By Audrey Dodgen/Staff Writer

For many years, the El Reno wrestling squad has pursued a vigorous summer schedule, traveling to camps and tourneys across the country.

The added time in the weight room and on the mat contributed to El Reno’s long-standing success, said former head coach Archie Randall.

New head coach Bobby Miller has followed suit, and said he expects to see the rewards of the team’s hard work this winter.

“I’m incredibly proud of the guys who stuck it out all summer. We had five guys who were here, putting in the work all summer long, and they’re still here. We also had some of our schoolkids, Hanah Martin and Corey Dauphin, who went their entire season. It just ended earlier than the older kids,” he said.

“These kids basically only get August, September and October off, away from wrestling. They wrestle about eight months over a nine-month span.”

All five of the Cadet/Junior wrestlers Miller is working with qualified for the national tournament in Fargo, N.D. They will leave tomorrow for the week and a half-long event.

“We have a lot of kids who should be out here wrestling, and should be qualifying to go to Fargo with us,” Miller said.

“Unforunately, a lot of them made excuses for why they couldn’t wrestle in the summer. I’m not saying it’s too late for them, because there is still time to prepare for the winter, but these guys are going to have an advantage, because they put in the time now.

“You take a guy like Adam Delong, who isn’t the best freestyler El Reno has seen. He’s really more suited, by his style, for Greco. But he’s paying the price this summer to be able to have success in the winter.”

Miller said he looks forward to giving his team a short break, and reconvening when school begins in August.

“They need a little time away from it to recharge,” he said. “But I intend for us to have success. Next year, we should have a much larger group of El Reno kids going to nationals than we do this year.

“They can run, but they can’t hide forever. I’ll find them, and we’ll have the kind of numbers we should.”