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closeEvans unveils top notch grappling performance
Local wrestler flexes his muscle at freestyle wrestling tournament
Shaun Scott
Bryce Evans’ dedication to his favorite sport is paying dividends in the form of championship tournament ribbons.
Evans, who will be a sophomore at Rogers High School this fall, earned eighth place out of 80 wrestlers in the 105-pound weight class at the Cadet Freestyle Wrestling National Tournament from July 19 through 26 in Fargo, N.D.
Close to 4,000 grapplers from 43 different states and Puerto Rico competed in the tournament.
Evans wasn’t shocked that he was able to place in such a prestigious tourney.
“Placing was my goal all along,” Evans said. “I wasn’t really surprised. It felt good doing so well. I got off to a good start.”
Evans won his first five matches before losing his final two matches against formidable foes resulting in an eighth place finish.
“I lost to the No. 8 ranked wrestler in the nation from Ohio and I lost to the guy who won the Greco freestyle tournament,” he said.
Evans admitted competing at the national level is a far cry from his days of dominating the junior high wrestling landscape at Ballou Junior High School.
“You have to be at the top of your game at every match. You can’t go into any match not mentally ready. Mental toughness is a big key. If you go out there believing you can win that helps out a ton. A lot of kids don’t have that in them.”
Evans hopes his past successes will follow him into his high school grappling days at Rogers High School. Evans is hoping to compete in the 103-pound weight division this year, but admitted he may have to move up to the 112-pound division if he continues to grow at a rapid pace.
“I’m excited. My goal is to win a state title,” he said. “I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and try to get as much better as I can.”
Evans is putting in the work necessary in order to give him the opportunity to realize his dream. The workout regimen Evans pushed himself through with others wrestlers competing in North Dakota last month is comparable to what college athletes partake in.
“Before I left for North Dakota I was working out for 2 and a half hours three times a day,” Evans said. “I would get up at 6 a.m. and go on a three-mile run. After having breakfast we would go through a two and a half hour practice session. We would do the same exact thing after lunch and dinner.”
For two weeks, Evans put in seven hours of workouts per day voluntarily in preparation for the Cadet Freestyle Wrestling National Tournament in North Dakota.
That kind of conditioning Evans put forth mirrors that of many former state champions throughout Washington.
Don’t bet against Evans gracing the medal stand at the Mat Classic this winter.