Although their contingent was less than one-third the size of some others, the Cochrane Cowboys still came away as the top bantam team at the Ogopogo Invitational Wrestling Tournament Jan. 9.

Seven of the nine Cowboys participants in the Kelowna, Bristish Columbia, event came away with medals and the other two were just shy of the podium with fourth-place finishes.

Coach and Cowboys founder Vern McNeice was quite happy with how his young grapplers performed.

“We had nine kids competing and ended up with 40 points and the next closest team had 32 kids and they were at 32 points,” McNeice said.

“It was pretty good, we were really happy with our performance.”

Cochrane Cowboys competitor Aidan Smith grapples with an opposing wrestler on his way to a silver medal at the Ogopogo Invitational Jan. 9. The Cowboys brought home seven medals and finished as the No. 1 bantam team at the meet. Photo submitted

In the elementary division, Cowboys’ Cullen Hagerty, Connor McNeice and Kyle Lappin took gold. In the bantam division, Aidan McKeage won gold, Aidan Smith and Callum McNeice brought home silvers and James O’Neil pulled out a bronze. Cole Perron and Harley Peters finished fourth in their respective divisions.

“We were in every match,” Vern McNeice said. “Every match was awesome and was close.”

More than 300 junior wrestlers from Alberta and B.C. took part in the annual wrestling meet.

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