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Wrestler grappling with tough Link

An Okotoks wrestler has one strong link to overcome in order to win another provincial high school title. Holy Trinity Academy Knight Sadie Watkins has to find a way to beat Kinley Link of Sexsmith High School.
Sadie Watkins techs an opponent at the rural high school provincials on Feb. 25 in Edson.
Sadie Watkins techs an opponent at the rural high school provincials on Feb. 25 in Edson.

An Okotoks wrestler has one strong link to overcome in order to win another provincial high school title.

Holy Trinity Academy Knight Sadie Watkins has to find a way to beat Kinley Link of Sexsmith High School.

Watkins settled for the silver medal after losing 11-1 to Link at the rural high school provincial championships 61kg female final Saturday in Edson.

Watkins hasn’t ever beat Link, but the score wasn’t indicative of how close the match was, according to coach Doug Watkins.

“There was a questionable call that changed the control of the match,” Doug said. “It changed the match from what could have been 4-4 to 8-0… I protested, but they didn’t see it my way.”

The controversial call was a decision as to who threw who.

“Kinley is big on head-and-arms and hip toss and we practiced, practiced and practiced on how to defend,” Doug said. “Sadie defended just how we practiced and threw her (Link) to her back, but they awarded it to Kinley and not Sadie.”

Doug said while it was apparent on his camera that Sadie had made the throw, he admitted it wasn’t quite as obvious on the official camera.

Regardless of the protest and the outcome, Sadie said she has plenty of work to do in preparation for facing Link and the other wrestlers at the high school provincials at Bishop Grandin High School in Calgary March 9-10.

“I definitely wanted the score to be closer than it was,” Sadie said. “I wish I would have gotten more points off her and it was a closer match. It is rurals, provincials is where it matters.”

Prior to the Sadie Watkins-Link final both wrestlers disposed of their opponents in quick fashion. Sadie teched both her wrestlers (getting ahead by more than 10 points) in the opening round.

She said she will work on making adjustments for Link, particular on defending against the Sexsmith grappler’s effective fireman’s carry in preparation for provincials.

“I have to change my shot and my set up and change things in the next two weeks,” Sadie said.

For the next two weeks, she will train and go to the Calgary high school championships this week to watch what she will be up against at provincials.

“There is a lot of competition that I haven’t seen a lot of,” Sadie said. “I know at provincials it’s not going to be me teching everybody. I am going to get scored on and it’s going to be two rounds for my matches.”

Prior to the high school provincials, Okotoks wrestlers will compete in the Alberta Open this weekend in Cochrane.

The Alberta Open will feature Okotoks’ future -- several junior high school students will make the trip.

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