Area wrestlers take it outside
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RONAN – While most Mission Valley residents have seen a football game or two at the Ronan High School football field, Thursday night’s novel sight of a wrestling mat and wrestlers on the football field must have shocked and surprised a few.
Coach Hap Cheff said the main inspiration for the outdoor dual came from watching the USA Olympics wrestle outdoors under the lights.
“When I found out that the gym floors were being resurfaced and we would not have a venue to wrestle… I had seen that the USA Olympic wrestling team had wrestled under the lights of Times Square in an event called Beat the Streets,” Cheff said.
The several hundred spectators that filed into the stands at 8 p.m. were treated to some great dual wrestling action between a cultural-exchange team from Germany and a team of local wrestlers.
“It was definitely a once in a life time opportunity,” local wrestler Cameron Brown said.
While visiting the valley, the Germans were entertained by their hosts, with a camp out, a trip to the lake and a visit to the Bison Range. The team also experienced a wild day at the Cheff Guest Ranch on an impromptu water slide made of plastic sheets rolled down a hill.
The Germans will wrestle Montana teams in Missoula, Billings and Sidney before heading home Aug 5. Montana will send a team to Germany next summer with the Germans returning in 2019.
