Clark Hoffman was flying high heading into the 2015 SHSAA Provincial Wrestling Tournament at the University of Regina March 13-14 after posting a 3-1 record at the 2015 Regional tournament in Warman on March 7 en route to a bronze medal.
Hoffman, a grade 11 student-athlete at the YRHS, then found out that he was the recipient of a very favourable draw, opening the 110 kg Provincial tournament with a first round bye and an automatic berth in to the second round, where he was to take on a wrestler he felt he had the upper hand on. 鈥淚 had a really good lineup and I had a lot of confidence going into my first match,鈥� offered Hoffman. 鈥淚 knew the guy I was going to wrestle seemed definitely beatable and that I had a chance to win.鈥�
And it seemed as if Hoffman was destined to win his first Provincial match controlling his opponent, Sheldon Williams鈥� Terran Krahenbil, right off the bat.
Then things went from great to downright horrible; all within one second. 鈥淒uring the match I had my opponent in a headlock, I was pulling back and from the video it looks like I straightened my knee out too far,鈥� said Hoffman. 鈥淚t made a popping noise and I couldn鈥檛 stand on it and simply fell over.鈥�
The knee injury enabled Krahenbil to gain the upper hand, quickly pinning Hoffman just 1:04 into the bout to send the Yorkton wrestler to the loser鈥檚 bracket, where, if healthy, he would still have had a chance at Provincial gold.
However the injury quickly proved to be too much for Hoffman as it put an end to a hopeful Provincial campaign for the grade 11 wrestler, who was hoping to find the podium in his second trip to Saskatchewan鈥檚 most important wrestling tournament. 鈥淚 had to forfeit my next match (against Weyburn鈥檚 Nathan Bradley, who Hoffman defeated twice in Warman) because I couldn鈥檛 compete,鈥� mentioned Hoffman, adding that his unfortunate ending to the 2015 Provincials will only spur him on for the 2016 season. 鈥淚 put a lot of effort into trying to get to Provincials and then to have it swept away like that, it makes me want to do it even better next year and this time have it actually go as planned.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to do a lot of off-season training this year to really get me into better shape which will allow me to be more prepared for next season.鈥�
Hoffman anticipates that he鈥檒l be one of the top wrestlers in the province next year as the majority of the wrestlers he competed against this season are in grade 12 and will be graduating.
However he also knows that qualifying for the Provincials is not a guarantee and that winning a Provincial title is certainly easier said than done.
Especially since the defending champion, O鈥橬eill鈥檚 Jordan Tholl, will also be returning. 鈥淢e and Jordan Tholl, the winner of provincials this year in the 110 kg category, we鈥檙e basically going to be at the top as grade 12鈥檚 so my experience will definitely help me out next year,鈥� suggested Hoffman. 鈥淣ext year it will definitely go as planned.鈥�
