Clark Hoffman, a wrestler from the YRHS that trains with the Yorkton Wrestling Club, travelled to Warman last weekend with the hopes of earning one of four Provincial qualification spots for the upcoming SHSAA Wrestling Provincials at the University of Regina.
But to do so, Hoffman had to go through several other talented wrestlers in the 110 kg weight class who were also looking for one of the four available spots.
鈥淚 knew it wasn鈥檛 really going to be easy to qualify for Provincials,鈥� Hoffman told Yorkton This Week Monday afternoon during a Yorkton Wrestling Club training session. 鈥淭here were some good wrestlers there so I knew I had to work hard.鈥�
And work hard he did, easily defeating Weyburn鈥檚 Nathan Bradley in the first round in just 54 seconds to advance to the second round where he met Warman鈥檚 Jesse Ens.
Things looked good for Hoffman in the Regional 鈥楢鈥� side semi-final.
Leading 8-4 it seemed as if Hoffman would cruise to a points victory, however a small miscue allowed Ens to take advantage of Hoffman, resulting in a pin 5:17 into the match. 鈥淚t was just a stupid mistake right at the end that cost me the match,鈥� offered Hoffman, adding that he should have had his hand raised at the end of the bout. 鈥淚 definitely could have beaten him by points, I could have probably beaten him by pin too, because there were times when I almost pinned him.
鈥淢y coach said that I鈥檓 definitely able to beat him.鈥�
The loss sent Hoffman over to the 鈥楤鈥� side, meaning he had to defeat Balgonie Greenall鈥檚 Jon Treso to at least equal last year鈥檚 fourth place finish at Regionals.
Treso put up a good fight early on, however Hoffman鈥檚 experience proved vital as the grade 11 athlete from Yorkton managed to turn Treso onto his back 2:20 into the match for the win and a spot at the 2015 SHSAA Provincial wrestling tournament next weekend.
However fourth place wasn鈥檛 where Hoffman wanted to finish, but to avoid that he had to once again defeat Bradley, who had also managed to advance to the 鈥楤鈥� side final after suffering a first round defeat at the hands of Hoffman earlier in the tournament.
Hoffman once again disposed of Bradley easily, needing just 33 seconds to defeat the Weyburn wrestler to clinch the bronze medal at Regionals.
The final win gave Hoffman an overall record of 3-1 at the Regional tournament and has no doubt fueled his drive for Provincial success. 鈥淚t gives me a lot of confidence going into Provincials because those are some of the top guys I wrestled so I feel that if I could beat them then I could beat a lot of guys at Provincials,鈥� said Hoffman, continuing, 鈥淚 hope to do better this year because last year didn鈥檛 go so well but I was pretty inexperienced then.
鈥淚 feel like I鈥檝e got a lot more experience now and that should enable me to go farther than I did before.鈥�
Hoffman also wants to succeed at Provincials for his fellow high school teammate Russell Eddy, who was unable to compete at Regionals due to illness. 鈥淚t鈥檚 Russell鈥檚 final year so I hope that I can do it for him, too,鈥� offered the four year wrestling veteran. 鈥淚鈥檓 sure he would have loved to go to provincials and I鈥檓 sure he could have gone to provincials this year; he鈥檚 very capable of doing it because he鈥檚 in probably his best condition this year.
鈥淪o I feel as if that he鈥檚 coming with me as I go to provincials this year.鈥�
Joining Hoffman in the 110 kg Provincial tournament from the rural areas will be Warman wrestlers Brandon McKrimmon and Jesse Ens as well as Weyburn鈥檚 Nathan Bradley.
Jordan Tholl (Regina O鈥橬eill), Mackenzie Hawkins (Regina LeBoldus) and Terran Krahenbil (Regina Sheldon Williams) will represent Regina at Provincials while Kelly Sokolofsky (Saskatoon Centennial), Andrew Pocrnic (Saskatoon Marion Graham), Kaydon Martin (Saskatoon Bethlehem) and Tanner Unrau (Saskatoon E.D. Feehan) will represent Saskatoon.
Tholl and Sokolofsky both competed at last year鈥檚 Provincials.
