WDC wrestler places at State 9th-Grade Tourney
Wadena-Deer Creek freshman wrestler Blaine Snyder recently competed in the Minnesota 9th Grade State Wrestling Tournament in Champlin Park where he finished in seventh place. (Photo by Dana Pavek, WDC Schools)
Congratulations to Blaine Snyder who finished in seventh place at the Minnesota 9th Grade and Under State Individual Wrestling Tourney last Saturday at Champlin Park High School.
Snyder, who wrestles at 160 pounds for the Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines, advanced to the state tourney after finishing second at the regionals, Jan. 11 in Mahnomen. At the state tourney, Snyder wrestled in five matches, going 3-2 in a competitive pool of grapplers. Snyder said while the day was exhausting, he “felt great” with the seventh-place finish at state.
WDC Head Wrestling Coach Norm Gallant is encouraged by the freshman’s performance at the state tourney. Gallant noted last year Snyder wrestled at 126 pounds for the Wolverines; this year he’s bulked up to 160 pounds.
“He’s a young kid in a big weight and he keeps getting better,” Gallant said of the 14-year-old, who lettered in wrestling as an eighth-grader.
The Snyder name is well known in the ranks of WDC wrestling, as Blaine comes from a family of state wrestlers. His dad, Clint, was a state qualifier for WDC in 1989. His uncles David and Joel both have qualified for state for WDC.
“I expect Blaine to be competitive in the coming years. This won’t be his only state tournament appearance,” Gallant said.
Blaine is the son of Clint and Kim Snyder of Wadena.