There are no easy matches at national championship tournaments. Prince George wrestlers Jordan Marshall and Eric Halsall can confirm that as fact.
At the Canadian nationals, which drew to a close Sunday in Fredericton, N.B., Marshall battled to a 2-2 record and Halsall went 0-2.
In the 58-kilogram juvenile division, Marshall lost his opening bout to Ontario's Adam Macfadyen -- who went on to claim national silver in the weight class -- and then fought to victories against Eric Curran of Ontario and Erik Whitten of Newfoundland before a final-match loss to Kevin Franklin of Saskatchewan.
Macfadyen, the No. 1 seed in Ontario, represented Canada at last year's world championships.
"I was happy going 2-2 considering my club consists of me and Eric, and a lot of these kids have clubs consisting of 30-plus people," said the 17-year-old Marshall.
Marshall, a Grade 12 student at Kelly Road secondary school, wasn't helped by the fact he aggravated a right-shoulder injury during his first match. The shoulder bothered him for the rest of the tournament.
Halsall, who competed in the 63kg cadet class, dropped decisions to Ontario grapplers Ryan Little and Hasan Hawib. Halsall started the championships against Little.
"My first match, I wasn't really prepared properly, I guess, and my second match was just a tough one," said the 15-year-old Halsall, who was pinned by Hawib in the second round.
"I don't think I could have had any worse of a draw," added Halsall, who attends Grade 10 classes at D.P. Todd secondary school. "If I met those guys a little further on in the tournament, I might have had different outcomes."
Little left nationals with a silver medal and Hawib won bronze.
Marshall was attending his second national tournament and Halsall was a first-timer at the event. Both athletes, members of the Prince George Wrestling Club, will return home today.
