Panthers pinned to second place
Submitted by Christine Darling
A Panther wrestler grapples with an opponent. Starr’s Mill hosted the Area Duals earlier this month and placed 2nd overall.
January 27, 2017
Starr’s Mill wrestling has battled on the mat and worked hard in the weight room to prepare properly for the new season and help new head coach Andrew Garner, a seventh grade teacher at Rising Starr Middle School.
“It’s always tough to adjust to new leadership, but with the help of the captains and other guys who have stepped up, we were able to have a pretty good season so far,” junior Ian Darling said. “With a few more meets remaining before the end of the season, we definitely want to improve on our results and finish off the season strong.”
Led by seniors David Bransky, Vance Windon, and Collin Hanley, Starr’s Mill earned a runner-up finish in the Area Duals. Although postponed until Jan. 9 due to the threat of wintry weather, the host Panthers outlasted McIntosh but fell to Whitewater.
The postponement gave the Panthers little time to rest and recover before State Duals on Jan. 14. This tournament saw the Panthers come out with a 1-2 record, most notably with another loss to region rival Whitewater.
The Mill boasts a promising young roster. Juniors Ian Darling, Harrison Jaggers, and Benjamin Runyan, and sophomores Gunnar Pierson and Collin Kasler, all look to lead the Panthers in the area traditional match on Jan. 28 with a chance to earn a spot at the state traditional meet scheduled for Feb. 9.
![The fall 2016 sports season was a successful one for volleyball, softball, and football players at the Mill. A number of Panther athletes received a region award or was selected for the All-County First or Second team depending on which sport they play. Junior and varsity softball player Emily Nieuwstraten. said that “being named an All-County and region team was very important to me because it meant that all of [her] hard work had paid off.” The game has taught her “about teamwork and how you cant just play the game by yourself. You have to depend on the team as a unit,” Nieuwstraten said.](https://www.theprowlernews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/CCM-region-story-feature-475x356.jpg)
![The fall 2016 sports season was a successful one for volleyball, softball, and football players at the Mill. A number of Panther athletes received a region award or was selected for the All-County First or Second team depending on which sport they play. Junior and varsity softball player Emily Nieuwstraten. said that “being named an All-County and region team was very important to me because it meant that all of [her] hard work had paid off.” The game has taught her “about teamwork and how you cant just play the game by yourself. You have to depend on the team as a unit,” Nieuwstraten said.](https://www.theprowlernews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/CCM-region-story-feature-300x225.jpg)
