It’s time to take it to the mat.
That’s what high school athletes from all over Surrey plan to do at a wrestling competition this Friday (Feb. 9) at Earl Marriott Secondary, when the South Surrey school hosts an annual tournament.
“It’s a pre-qualification tournament for the B.C. High School Championships,” EMS wrestling coach Tom Willman said.
“Students in Grade 8 to Grade 12 will compete… (there will be) more than 100 competitors from schools in the South Fraser area.”
Other schools include Semiahmoo, Seaquam, Delview, Panorama Ridge, LA Matheson, Frank Hurt, Queen Elizabeth, Fleetwood, Enver Creek, Hugh Boyd, Hugh McRoberts and Grandview Heights secondary schools, among others.
Willman noted two Earl Marriott alumnus and wrestling sisters, Karla and Ana Godinez Gonzalez, will be at the tournament to hand out medals.
READ MORE: South Surrey wrestling sisters have sights set on 2024 Olympics
“They are world medalists and Olympic qualifiers,” he said.
The competition features a girls and a boys portion, with the girls’ weight categories spanning 40 kilograms to 110 kgs, and the boys’ weight categories ranging from 38 to a maximum of 140 kgs.
Willman, a volunteer who has coached at Earl Marriott since the 2007-2008 school year, said he couldn’t do it without the other volunteer wrestling coaches – Anthony Cross, Brian Kennedy and Terri Bahi.
He’s hopeful some EMS athletes will medal and ultimately, qualify for the provincial high school wrestling championships, which will be held at the PNE Feb. 22-24.
Check peacearchnews.com for tournament results and photos.