Special to the LPJ
HAUGHTON, LA. –The Ruston High School Wrestling teams continued their historic inaugural season this weekend at the Haughton Tournament, showing strong improvement across the board and earning multiple podium finishes.
“Every week we’re taking steps forward,” Ruston High Head Coach Jeremy Hebert said. “Our kids are learning how to compete, how to stay composed, and how to wrestle through tough positions. For a second-year program, the growth is exactly what we want to see. Our boys finishing 12th out of 19 teams in just our second tournament speaks volumes. They’re believing in themselves, and they’re starting to understand that their effort and discipline can put them in the mix every weekend. We saw a lot of positives today, but we also saw exactly what we need to sharpen before the next tournament.”
Girls Team Results
Despite being short-handed, the Lady Bearcats battled hard and brought home three placements:
• Emma Medders – 6th place, 2 pins
• Laini Holloway – 6th place, 1 decision win
• Robin Harris – 6th place
Boys Team Results
The boys squad had one of its best collective outings to date, finishing 12th out of 19 teams in just their second tournament ever. Several athletes earned key wins and advanced deep into their brackets:
• Robert Stevens – 5th place, 3 pins (Top scorer for RHS)
• Luke Pendergrass – 5th place, 2 pins
• Levi Stephenson – 6th place, 2 pins
• Jailyn Williams – 6th place, 2 pins
• Isaiah Clinton – 9th place, 1 pin
• Eli Anderson – 1 pin
• Cort Jarvis – 1 pin
• Patrick Byrd – 1 pin
• Ean Lodrigue – 1 decision, 10th place
Notably, Luke Pendergrass, Robert Stevens, and Levi Stephenson all wrestled in placement matches for 3rd place, demonstrating the progress the team is making week to week.
With a roster still developing and several athletes out this weekend, the Bearcats showed grit, growth, and a strong competitive spirit. Coaches noted significant improvement across the boys’ lineup and continued toughness from the girls’ squad.
Ruston High Wrestling looks forward to building on this momentum in the coming weeks and will be at Riot on the Red, at Parkway High School on Saturday, Dec 6.
“This is the foundation year for Ruston wrestling,” Hebert said. “These tournaments are showing our kids that they belong on these mats. The future is bright for Bearcat wrestling.”
