SARATOGA SPRINGS — Two wrestlers from Saratoga Springs High will compete in the state championships in Albany this weekend.
This 2018-19 Season has been rewarding for the Saratoga Blue Streaks wrestling team, with an overall standing score of 0.826.
Each season a coach is presented with a new team, and not only is it their job to get each wrestler to compete at their best ability, but to utilize each member of the team to help each other achieve their personal best.
“This year coming in I knew we had a good group of seniors that were gonna lead our team. They held up their end of the bargain,” said Coach Kris West.
The key to success for this team was the coaches’ focus on maintaining their intensity throughout the season despite the mental and physical grind of the sport. Finding a balance to avoid burn out tends to revolve around the team’s tournament schedules.
“During the middle of the year, we have some tough individual tournaments that we gear up for… We kind of ramp up the intensity and then we kind of dial back and let the kids recover a little bit,” said West.
Two of the team’s leading wrestlers this season include senior Brant Robinson, weight class 195 and junior Eric Griskowitz, weight class 138 will take to the mat this Friday, Feb 23. Should the two place they will compete the following day.
In order to prepare his athletes for championships, Coach West sought out notably tough competition for the meets preceding states. This past year Robinson has wrestled at least five sectional champions, and Griskowitz went to the mat against multiple state qualifiers.
Bart Robinson (right). Photo provided.
Bart Robinson (right). Photo provided.
“I think they’re (Griskowitz and Robinson) in good shape and I think they’re ready to have a good tournament,” said Coach West. “They each are in good positions where if they wrestle good, and wrestle to their abilities they can have a good tournament.”
The 2019 New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Wrestling Championships will be held at the Times Union Center in Albany (Section 2) on Friday, Feb. 22, and Saturday, Feb. 23.
