“POULSBO – Bobby Thompson, a ninth-grader on the Poulsbo Junior High wrestling team, knows what he needs to work on. Thompson, a third-year wrestler who will play a big part on the team this year, was asked what he needed to work on to become a better wrestler. Staying off my back, Thompson said, laughing. Actually Thompson, at the 175-lb. weight class, has been working to do just that. Along with the rest of the team, Thompson has been working on his conditioning for weeks, doing pushups, situps, and working on his moves. I just want to try my best and have fun, Thompson said. Ray Quintano, an eighth-grader who will wrestle at 125 pounds, has similar goals. I just want to work hard and hopefully win some meets, said Quintano, who is also working on being more aggressive on the mat. Winning more meets will be something the whole team will be working towards, as they went 0-8 last year. But the record is secondary to effort and individual progress, said coach Joe Power. No matter what the record is, he said, the goals are the same. The goals are the same as any year, said Power. To learn more about the sport, to get excited about our program, and to continue wrestling through junior high and high school. While Power and assistant coach Wade Barringer drive the athletes hard, the goal is to make them better wrestlers and people. The record isn’t what I’m looking for, Power said. Still, he added, he wants that record to improve, and eyes both matches with Kingston as good measuring points for the Panthers, who will first play the Cavaliers in mid-season, then face them in Poulsbo for the final meet of the year. The team also has depth this year in the middleweights, Power said. We’re solid in the middleweights, he said. There are a lot of kids who are going to work real hard and be rallying for a top spot. We’re two or three deep, which is nice. Also nice, Power said, was the team-building exercise at the end of January when the team stayed overnight in the gym, sleeping on the mats. Thompson said, It allowed us to learn some of the names. Some of the wrestlers Power will be looking to for contributions include third-year, 115-lb. wrestler Ryan Ross; Quintano and Thompson; Jared Bernard in the 125-lb. weight class; Jacob Snell at 164 and Nik Jennings at 175; Tony Lederer at 145 and a pair of wrestlers new to the program but familiar with club wreslter, Keenan Huschke and Nick Hutchman. Jeremy Potter will also help, manning the 120-lb. weight class. The Panthers’ season kicks off at home at 3:30 p.m. against Ridgetop. The meet will be at PJH. “