It has been building to this for Mike Thompson and his Legacy Lightning wrestlers.
Currently ranked No. 3 in the Class 5A team rankings by Tim Yount’s On the Mat publication, the Lightning are fresh off a stellar performance on Saturday at the Front Range League championships.
Everybody is more than familiar with the accolades of Ryan Deakin at 138 pounds, but the strength of the Lightning is in the heavier weights.
I asked Matt Hebel after he won his title on Saturday over Loveland’s Matthew Dunkelman about the dynamic of the Legacy practice room that also includes ranked wrestlers Nolan Funk (195), Derek Coleman (220) and Tui Fa’amausili (285).
“Iron sharpens iron and when you are around successful guys like Ryan Deakin and Nolan Funk and all these other guys plus a coaching staff that has been at that level before,” said Hebel, who has lost just once all season and that was in the finals of Top of the Rockies. “Everyone is getting better and even the kids that are first year wrestlers are reaping the benefits.”
The Lightning have a couple of duals this week before the get set to host a regional tournament the following week.
Jon Yunt: yuntj@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/JonEYunt
