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By Alex Kuhn
Sports Editor 

Warrior wrestler invited to wrestle 'Down Under'

 

April 4, 2017

DAILY NEWS/ Alex Kuhn

Warrior Domanic Hartley battles against a Douglas opponent during the Battle of the Big Horns on Dec. 17, 2016 at Worland High School.

WORLAND - It's been an age-old question, who is the toughest guy on the block? You get your people, they get theirs and you settle it.

For Worland High School freshman Domanic Hartley, he gets to answer that question but on an international level. The Warrior wrestler was invited to the International Sports Specialist Down Under wrestling tournament in Gold Coast, Australia, July 9-17 and will represent the Mountain Conference Wrestling team.

"I am pretty excited. I went and told my mom and she went crazy and said this is 'huge!'" said Hartley.

Hartley's mother, Misty Hartley, will be unable to go with Domanic but his aunt, Wendy Baird, will be his chaperone.

The 106-pound Hartley is coming off a successful wrestling season where he took second at the 3A East regional tournament and advanced as far as the semifinals before taking sixth at the 3A state tournament.

"Should have won regionals but I messed up and took second. Then at state my eye started throbbing and made it tough. I didn't expect to go anywhere this offseason but then I got the letter and was like oh, I'm going to Australia," said Hartley.

While Hartley did have a successful freshman year, he had to battle through some adversity. In a BB gun accident Hartley was hit in his left eye. He was able to fight through the pain, even getting surgery half way through the season, but by the end of the season he had to have his eye removed.

"I lost sight in it and had to wrestle the whole season with no sight. I had to get it taken out after state because it was throbbing too bad," said Hartley. "It has been a tough thing getting used to. My depth perception is off, people coming to the left side but it's using that I have to get used to and cope with. There will be times when I'll have my other eye get covered and it goes black for me, but I just go through it and have to keep wrestling."

Hartley will use the USA wrestling season and open mats to prepare and stay sharp for Australia. This will be the first trip out of the country for Hartley as well as first time on an airplane. Both of which are exciting to the freshman but more importantly the focus is to become a better wrestler.

"I've never been out of the country. We'll fly to LAX first which I'm excited to do because I've never been to that large of a city. I've never been on an airplane either so that will be fun. We get to go to the zoos and other things so I'm really excited about that too," said Hartley. "I'm excited to see the different wrestling styles, it will make me a better wrestler learning from those other wrestlers. Then hopefully come back and win state next year."

Getting to Australia Hartley will have to do some fundraising; it will cost $5,000 each for him and his aunt to make the trip. As a way of raising some of that money Harley will be holding a raffle on May 26. First prize will be a Mossberg Patriot Rifle, second a Ruger 10-22 Rimfire 22 Lr. Camo and third a half processed pig. A ticket cost $20 or $50 for three and can be bought from Domanic Hartley (307-431-8741), Misty Hartley (307-431-4286), Wendy Baird (307-388-9262) or Dixie Cochrane (307-388-0916). Online donations can be made as well at http://www.DownUnderSports.com/payment.

All in all Hartley is thrilled for the opportunity to better himself as a wrestler and to represent his hometown on the international stage.

"I'm excited, a little nervous but I'm going to go and do the best I can," said Hartley.

 
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