The Fountain Hills High School wrestling team will host eight other teams in a home meet today, Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 3 p.m. The Falcons just competed at the 26th annual Coolidge Lions Club Invitational this past weekend, and two Falcons won their individual weight classes.

The Falcons only have one home meet per year, and eight seniors will be honored today. Several wrestlers have been with the program all four years, but others are newer to the team. Senior Franklin Fiola picked up the sport this year, and senior Cy Dethlefs wrestled for three years in Washington before coming to Fountain Hills.

“I don’t know how home meets are here yet, but they were hyped up at my old school,” Dethlefs said. “I hope it’s pretty fun here. Hopefully get some good [matches] in.”

Dethlefs helped the Falcons go 4-3 and beat Casa Grande, ALA Anthem South, San Manuel and Hayden High School this past weekend. The Falcons lost by criteria to Salpointe Catholic and they lost by one match to Coolidge.

Dethlefs managed to win his match against Coolidge in the 144 lbs. class, but standouts junior Ty Flynn and senior JP Cahill couldn’t say the same. The host school forfeited Cahill’s 120 lbs. match, and Flynn fell to a senior Coolidge wrestler in the 132 lbs. class on Friday, but both Cahill and Flynn would go on to win their individual weight classes on Saturday.

“We had success in the individual portion of the tournament on day two,” head coach Luke Salzman said. “JP won in overtime for the second straight tournament, beating Central High's Jonathon Fierro 7-5. Two matches later Flynn wrestled a phenomenal match beating Coolidge senior Wyatt Ostrander 4-2. Ostrander beat Flynn the day before. Fynn was very focused Saturday and took care of business.”

Two other Falcons placed in the top five of the individual tournaments. Junior Ty Langer went 8-1 over the weekend and took third place in the 175 lbs. class, and junior Lucas Philips placed fifth overall in the 165 lbs. class.

The Falcons have just under a month until sectionals on Friday, Feb. 10, and three more invitationals and one more dual meet after today’s home meet to prepare. Dethlefs placed third in districts but did not advance past regionals to make it to the state competition in Washington state last year. He has one less obstacle in his way since he only has to place in the top four at sectionals to advance to state in Arizona.

“I never went to state up there, but I’ve gotten a lot better since last year and a lot stronger,” Dethlefs said. “I think it’d be cool if I make a push for that this year. Just going to do what I can.”

According to Dethlefs, his old school and his old team were bigger than Fountain Hills, but he feels more support inside the smaller school. Dethlefs, Cahill and Fiola will be joined by Ty Jablonsky, Tyson Rynearson, Brandon Despain, Heath Edwards, and Wyatt Mowers for a senior night celebration during the Falcons’ one and only home wrestling meet.

The Falcons hit the road for the Demon Classic Invitational this weekend at Dysart High School. They will wrestle another two day tournament on Friday, Jan. 13, and Saturday, Jan. 14.