The Pilot Point Bearcats wrestling team hosted an exhibition tournament with Frisco and Gainesville High Schools at Selz Middle School on Tuesday evening.
For the first time in years, the Bearcats’ varsity and junior varsity grapplers faced off in exhibition matches against the Raccoons and Leopards in front of their home crowd.
“Overall, our kids did a really good job, especially our varsity guys who've been around before,” Pilot Point head wrestling coach Reed Eichenberger said. “They did a great job working on tech-
Martin Edwards/The Post-Signal niques and the tools that they've brought with them from previous seasons, and our younger guys did an awesome job of competing. … One thing I'm tremendously proud of across the board is their effort and how hard they work.”
Eichenberger said he was proud of how the team has responded in his second season as head coach.
“We just about doubled our numbers from last year,” he said. “There's been a lot of interest coming from different parts of the athletic program and a lot of kids that probably saw their friends wrestle last year and wanted to give it a try, and we're really excited about the growth of the program, but the biggest thing is that the kids that are coming out and competing and representing Pilot Point the right way.”
The Bearcats opened the exhibition contest against the Frisco Raccoons, competing in oneon- one, timed matches based on weight class, with the two programs trading wins throughout the opening matchup.
Frisco then faced Gainesville, before Pilot Point and Gainesville closed out the exhibition with another round of closely contested matches.
The night was made even more special with the Bearcats’ two seniors, Jackson Burgess and Augustus Westbrook, being honored in front of their family, friends and peers for senior night.
“We’re always so far away that we never get to wrestle in front of people I know, so it’s especially great to have my girlfriend, her father and my parents here,” Burgess said. “I never get to wrestle in front of them, so it was definitely a treat, and it was an even better treat that I won.”
Westbrook echoed his teammate’s sentiments on the moment.
“It was really encouraging to be doing well and hear your friends, family and all of the people you’ve grown up with and known forever cheering for you,” he said.
Eichenberger emphasized how special it was for the Bearcats’ wrestling program to be able to host an event in front of their home crowd after being unable to do so last season.
“It means a lot for our kids to get to go and compete in front of their parents and their friends, even more so for those two seniors,” he said. “Those guys have put in years of hard work, and they had an opportunity to be recognized on senior night. It was also an opportunity for people that haven't seen a lot of wrestling to come out, see kids do it and see what it's all about. … We're going to compete, but when you get a chance to do that at home in front of your own community, it's awesome because there's no other place like [Pilot Point] in supporting athletics.”
The Bearcats are scheduled to return to the wrestling mat Jan. 9 at Celina High School.
Bearcat senior grappler Augustus Westbrook takes down his opponent from Frisco High School during Pilot Point’s wrestling exhibition at Selz Middle School on Tuesday night. Martin Edwards/The Post-Signal
