The Thunder rolled.
And rolled, and scrambled and tossed their way to a provincial championship.
St. Timothy School Thunder wrestlers are the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association provincial champions for 1A-2A (small-population) high schools.
“We had a good turnout on the weekend there. We were pretty pumped about it,” said Alex Green who, along with Andy Macri and Vern McNeice, coached Thunder wrestlers at the March 7-8 provincial tournament at Calgary’s Lester B. Pearson High School. “The kids were glowing all day today (March 10), walking around the school like peacocks with their chests all puffed out.”
Ryan Loeppky won individual gold in the 62-kilogram class. Callum McNeice gold in the 50-kg division, Charles Cook bronze at 53 kg and Rory O’Donnell sixth at 53 kg. Thunder’s Luke Clubb missed out on qualifying for provincials by one spot, but was at the tourney with the team.
The consistent Thunder showing was enough to claim the provincial banner.
“They’ve done phenomenally this year,” Green said of the wrestlers. “It’s not without a combined effort from the community.”
Green was quick to mention the productive working relationship the Thunder have with the Cochrane Cowboys wrestling club. It’s not uncommon to see kids wrestling for the Cowboys in their lightning-adorned St. Tim’s singlets.
Vern McNeice was at the provincial tournament watching son Callum, and the rest of Cochrane’s wrestlers including Cochrane High’s Aidan McKeage, on the mat with the province’s best high-school wrestlers.
“An outstanding event,” Cowboys coach McNeice related. “The kids wrestled their hearts out.
“It was a good day.”
McKeage, also a Cochrane Cowboys wrestler, won gold for Cochrane High in the 68-kg class at provincials. Cochranite Vernon Pointen finished in the top 10.
“We’re really proud of the kids,” coach McNeice said. “We’re excited for them.”
Macri shared McNeice’s enthusiasm for the Thunder’s, and the Town of Cochrane’s, wrestling success.
“This whole wrestling deal, it’s a family,” Macri related. “We start them off here in Grade 7. And then we do our junior-high program and high-school program. Then they go off to the Cowboys. It’s a family.”
