Fletcher Barkdull Ferris Year: Senior Sport: Wrestling Weight:135 Pounds

The dilemma is understandable: What weight should Fletcher Barkdull wrestle at.

The Ferris senior weighs at least 140 pounds when a weigh-in isn’t imminent, making 141 look good.

However, no one has beaten him at his preferred 135.

Yet, he finished third at the prestigious Tri-State Tournament last month and won the Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula last weekend at 130, making 129 (the Washington standard) possible.

That decision is down the road, but his coach, Tim Owen, said, “Odds are, it’s going to be 135.” Barkdull agreed: “I think that’s my ideal weight.” Especially after dealing with the weight cut to 130.

Whatever the weight, Barkdull will be successful.

“He’s a real good wrestler,” Owen said. “Technically he’s very sound. The other thing about him is he’s a real tough competitor. He never wrestles a match where he doesn’t think he can beat the opponent. And he’s very good at making adjustments.”

Those are credentials that often make a state champion, a real goal for a wrestler who was fifth at state last year as a 122-pounder and is 22-1 so far this year.

“It’s not going to be easy because there are tough kids everywhere,” Owen said. “No. 1, he believes that (he can be state champion). That’s a big part of battle right there.”

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