Colby Preston of Spanish Springs keeps a hold on Fallon's Conley Hyde during a match in the Earl Wilkens Invitational Wrestling Tournament.
After many years of successfully running the Night of Fights, the Takedown Club is bringing something familiar back to the valley.
“Rob Goings brought it up as a little extra money to raise for the wrestling team,” Fallon wrestling coach Trevor de Braga said. “A few years ago, the rodeo team did a 5-tathalon with different events and it was a huge hit. But then they stopped, and Rob thought it would be awesome to get something together and sort of bring it back because it was so popular.”
The 5-tathalon will make its debut as another fundraiser for the Greenwave wrestling team when groups of four compete against each other on Aug. 12 in five events, including trap shooting, pool, horseshoes, darts and roping. The event begins at Stillwater Firearms and ends at Sandwinds, which will also host the Calcutta auction on Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. Cost is $100 per person.
“There’s money to be made,” said Takedown Club board member Missy McCormick, whose two sons wrestle for de Braga. “We’re going to make it an exciting and fun day.”
Fifty percent of the pot goes to the winner and the top four teams get a percentage back. The individual who scores the highest in each event will also get some money back.
“We’re excited that it’s the first event and hope it’s something we can do annually like Night of Fights,” McCormick said.
The Takedown Club, which includes board members Jayneen Malkovich, Stacey Prinz, John Strittenberg, Dan Shaw, Tom and Missy McCormick, Russ Allen, Jared Dooley and de Braga, helps raise money for the wrestling program. Money raised goes toward travel fees, equipment and uniforms.
“As the head coach, I really like to leave the state and get that different competition so the more funds the better for the team,” de Braga said. “We’ve had great feedback and it sounds like we are going to have a good turnout for the 5-tathalon.”