The Washington wrestling team poses for pictures with their state qualifying banner during the Class 2A Regional Duals at Washington High School in February. Photo by KCII’s Sally Hart.

Fresh off their best dual season in program history, the Washington Demon wrestling team will be spending the week doing off season training in Indiana. Demon wrestling coach Brent Van Weelden joined the PM Sports Page last week to discuss his team’s off season involvement, and previewed this week’s Iron Sharpens Iron camp in Richmond, Indiana.

Van Weelden says most of his athletes have been hitting the weight room three days a week, stating he’s seen them get stronger since the season ended in February. Several wrestlers are continuing to travel to Iowa City twice a week for the Eastern Iowa Wrestling Club. And Van Weelden said he had good team participation during the the Washington Matbackers annual summer camp on June 13-15.

Van Weelden says this is the fifth year Washington has participated in the Iron Sharpens Iron camp, attending the last four sessions in Iowa. The camp focuses on technique and live wrestling, attracting wrestlers from all over the country. In those four days, the wrestlers who participate will go through 10-15 matches. The clinicians for the camp includes South Dakota State wrestling coach Chris Bono, four collegiate wrestlers, and popular youth wrestling coach Mike Krause. The camp runs through Thursday at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana.

Among the Demon wrestlers set to attend the Iron Sharpens Iron camp are 2016 state qualifiers Trey Van Weelden, Austin Hazelett, Andrew Waite and Tristan Westphal-Edwards. Other varsity wrestlers going to the camp include David Hora, Garrett Ikerd, Walker Ikerd, Karlton Skubal, Tanner Murphy, and Collin Murphy.

The Demon wrestling team ended their recent season with a 32-2 dual record, competing for the first time at the Class 2A dual tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.  Washington finished as the sixth best team in the Class 2A bracket.