Steamboat Pilot & Today

The Soroco Rams wrestling squad should have some strong wrestlers that will show that the maroon and white will be a team to reckon with this year.

Doug Gates, who has been an icon for wrestling in south Routt with the younger squads, has taken the job as the Rams varsity head coach.

Gates works with the pee-wee program, is the head coach for the middle school program and was the assistant coach for the varsity for the last five years.

Each of those five years there has been a different head coach. Gates hopes that the buck will stop with him, when it comes to the turnover rate for the head coaching job.

"I plan to do this for a while. That's what this program needs," he said.

Gates has been fortunate enough to work with some of his current varsity athletes on the pee-wee and middle school teams and knows that a few of his guys should do pretty well this year. The team can fill seven out of 14 weights, so they'll be focusing on individuals wrestling strong.

"We have a good chance to have quite a few kids go to state if they wrestle up to their potential," Gates said.

He is seeing good things from Josh Iacovetto at 103 pounds, Brandon Ager at 119 pounds, Cody Denning at 130 pounds, Brandon Gilleland at 152 pounds and C.J. Horn at 215.

Iacovetto, Ager and Gilleland all took the trip to Denver last year for the state tournament.

Hyatt Gates also took the trip to state last year, but he is out with a shoulder injury. Coach Gates said he hopes to have Hyatt back in action by mid season.

Hayden is likely to be Soroco's biggest opponent this year.

"They're real strong. I think they'll be the toughest team in the league this year," Gates said.

Hayden is led by 135 pounders Anton Fredrickson, who was state champion at 130 pounds last year. Five other Hayden wrestlers made it to state last year.

"Walden also has some awful good wrestlers this year. I look for them to be tough," Gates said.