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Jan. 31—JAMESTOWN — Ryker Stoddart didn't hesitate to verbalize how he was feeling before his first-ever wrestling practice.
"Anxious," said Stoddart, a sophomore for the Jamestown High School wrestling team. "I was quite nervous the first day I stepped into the wrestling room. It was something different, something new that I didn't understand."
After practice wrapped, Stoddart's mind moved from anxious to hopeful.
"I realized that wrestling is something that I could start fresh (with) and learn with time, effort and discipline," he said.
That's what the Blue Jay sophomore has been doing the last two years.
"Ryker is still very new to wrestling," JHS head coach Patrick Schlosser said. "This is his second year in the sport. Ryker has shown a lot of improvement in his second year of wrestling. He's an incredibly hard worker in the room, consistently pushing to get better."
Stoddart began his wrestling career in the summer of 2024.
"I got into wrestling because my older sister wrestles and she had recommended it for me," Stoddart said.
Stoddart's sister, Mackenzie, has been with the Jays' girls wrestling program since its inception in 2021. In her five seasons with the Jays, Mackenzie has posted more than 100 career wins. The now senior will be looking to qualify for the state tournament for the fourth time next month.
Her brother could be wrestling alongside her at the Fargodome.
"I have not wrestled at State before, though the amount of times that I've watched my sister there makes me want to go there and reach higher to achieve something greater than my everyday life," Stoddart said. "I'm capable this year of pushing myself into deeper water each and every practice and during matches. My goals for the season are to become a better wrestler than last year, give my effort when I have none, and be relentless during matches no matter the situation presented."
Stoddart started off his season with a first-place finish at Jamestown's annual Knights of Columbus Tournament on Dec. 6. The sophomore is wrestling at 152 pounds for the second-straight year.
"152 is a difficult weight class because they're strong and fast, but at the same time, that's what makes it fun," Stoddart said. "I'm in two other sports than wrestling and really don't have an offseason other than summer, but offseason training usually consists of weightlifting and cardio. In season, I lift weights in the morning at zero-hour, then after school I go to the wrestling room and practice. Sometimes I go to Taz (Wrestling) when I'm not as busy to get in more work."
In his career, Stoddart has gone 14-15 overall — a record Schlosser coined as "incredible" for only being a second-year wrestler. His first career win was against Hayden Forde of Mandan.
"The first match I won was rewarding because it showed me that I have resilience in moments of hardship," Stoddart said.
This season, Stoddart is 3-1 in terms of WDA matches. His most recent win came against Mark Bauman of Bismarck High on Jan. 29. Stoddart pinned Bauman at the 3:08 mark.
"His dedication and positive attitude have made a noticeable difference in his technique and confidence on the mat," Schlosser said. "I am excited to see continued growth this season."
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"Anxious," said Stoddart, a sophomore for the Jamestown High School wrestling team. "I was quite nervous the first day I stepped into the wrestling room. It was something different, something new that I didn't understand."
After practice wrapped, Stoddart's mind moved from anxious to hopeful.
"I realized that wrestling is something that I could start fresh (with) and learn with time, effort and discipline," he said.
That's what the Blue Jay sophomore has been doing the last two years.
"Ryker is still very new to wrestling," JHS head coach Patrick Schlosser said. "This is his second year in the sport. Ryker has shown a lot of improvement in his second year of wrestling. He's an incredibly hard worker in the room, consistently pushing to get better."
Stoddart began his wrestling career in the summer of 2024.
"I got into wrestling because my older sister wrestles and she had recommended it for me," Stoddart said.
Stoddart's sister, Mackenzie, has been with the Jays' girls wrestling program since its inception in 2021. In her five seasons with the Jays, Mackenzie has posted more than 100 career wins. The now senior will be looking to qualify for the state tournament for the fourth time next month.
Her brother could be wrestling alongside her at the Fargodome.
"I have not wrestled at State before, though the amount of times that I've watched my sister there makes me want to go there and reach higher to achieve something greater than my everyday life," Stoddart said. "I'm capable this year of pushing myself into deeper water each and every practice and during matches. My goals for the season are to become a better wrestler than last year, give my effort when I have none, and be relentless during matches no matter the situation presented."
Stoddart started off his season with a first-place finish at Jamestown's annual Knights of Columbus Tournament on Dec. 6. The sophomore is wrestling at 152 pounds for the second-straight year.
"152 is a difficult weight class because they're strong and fast, but at the same time, that's what makes it fun," Stoddart said. "I'm in two other sports than wrestling and really don't have an offseason other than summer, but offseason training usually consists of weightlifting and cardio. In season, I lift weights in the morning at zero-hour, then after school I go to the wrestling room and practice. Sometimes I go to Taz (Wrestling) when I'm not as busy to get in more work."
In his career, Stoddart has gone 14-15 overall — a record Schlosser coined as "incredible" for only being a second-year wrestler. His first career win was against Hayden Forde of Mandan.
"The first match I won was rewarding because it showed me that I have resilience in moments of hardship," Stoddart said.
This season, Stoddart is 3-1 in terms of WDA matches. His most recent win came against Mark Bauman of Bismarck High on Jan. 29. Stoddart pinned Bauman at the 3:08 mark.
"His dedication and positive attitude have made a noticeable difference in his technique and confidence on the mat," Schlosser said. "I am excited to see continued growth this season."
Continue reading...
