Canter, Goodwin Wrestle Their Way to Regionals

Meica Felczak, Senior Editor

On February 15, the wrestling team was at districts, and if the wrestler made it to the top four they advanced to regionals.

Lake Shore had two of their wrestlers go to regionals this past weekend, juniors, Conner Canter and Caleb Goodwin. 

Regionals, for the boys that did make it in, is very different from just going to a tournament. When they go to tournaments, they can compete as a team or individually. Most of the time, they are just competing to place at that specific tournament. 

When they wrestle at districts, they are not only wrestling to place at districts, but they are also  wrestling for a spot at regionals. So, there was a lot of pressure on the two juniors. Even going to regionals put a lot of pressure on them because if they place top four at regionals, they go to states. Then, if they make it to states they  have even more pressure on you because not only are you competing with the best of the best, and there are also college scouts there watching them. It’s a perfect time for them to be offered a scholarship if they want to wrestle in college. Furthermore, if they make the top eight at states, they are considered a state champion. 

Canter and Goodwin both were very excited going into regionals considering it their first time going to regionals. Canter explained, “It was the greatest feeling because I got knocked out in the blood round during districts the year before.” A blood round is when you have won one match and have lost one match. So, if you win, you are in, but if you lose, you are out. 

The boys practiced at Warren Woods Tower during the week to prepare for regionals. Warren Woods Tower has many state qualifiers and state placers from last year, so practicing with them made it more competitive for the boys. 

Canter said, “I felt really good going into regionals, I felt healthy and went out and wrestled my hardest.”

Canter and Goodwin both won their first match at regionals. Going into the second round they were both very nervous because if they won that match they would have more than likely made it to states. They both lost their second match, which put them into the blood round. Canter and Goodwin had to win that match in order to place at states. They both ended up winning their matches and they were both very happy because they qualified for states.  

Goodwin said, “I felt really good going into regionals and ready to go to states.” 

Canter feels very accomplished about making it to states. He said, “It has been my goal since I started wrestling when I was 11 years old.”

Goodwin explained, “I am so happy for myself, my goal is to take top 8 at states.”

They both have every excellent record going into states, Canter’s being 36-9 and Goodwin’s being  32-12.

They will be competing on March 6 at Ford Field in hopes of being able to call themselves state champions.

Lake Shore hopes that both of you place at states. Good luck boys!