Matthew Loeppky

St. Timothy High School Grade 11 students Matthew and Austin Loeppky each wrestled their way to a gold medal at the Calgary High School city wrestling championships at Lester B. Pearson High School.

“It was awesome. It’s quite an accomplishment,” said St. Tims wrestling coach Andy Macri, who also teaches phys-ed and is the school’s athletic director.

Macri explained the twins competed in about five high school tournaments to qualify for the city championships.

The brothers also wrestle for the Junior Dinos squad with the University of Calgary.

Austin earned gold in the 63-kilogram event while Matthew won in the 65-kilogram event.

“Matt’s been consistent all year. . . . Both of them just wrestled and put everything together, no mistakes,” Macri said.

“You have to fight with a controlled aggression, they’re starting to get that now. It’s good to see, both of them just did an awesome job.”

Macri explained the wrestlers would have been eliminated with two losses, and there isn’t an age category for the championship, so younger wrestlers could have faced older, more experienced wrestlers at any point in the tourney.

“The thing about wrestling, sometimes you’ve got to hang in there,” Macri said.

“(Austin and Matthew) didn’t win cities last year. They had some good matches, they hung in there. . . . It’s paid off, which is great to see.”

Wrestling coach Andy Macri stands with St. Timothy High School wrestlers Matthew, left, and Austin Loeppky. The Grade 11 students each won gold at the Calgary High School city wrestling championships March 3. Photo submitted

The Loeppkys’ parents, Brad and Susan, are also proud of the boys’ accomplishments.

“They did a great job,” Susan said in an e-mail.

“We expect them to do well at provincials and nationals, although it is going to be tough because they are in the younger end of their level.”

Macri explained the twins are the first high school aged wrestlers for St. Tims, but with the junior high wrestling program up and running he expects about half a dozen senior wrestlers next year.

With the city championship win, the twins are headed for the 2011 Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association High School Provincial Wrestling Championships March 11-12 in Stony Plain, Alta.

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