Aidan McKeage – 76kg / Nicholas Goleniec – 82kg
• Women: Krystin Paquette – 59kg

Key additions:

• Men:
  • Mitch Clarke - 90 kg
  • Tyler Duguid - 120 kg
  • Harris Valdes - 54 kg
• Women:
  • April Robin Martinig / 54 kg
  • Katie Mulkay - 67 kg
  • Emma Olson - 72 kg

Key performer:

Jordan Wong

2nd-year

Calgary, AB

If the Golden Bears are to repeat as Canada West champions, and vie for a fifth U SPORTS title, sophomore Jordan Wong will need to be as dominant as he was during his rookie season.

In 2017/18, Wong captured four tournament gold medals, including the 54 kg gold at the Canada West Championship. The CW Male Rookie of the Year went on to capture a U SPORTS silver medal, leading the Bears to a national bronze medal.

This season, Wong already has two gold and one bronze medal, and will be the favourite in the 54 kg weight class in Abbottsford.

2018 CW finish: Men’s - 4th / Women's - 3rd

2018 U SPORTS finish: Men’s - 9th / Women's - 3rd

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2003 / 5 (men’s), 2016 / 10 (women’s)

Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: 2009 / 5 (women’s)

Returning CW gold medalists

• Men: Callum McNeice – 72 kg

Key additions:

• Men: Connor McNeice - 65 kg
• Women: Amy Bellavia - 59 kg

Key performer:

Erin Geddie

2nd-year

Victoria, B.C.

Erin Geddie has never won a Canada West gold medal, but she made waves a year ago as a rookie on the national scene.

The Canada West bronze medallist, Geddie had the meet of her life at last year’s U SPORTS championships in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. where she captured the 82-kilogram national title and brought home rookie-of-the-year honours for her efforts. Now, after winning a Canada West team championship with the Dinos women’s rugby 15s program in the fall, Geddie’s attention is back on the wrestling mat where she and the team will look to build momentum into the national championships, which the Dinos will host Feb. 22-23.

2018 CW finish: Men's - 5th / Women's - 5th

2018 U SPORTS finish: Men's - 5th / Women's - 9th

Last CW championship / total CW championships: none

Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: None

Number of competitors: 13 total (10 men, 3 women)

Returning CW gold medalists

• Men: Brad Hildenbrandt – 120 kg
• Women: Ana Godinez Gonzalez – 63 kg

Key additions:

• Men: Jason Bains / 100 kg
• Women: Amber Wiebe / 55 kg

Key performer:

Brad Hildenbrandt

4th-year

Surrey, B.C.

Cascades team captain Hildenbrandt is the two-time defending heavyweight champion for both Canada West and U SPORTS, and he’s been UFV’s male athlete of the year across all sports both years as well. The graduate of Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary in Surrey, B.C. represented Canada at the U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania last fall, and he’s renowned in the UFV program for his leadership by example.

2018 CW finish: Men's - 3rd / Women's - 2nd

2018 U SPORTS finish: Men's - 6th / Women's - 6th

Last CW championship / total CW championships: 2016 / 5 (men’s), 2017 / 1 (women’s)

Last U SPORTS championship / total U SPORTS championships: none

Number of competitors: 19 total (11 men, 8 women)

Returning CW gold medalists

• Women: Alexandra Schell – 48 kg

Key additions:

• Men: Jakob Dormaar - 68 kg
• Women:
  • Angela Aalbers - 63 kg
  • SueAnne Harms - 51 kg
  • Emma Parker - 59 kg

Key performer (men):

Hunter Lee

2nd-Year

Flin Flon, Man.

In just his second year of eligibility, Education major Hunter Lee has already compiled quite the resume. The two-time junior national gold medalist has won his weight class in all three meets he has competed in for the Huskies this year. The product of Fin Flon, Man. finished second in the conference and fourth at the U SPORTS National Championships in his rookie season last year.

Key performer (women):

Alexandra Schell

4th-Year

Smithers, B.C.

Reigning Canada West and U SPORTS gold medallist Alexandra Schell enters the weekend with her sights once again set on winning the 48 kg class. The fourth-year Kinesiology student and former member of Team B.C. has won three of the four meets she has competed in this year to help the Huskies women rank second in the latest U SPORTS Top-10 poll.