How was the west won? In the case of wrestling, the supremacy of the Simon Fraser University Clan won the west. The Dinos traveled to Vancouver, where the Clan hosted the Canada West Wrestling Championship. Though the Clan mopped up, the Dinos had some solid results.
The women fared best, in second just seven points behind SFU’s winning 39-point total. Dinos Brittanee Laverdure and Justine Bouchard won their respective weight classes of 55 and 63 kilograms. Leah Callahan and Megan Goldsmith managed second in the 67- and 82-kilogram categories respectively. Brandy Ens, Erin Yamashita, Jazzie Barker and Kelsey Andries each placed third in their respective weight divisions.
For her efforts, Callahan was named CW Outstanding Female Rookie of the Year.
The Clan dominated the men’s competition as well, with 40 points to the second-placed University of Saskatchewan Huskies’ 31. The Dinos were an additional two points back in a three-way tie for third, fourth or last–depending on how full you’d like your glass to be.
Both Joe Bentley and Beamer Comfort won gold for the Dinos–Bentley in the 68- and Comfort in the 90-kilogram group. Ryan Lannan rounded up second in the 57-kilogram caste. Slicing off a third-placed piece of pie were Shaughn Jones and Mark DeWit.
Dinos ladies and men who qualified will travel to Saint Catharines, Ontario where the Brock University Badgers host the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Wrestling Championship Mar. 3-4. The Clan ladies have won the last three championships while the Dinos won three straight between 1999 and 2001. On the men’s side, the Badgers will attempt to stretch their winning streak to eight titles and 10 of the last 12.