The Alliance High School wrestling team will host its final dual meet of the season on Tuesday, January 29 against the Torrington Trailblazers.
The JV matches begin at 6 p.m., with the Varsity scheduled for 7 p.m.
“We are going to try and make it a fun one,” said head coach Travis Peak. “I want to get as many crazy fans there as possible! We are encouraging crazy dress up and loud spectators! The band will help get things started before the dual. We are going to get out all our old singlets, warm-ups and anything else that is stored away that nobody is using and sell them for at an extremely affordable price … such as two or three dollars.”
Peak says that after the first seven varsity matches, four or five lucky members of the audience will be chosen at random to get blindfolded and have to search around the wrestling mat for a $20 bill. There also will be a $10 cash price to the person with the craziest outfit.
The AHS pep band will also offer music prior to and at “halftime” of the varsity dual.
He says the event may also include a public thumb-wrestling tournament.
Special Bulldog t-shirts will also be tossed into the stands every time an AHS varsity wrestler gets a pin.
“We want wrestling duals to be a fun event and something people want to come out and watch,” he added. “We have many exciting kids to watch and its anything from a dull event. Special music will be played before each wrestler hits the mat. The Bulldog wrestler has selected their theme music, which is pretty cool.”
The Bulldogs are coming off of a 5th place finish at the Chadron Invite this past weekend, the highest they have finished in the four years that Peak has been the Bulldogs head coach. Alliance also was the highest placing Nebraska team at the tournament, as Gillette, Cheyenne East, Natrona County (Casper), and Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins) finished ahead of Alliance.
Four Alliance wrestlers are ranked in the top five in Nebraska.
120 lbs – Devin Ushio is ranked 2nd
126 lbs – Walker Johnson is ranked 4th
152 lbs – Tyson Dowler is ranked 2nd
160 lbs – Dawson Johnson is ranked 5th
The Bulldog wrestling team is currently ranked 8th in Class B.