Payten Smith made short work of her opponents at the B.C. high school wrestling championships in Duncan.
The Maple Ridge Secondary Grade 11 phenom barely broke a sweat at the March 1-2 tournament, easily winning the girls 90-kg weight class by disposing of her three opponents in less than a minute – combined.
Smith hasn’t had a point scored against her in two years.
“I had four matches and none of them went over 30 seconds,” Smith said. “I haven’t really had a challenge yet. I hope to find it at nationals,” she said. She said that she is not sure what to expect at nationals, being held this year in Saskatoon April 4-7, “because she hasn’t fought against anyone nationally, yet.”
MRSS’s War on the Floor silver medalist is Grade 12 Shaimen Bhogal, who lost by one point to the eventual champion. He will also attend nationals. He missed last year’s nationals because of an injury, but he placed fifth at Windsor, Ont, the year before, in 2010.
Even though Shaimen placed fifth at provincials this year, he earned a spot to nationals by placing second at War on the Floor in Langley in December.
Their teammate, defending 42-kg champion Cam Hicks, 14, placed second at provincials and will attend nationals for the first time.
“So three out of the four athletes we sent placed, which percentage-wise looks really good but we can do a lot better next year,” MRSS wrestling coach Bill McCrae said.
The MRSS wrestling team parents are hosting a fundraiser on Friday, March 15, at the Maple Ridge Legion, to help offset the cost of sending their elite athletes to the 2013 Cadet and Juvenile National Championships in Saskatoon. For tickets call McCrae at 604-463-4175 ext. 125.
