Hayfield and Blooming Prairie wrestling programs will combine forces this season
Published 6:29 pm Thursday, November 24, 2016
- Co-head coach Brad Heydt speaks to the Westfield Razorback wrestling team at practice in Hayfield Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
HAYFIELD — With numbers on the decline over the past few years, the Hayfield and Blooming Prairie wrestling teams decided they would be better off competing together this season than losing matches due to forfeits apart.
Hayfield and BP will compete together this season as the Westfield Razorbacks, a name that was voted on by both schools. The Razorbacks will split their matches and practice in Hayfield and BP and they’ll still compete as a Class A team. The team will be coached by Chad Gimbel of BP and Brad Heydt of Hayfield.
“It’s been in the works for awhile,” Gimbel said. “Last year both teams realized we had some pretty good wrestlers but we weren’t winning a lot of matches because we had too many forfeits.”
Hayfield’s Jackson Heydt goes against Sutton Schultz in practice in Hayfield Tuedsay. Hayfield and Blooming Prairie combined wrestling programs this season to form the Westfield Razorbacks. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Razorbacks now have a deep lineup and they also have enough wrestlers in practice to provide healthy competition. Trey Chatman said having that depth will be crucial to making the team competitive.
“Competition. I think that’s what we need,” Chatman said. “Knowing that you don’t have a spot and that you have to work for that spot is a big factor in getting better.”
The Razorbacks have a pair of wrestlers who have competed in the state meet before in Jackson Hedyt and Ethan Arett. Jackson, who is from Hayfield, said the goal is to get even more wrestlers to state this year and he’s excited to mix it up with wrestlers from BP.
“We’ve worked out with them before and practiced with them,” Jackson said. “It’s been awesome [since the co-op]. All of the guys are looking for people to wrestle with in practice.”
With two former head coaches — Gimbel and Brad Heydt — leading the way, the Razorbacks now have plenty of leadership.
“Our coaches have different styles, but we like it,” Arett said.
The Westfield Razorbacks practice in Hayfield Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Razorbacks will open their season in Redwood-River Valley 10 a.m. Dec. 3 and they will host their first home meet in Hayfield Dec. 22. The team’s first home meet in BP is Jan. 19.
Brad Heydt is hoping that Westfield is headed towards a strong season.
“We’re looking forward to raising that level of being competitive as a team,” he said. “The kids are really excited about it and they think they have a chance to be competitive every night.”
