The Azle Wrestling program began as a USA Youth Team, with six members, in the Greg Lauderdale’s garage over twelve years ago. Four (4) of the original youth team’s members, Shelby Lauderdale, Shay Lauderdale, Bennett Hortman II and Michael Hortman, have become Varsity Wrestlers on the Azle High School Team. Many of the current Varsity line up have wrestled in the USA Youth Wrestling, both folkstyle a Freestyle/Greco. There are currently two USA Youth teams in Azle.
The Azle High School Wrestling Team is entering its seventh season. The team has enjoyed continued success and growth over the last four years. Coach Kim Thwaits is entering his forth season as the Head Coach of the High School Team. His presence has brought order, stability, discipline, and pride to the team. During his inaugural year, Azle High School produced its first State Champion, Chaz Skelly. During his tenure, the team has enjoyed more success with seven state placers and numerous state qualifiers. Graduating members of the Azle team Shelby Lauderdale, Chas Skelly, Cody Cantrell and Clayton Wise, have gone on to wrestle at the college level. Moreover, the team continues to improve. Coach Thwaits is an avid supporter of the USA Youth Teams as well as year round wrestling.
Coach Thwaits fostered the Junior Varsity program and is now seeing that program produce quality wrestlers. Several members of the varsity team had no wrestling experience prior to making the Junior Varsity squad.
The current Varsity line up got a boost at 103lbs with sophomore Shawn McCarthy. Shawn’s family moved to Azle from Illinois where he was a state placer in his freshman year. Sophomore Michael Hortman 112lbs comes off an excellent freshman season. Coming in at 119lbs is veteran sophomore wrestler Nick Killip, a former USA youth wrestler. Senior Daniel Busby comes in at 125LBs. Sophomore Dakota Frizzell, another veteran youth wrestler, rounds out the lower weights at 130lbs. A product of Coach Thwait’s JV program, Senior Eric Sands occupies 135lb slot. Long time veteran wrestler Senior Shay Lauderdale weighs in at 140lb. One of the two freshmen from the team to place at the State Tournament last year, Marty Dick is back in the line up at 145lbs. Senior Tommy Clark, another example of how much a wrestler can improve by year round wrestling, is wrestling in the 152lb position. Junior Eric Parsons, another product of the summer wrestling program has the 160lbs position. Senior Bennett Hortman II rounds out the middleweights at 171lbs. Sophomore Ricardo Castanon, comes in at 180lbs. The team has been without it’s heavy weights, which has put a great deal responsibility on the rest of the squad to get those extra points for the fall, but will soon enjoy there presence after the football season ends.
The team is coming off a first place finish at the Arlington Invitational, duel victories over Trimble Tech and Hebron, and most recently a first place finish at the Warrior Tournament of Champions.
