Dragons hit the mat running under new coach
Keenan Hoskins takes the top position to control his opponent during Saturday’s Dan Dugger Preseason Tournament at Karns High School. (photo:Tony Cox )
The Dragons were one of several teams that made the trip to Karns High School, where Clinton sent 12 wrestlers into live action for the first time under new head coach Carl Nielsen. Nielsen replaces former coach Channing McDonald, who stepped down after the 2024-25 campaign.
While the preseason tournament offered a low-stakes environment, the Dragons delivered a spirited debut—especially with several athletes experiencing competitive wrestling for the first time.
“I thought we exceeded my expectations,” Nielsen said. “You can learn about moves in the wrestling room and then when the whistle blows for a real match, you forget everything. I don’t focus on wins and losses. I concentrate more on performance. I had four wrestlers that were wrestling for the first time ever and it’s like I told the parents, you need to be proud of those guys.”
Nielsen wrestled throughout his own high school career and said the memories of his debut still sit with him years later.
“When I look back at my wrestling career, all the wins and losses, I still remember my first match,” he said. “That was a milestone. They may not know exactly what that means right now, but they’ll look back on it one day and they will realize what it all meant. I think that this was an eye opener for these kids. We had three first-year freshmen and a first-year sophomore.”
Clinton’s roster Saturday included: Hayden Durliat (113 pounds); Connor Lemmon (126); Boston Ollis (132); Keenan Hoskins (138); Aaron Solberg (144); Marshon Matthews (150); Jacob Brown (165); Adam Gonzalez (175); Nathan Black (190); Jonah Hoskins (215); and heavyweight competitors Liston Hawkins and Bryson Breeden at 285.
Nielsen said the Dragons made noticeable strides as the tournament progressed, shaking off some early nerves and digging into the rhythm of live competition.
“We did some good things,” he said. “We had some veteran guys who did well, and we had some of our young guys who got better as things went on.
“We’re all still learning, including me. If we can continue to grow the way we grew in this meet, we’ll do well and keep getting better. I’m still learning what it takes to run a high school program. There’s a lot that you have to do.”