KINGWOOD – The Preston High School wrestling team is off to a fast start this season with a 9-2 record.
Despite not wrestling in their home gym until this week, head coach Brad Reed and the Knights have held their own on the mat and shown that they have the potential to make some noise statewide this year.
With a solid mix of experienced veterans and talented younger wrestlers, PHS is one of the teams to watch entering the second half of the high school wrestling season.
“Our biggest strength this season so far has been resiliency,” Reed said. “The team has responded to every challenge we have given them, and they always find a way to bounce back from adversity.”
Led by senior Cole Turner, the Knights have a group of leaders he says are crucial to the operation of everyone on the roster.
“It means a lot for us to have good leadership,” he said. “Having guys in the room who can speak up and carry energy makes it easier on the coaching staff. We can focus more on planning and technique rather than discipline and distractions.”
In last season’s state tournament, Turner placed fourth overall in the 165-pound weight class in Class AAA and looks to improve on his placing this season at 175.
“We feel Cole has a good chance of ending up on the podium against his year,” Reed said. “We also feel like we have a good group of younger guys who have worked really hard during the offseason and have a chance to make the podium also. The rankings will be released soon, and we expect a handful of our guys to be contenders.”
Along with the male contenders on the team, freshman female Ava Turner will have a shot to make something happen at the state tournament. Turner won the 130-pound weight class at the national Powerade Wrestling Tournament earlier this season. Reed knows her impact reaches more than just her teammates.
“Ava winning the Powerade is big for girls wrestling in our area and the state,” Reed said. “This past summer, the USA women’s national wrestling team came and used our new facility, and we hope it can be a home for them going forward. Having a girl in the national spotlight is huge for us. She has the opportunity to be a true torch-bearer and some other very talented girls in the state.”
“This year is a bit different from other years in that we didn’t know exactly what to expect,” he continued. “We knew we would be young after losing so many good seniors last year, but we are seeing success on our level from the kids who have come through the Mat Club and middle school programs.”
