Wrestling Blogs - Kris Hayward

We just got back from the S32 and all I can say is what a tough tournament. We think we are tough wrestlers (and we are for SWFLA), but we are nowhere near the top in the country. We have to change our mentality towards wrestling and getting better. Being good in SWFLA is not good enough anymore. We need to get more serious, more disciplined in our technique, and a lot tougher mentally when we are in close matches. We were the smallest wrestlers in each weight class, and we were the least talented. It seemed that when the… more »

We just got back from the S32 and all I can say is what a tough tournament. We think we are tough wrestlers (and we are for SWFLA), but we are nowhere near the top in the country. We have to change our mentality towards wrestling and getting better. Being good in SWFLA is not good enough anymore. We need to get more serious, more disciplined in our technique, and a lot tougher mentally when we are in close matches. We were the smallest wrestlers in each weight class, and we were the least talented. It seemed that when the… more »

Check out this website for the matches from Georgia. http://www.teamgeorgiawrestling.com/tga_videos We have some things to work out. Our attitude towards wrestling to win comes from within. We need more mat time, practicing the techniques that are being taught. I have beefed up our schedule and we will be challenged, but that will make us ready for the end run if we progress the way that we are capable of each and every week. But to improve, we must wrestle with a purpose. Check out the videos and see what we did well and where we can improve. KHayward more »

The old Ray Charles song...."Georgia on my mind". We will be making a road trip on Friday Night to Georgia and we should return late late late Saturday or early Sunday, depending on what time we get finished. The cost is going to be about $50 (we might need to spend 2 nights in a motel). THis is an excellent opportunity to get out and see how people and teams in Georgia wrestle. We will also stop in and see a college tournament on our way home "The Georgia Gorilla Open" is just down the road and some of our… more »

My family got back into town last night. Today is a lot of unpacking and a week of working around the house. If you haven't heard, i have taken on the responsibility of being the new cross country coach at RHS...and with that I strongly suggest that all wrestlers who wish to be on the varsity wrestling team should get their physical and proper paperwork turned in so they can join the cross country team. This is an excellent opportunity to get your cardio up and ready for the wrestling season. The summer was good and I am ready to… more »

What a way to end the year...with the Riverdale Wrestling Super32 tournament. It has been awesome to watch the 32 wrestler (both experienced and not so seasoned) work themselves into position to have a doughnut party on Friday. The top 8 get the prize-the winner get the spoils, and the losers gets....the crumbs? It is one last chance for the underclassmen to get a shot at the Seniors before they graduate RHS and leave us forever. Remember, once a Raider, always a Raider... more »

What a blast. We took 8 wrestlers to the OHIO TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS this past weekend. Joe Accardo, Nick Accardo, Zack Swats, Mickey Endersbee, Johnathon Heffner, Jose Lopez, Trevor Dunn, and Dalton Langford. The tournament was held downtown in the convention center. We had over 2100 entries and the scrambling was fierce! Dalton Langford worked his way through the competition and brought home the championship. He won a watch for getting first place. That is a cool award-definitely different. Trevor Dunn took a tough 4th place finish. He wrestled through some tough competition from New York and Pa-both were seniors.… more »

Over Spring Break, 4 wrestlers traveled to Reno Nevada for the Jack Roller Reno Wold Championships. Dalton Langford (95 lbs) made it to the semi-finals before taking a tough loss and he finished in 3rd place out of 86 competitors. Jose Lopez (135lbs) also made it to the semi-finals and he finished in 3rd place out of 74 wrestlers. Jackson Dodd (175 lbs) made it to the quarterfinals before he took is first loss, then had a tough draw in the wrestleback to finish one match from placing top 6. John Heffner (108 lbs) took a tough loss in the… more »

Amazing, what a state tournament for the Raiders. "Back to Back" State Champions-winning by the margin of 1/2 a point. It was a true team effort. The performance and the unbelievable effort given by each of the kids on the mat and the support off the mat by their teammates was simply awesome. Exciting matches all the way through-winning the close matches, come from behind matches-they all counted. Everypoint counted. Trevor Dunn with a state runner up finish, defeating some very strong competition on his way to the finals. Can't say anything else but...wow. more »

Blah! I think we chose down and got rode out, possible almost pinned. We got arm barred, cradeled, and a cheap tilt in there somewhere too. Fortunately for us, the match isn't over yet...IT IS JUST GETTING STARTED! It is all tied up going into the third... more »

1st Period is over-where do we stand on our journey to Lakeland? The season is a long process and growth of a team or team member depends on what he will do over the winter break. Will he sleep in or will he get out of bed and make a commitment to push himself take the next step in becoming a better wrestler, a champion. Until now, a wrester has gone through the ups and downs of early season matches and tournaments, but the most important thing that they have done is found their weaknesses and what they need to… more »