By Anthony Robinson

The Atlantic Trojan wrestling team, currently ranked eighth in class 2A, according to the IWOCA standings released Friday, Jan. 14, posts a 17-1 overall team record and a 6-0 conference dual record.

The Trojans are coming off big wins defeating Harlan 69-6, and Denison 58-12, on Jan. 18, in the Trojans final regular season home dual of the season.   “Ultimately that’s the goal, to win everytime you step out on the mat,” Head wrestling coach Tim Duff noted.

On Jan. 15, the Trojans traveled to Adel for a tournament hosted by the Adel-Desoto-Minburn High School.  At the tournament, the Trojans were one of 14 teams.  With that many of teams, the number of outstanding wrestlers was high, according to Duff.  The team finished in second place at the tournament.  “Our goal was to win the tournament,” Duff said.  The Trojans were ahead going into the finals, with 6 wrestlers represented in the finals, but according to Duff, the team wasn’t mentally prepared for the finals.   “In the last round, we didn’t wrestle up to our ability or our expectations, and hopefully that was an eye-opening experience for our kids, to understand that we have to be mentally ready to wrestle every round,” Duff said.  The Trojans won on one finals match, dropping to the second place finish.

The ADM tournament was the third tournament in which the Trojans finished in second place.  The other two tournaments were at Humboldt, and at Riverside in Oakland.   The Trojans have been able to finish first at the Rollin Dyer tournament and the Trojan Duals.

This was the second year in a row that the Trojans won the Rollin Dyer Invitational hosted by AHS.  Before last season it had been nearly 20 years since the Trojans had come out of the invitational in first place.  Duff said, “It was a nice tournament to win before Christmas.”

This weekend, Friday, Jan. 21, and Saturday, Jan. 22, the Atlantic wrestlers travel to Corning for the fifty-sixth annual John J. Harris tournament.  The Trojans have won the last two titles.  “This tournament’s got a lot of history and it would be quite an accomplishment for the boys to win (the tournament) three years in a row,” Duff noted.  Duff said that the Creston Panthers will certainly be the favorites, and that “it would be an upset if we could somehow steal the title from them this season.”

On Saturday, Jan. 29, the Atlantic High School will be host to the 2011 Hawkeye 10 Conference Dual Tournment.   “Hosting is a nice perk to have, especially with us being in the hunt,” Duff stated.  Duff said that anyone is in the hunt for the conference crown.  “It comes down to who shows up and wrestles the best, its not about who’s the best team, it’s which team shows up and plays the best.”

Besides the John J. Harris tournament and the Hawkeye 10 Conference tourney, the Trojans also have four remaining regular-season duals left.   Atlantic has a chance to repeat as the undefeated team dual champion of the Hawkeye 10.  The Lewis Central Titans, with only one conference loss this season to the Panthers from Creston, will dual against the Trojans next Thursday night, Jan. 27 in Red Oak, hoping to spoil the Trojans chances of repeat.

“Everything we’ve been working towards is coming to a head,” Duff said.

Besides for the Trojans’ remaining tournaments and duals, the Trojans are also focused on sectionals on Feb. 5 at Harlan.