By Alex Nicoll
Sports Writer
The Coppell Cowboys varsity wrestling team continued its dominance in the area by soundly defeating teams such as Frisco Wakeland, Rockwall Heath, and Houston Westside at the Quad at Rockwall Heath meet.
The boys competed last Friday night at Rockwall Heath high school and came out with strong victories.
“I did not know going into that that they would win all three, and they won all three soundly,” coach Chip Lowery said.
Seniors Gerald Meddaugh (160) and Daniel Murillo (145) kept there undefeated streak alive this year putting their record to 8-0 on the season. Senior Austin Flores (126) is also off to a strong start posting a 7-1 record in his matches.
The Cowboys have started off strong this year, with a strong showing in its five-meet tournament before Thanksgiving and now in the Quad meet, which was a three-match event.
The Cowboys are still looking to strong varsity influences like its state champion Sam Rice and Kaleb Richardson who graduated last year and were a corner stone to the program.
“From years past it is tough to lose seniors like Sam (Rice) and Kaleb (Richardson) who went to state every year and last year Sam was undefeated state champ,” Lowery said.
One thing that is not a problem for the Cowboys is a lack of experience.
“My line-up this year has more varsity experience in it. Everybody in the line-up has varsity experience especially now that we will have the football players back in the lineup,” Lowery said.
Lowery is now looking to those varsity wrestlers to continue its winning ways like it had done so far this season.
“We will have to see if Gerald or Daniel like I mentioned will be able to step into those high profile roles that we are used to having,” Lowery said.
Girls slam competition
The girls’ team took fifth place out of 22 teams in the Cowboy Classic meet that occurred at CHS this past Friday.
In a meet that had difficult competition, the Cowgirls took three of the top four spots at the meet. Senior Stephanie Martinez (148) placed second, sophomore Anna Woo (102) placed third, and sophomore Heli Dave (138) placed fourth.
The Cowgirls have stout competition this year in district as Lewisville took second in this meet.
Search for next heavy-weight
With the loss of Sam Rice there is a gaping hole in the heavy weight division that Coach Lowery is filling with junior Roger Moe (285) who is a football player for CHS.
Moe started in the line-up in last Friday night’s meet and is slotted for the starting spot in the Tri-State Invitational at Lake Highlands.
There is depth at the heavy-weight class this year and it should be hotly competed for the starting spot.
“We are lucky in that we had Sam but last year we had five other guys that were heavyweights. Right now last Friday and this weekend junior Roger Moe will be starting in the heavy weight but we also have juniors Kevin Gray and Stone Ormand that also have a lot of wrestling experience and probably will be challenging him for that spot here in the next couple of weeks,” Lowery said.