Courtesy photo Gladstone’s Peter Noblet is declared the winner in a match at Escanaba in 2019.

GLADSTONE — While the high school wrestling season — and all high school sports — is still in limbo, Gladstone wrestlers Brett Boudreau and Peter Noblet still had the opportunity to hit the mat last weekend at the National United Wrestling Association for Youth sanctioned Christmas Sparty Weekend in Wisconsin Dells with a team operating out of Grand Rapids.

“It was definitely really fun taking this opportunity because we really don’t know if we’re going to be able to wrestle at all,” Boudreau said.

Boudreau, who has been wrestling since first grade, discovered the event online.

“Basically, there was this tournament I saw online, and I saw there was going to be another one like two weeks later,” he said. “My dad got in touch with one of the coaches and asked if they needed a heavyweight, and they said yes.”

It was the second time in six months that Boudreau participated in a NUWAY competition — the other time being in June.

From a wrestling standpoint, the event was like any other year, said Boudreau. Beyond the mat was a different story.

“It was like normal, basically,” he said. “It was a pretty big tournament, but there was always security going around making sure everyone had their mask up when they’re not wrestling. They’re (NUWAY) pretty strict about that.”

Aside from required masks or face shields for everyone “not in the moment of competition”, NUWAY also implemented social distanced seating, temperature checks, contact tracing measures and other measures including regular sanitizing of event surface areas.

After joining the Grand Rapids team, Boudreau was informed they needed a 220 lb. wrestler. He then asked Peter Noblet — recently named a member of the 2020 11-player All-U.P. First Team Offense at guard — if he would like to join the team.

Like Boudreau, the opportunity to compete was something Noblet relished.

“It felt really nice to get some matches in, at least something,” Noblet said. “We haven’t really been able to do anything. Our season was supposed to start in mid-December, but it keeps getting pushed further and further back.

“It was very interesting,” he continued. “There was a lot of wrestlers, a lot of really good wrestlers — tons of competition. It was a pretty big event.”

It is only the second year that Noblet has participated in the sport. Last year, he made it to regionals. This year, if there is a season, his goal is to try and get further.

The pair competed in team duels at the event. Boudreau finished with a record of 5-1, Noblet was 2-4. The team ended the competition ranked 36 of 39.

Regardless of the results, Boudreau commented the biggest thing was just being able to wrestle.