November is a busy time for Enid HS Sports. Football is ending and winter sports are starting their competitions, and everyone is excited about what the season has in store, especially Enid Wrestling Coach Trent Holland. Coach Holland is in his 8th year as the Head Coach of the Plainsmen and as the coach of one of the only wrestling programs in NW Oklahoma, he has had his work cut out for him. While Enid High has usually fielded a wrestling team over the last several decades, it is not as entrenched in the culture as it is in some other areas of the State, and Coach Holland’s goal is to change that. The good news is that he is well on his way!
With help from assistant coaches Corey Clayton, Cameron Conder and Tom Rowe, this year’s team will be one of the more experienced they have had. Even with the loss of a past state champion, Chance Davis, and state qualifier, Johnny Villa, Coach Holland believes they have a chance to have a winning record this year, after going 3-7 last year. “Last year was difficult for us because we had injuries to two of our better guys, which is a 6 to 10 point swing. We also had some guys out for different periods because of Covid protocols, which meant we did not seem to start the same lineup for two duals all season.” Coach Holland has a hard time narrowing down the leaders of the squad saying that “several have put lots of hard work in, not only during the school season, but during the summers as well.” He has two pairs of brothers who are potential difference makers in Sophomore Payton and Senior Trinit Zwiefel, and Sophomore Zach and Junior Leslie Fortner. Payton, Trinit and Zach (as well as Sophomore Female Wrestler, Shae Salinas) all qualified to wrestle at one of the nations top wrestling invitationals, Fargo this past summer. Trinit, in addition to being a 2020 State Qualifier, was the Oklahoma State Champion in Greco Roman style wrestling. State qualifiers Carlos Alvarado (a 16u All American) and Daigen Gibbons also return.
While open tournaments begin in the middle of November, Coach Holland is especially excited to again host the Mid America Nationals here in Enid at the Stride Center on December 10-11. Mid America Nationals will have more than 30 top teams from Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. Because of its pool format for the first day, it has become a great place to get a lot of mat time for the wrestlers, in a sport where experience is key.
Finally, Coach Holland talked a little bit about the emergence of girl’s wrestling. “We are currently looking for a girl’s wrestling coach, and we have an excellent Sophomore here in the room (Salinas). Several girls have mentioned it, and there are 5 girls in our youth program, so we are just waiting for them to come on out, we’ve got room.” Nationwide, too, girl’s wrestling is on the rise and several new collegiate wrestling programs are adding women’s teams, including traditional power Iowa.
Whether it is at a home dual, or the Mid America Nationals, Coach Holland would love to see the public check out the Enid High Wrestlers this year!
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