Rugby’s Leah Shepard faces her opponent from Northern Lights in Rugby’s Charlie Hanneman Gym Dec. 8. Sue Sitter/PCT

For the first time ever, the Rugby High Panthers girls wrestling team took the mat at home in Rugby High School’s Charlie Hanneman Gym Dec. 8.

The home meet was one of several firsts for the team, which formed just this year.

“These girls have never wrestled before,” their coach, Chris Brossart said. “They had never seen a wrestling mat when we started two or three weeks ago.”

Each wrestler on the team has been more than eager to learn, however, according to Brossart.

“We’re working on the basics, and they’re picking things up really, really fast,” he said.

The new team has held its own so far.

“They’re wrestling girls who have two or three years of experience wrestling,” he said. “They’re neck and neck with them.”

When the Panthers took on the girls from Northern Lights in their dual match in Rugby, Leah and Sabrina Shepard each won matches.

Before competing at home, the girls had finished seventh among 13 teams at the Velva Invitational Dec. 3.

Avarie Jacobson took first place in the 110-pound division in that event. Bria Brossart took fifth in the 125-pound division, while Jaslyn Mitzel took third in the 250-pound weight class.

The Panthers wrestlers traveled to the Al Larson Invitational in Carrington Dec. 9. At that meet, the team placed 12th among 17 teams competing.

In Carrington, Jacobson placed fourth after a defeat by a 15-7 major decision to Fargo’s Taya Laidlaw.

In the 135-pound division, Rugby’s Christine Mahle placed fifth, falling to Dilcia Contreras of Dickinson, Khendra Garcia of Carrington and Carmyn LeTexier of Pembina County North.

In the 140-pound division, Rugby’s Leah Shepard placed fourth after defeats in matches against Kennedy Wendel of Carrington, Isabelle Julian of Fargo and Jeanie Keller of South Border.

In the 190-pound division, Mahle took third place, defeating Ava Carlblom and Veda Carlblom, both of Lisbon by falls, then falling to Beulah-Hazen’s Riley Cline in 2:56.

“What I preach to them is mental toughness – you always want to be there and you’re always in the game no matter who you’re wrestling – and number two, have a good attitude and the rest will come,” Brossart said.

He noted his experience includes coaching a peewee wrestling team before taking on the job with the Panther girls.

“I wrestled in high school, and I helped out with the little kids, so I’m fresh,” he said.

The Panthers will travel to Devils Lake today for the Dennis Flynn Shootout, held at Devils Lake High School.