It's a new calendar year for NWT Wrestling and it got off on perhaps the best foot possible this past weekend in Grande Prairie, Alta.

Seven grapplers from Yellowknife made the trip south for the Northern Lights Tournament with four of them coming home with brand new gold medals: Ava Applejohn, Katlyn Stewart, Adam Naugler and Jace Menton.

Don Reid, head coach of NWT Wrestling, was also there and said the results were a total surprise to him.

SA国际影视传媒淚f you had told me before we went that we would win four gold medals, I would have called you a liar,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Applejohn fought in the junior high division and won gold in the 54-kg weight class, beating four other wrestlers to do it.

Reid said her gold medal match was one of the best of the tournament.

SA国际影视传媒淪he was in a real dog fight to get it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪he beat a real good opponent who went on to wrestle in the high school division and (her opponent) was winning several matches there. That tells you how tough Ava's gold medal was to win.SA国际影视传媒�

Naugler's gold medal came in the senior high division's 48-kg weight class, where he overcame two opponents to get gold in a straight round-robin bracket; whoever finished atop the standings when all was said and done was declared the winner.

SA国际影视传媒淓xecution was the thing for Adam,SA国际影视传媒� said Reid. SA国际影视传媒淗e was doing everything very well: cradles, duck-unders, single-leg (takedowns). He executed everything and it all went as planned.SA国际影视传媒�

For Stewart, this was her very first tournament and she kicked off her wrestling career in the best way possible by winning gold in the junior high division's 70-kg weight class. Even better was the fact that she won her final match, 10-0, meaning the mercy rule came into effect. Any match where there's a 10-point gap at any point means an automatic stoppage.

Reid said this was a perfect tournament for her to get her feet wet in competition.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's a smaller event and you avoid all the big clubs,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淜aitlyn is brand new to wrestling SA国际影视传媒� she's a dancer SA国际影视传媒� and she's been really good in practice.SA国际影视传媒�

For Menton, it was a case of simply being the better wrestler against his opponent.

Menton competed in the junior high category's 100-kg weight class with just one other wrestler and he was able to come out on top but Reid said they fought more than the minimum simply for experience.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey ended up having three matches total,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 wrestled with his dad years ago and he has the same build as his dad did so it was like watching a younger version.SA国际影视传媒�

Evan Round had himself a tough go of it and ended up missing out on the medal haul but Reid said it wasn't for a lack of trying.

SA国际影视传媒淗e fought well and was executing his moves almost perfectly,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭he problem was the other guys in his weight class were also executing their moves and did very well. Just a tough weekend for Evan.SA国际影视传媒�

Paul Reid and Cameron Courtoreille, who it could be argued are the top two youth male wrestlers in the NWT, also ended up on the outside looking in but for very different reasons. Courtoreille wrestled his first match and won but coach Reid made the decision to pull him out because of a knee injury.

SA国际影视传媒淐ameron hurt his knee in practice and so I erred on the side of caution, especially when you're talking about a knee,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淵ou don't want to have to rehab a knee, especially considering this is a Western Canada Summer Games year and it's a long season for us.SA国际影视传媒�

As for Reid, he looked good in his first match and was winning by 10 points, which should have meant a mercy. Problem was it didn't go that way and the referee allowed the match to continue.

Coach Reid explained why.

SA国际影视传媒淭he match is supposed to end once it gets to a 10-point spread but all action has to come to a stop,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 thought there was a pause in there and so did Paul but the referee didn't think so and he allowed the match to continue.SA国际影视传媒�

Reid ended up being pinned by his opponent and that ended up being his only match of the weekend.

SA国际影视传媒淧aul wasn't feeling well leading up to the meet and so again, I didn't want to take the risk and have anything serious happen,SA国际影视传媒� said coach Reid.

As mentioned, this season is a busy one with all roads leading to the Western Canada Summer Games in Swift Current, Sask., this coming August.

Reid said there are a couple of more trips planned with the meets getting tougher along the way.

SA国际影视传媒淭his trip was all about getting experience for our younger wrestlers,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淜aitlyn and Jace were competing for the first time and we're planning on going to bigger events so we can get everyone beyond the nerves and the thought of seeing bigger teams. On the mat, it's just you and one other person.SA国际影视传媒�