Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sydeny Thornton with father at Colfax Wrestling Tournament March 11, 2023.
COLFAX- A Local Colfax Bulldog, Sydney Thornton (10), got her first pin of the day at the Colfax Tournament on Saturday, March 11.
"When she gets on the mat she feels at home; this is what she loves to do. It's not about winning or losing to Sydney, it's about learning to be a champion and a new member in the community," said Thornton's mother, Corey Thornton.
Sydney Thornton started out wrestling at 4 years-old in Sacramento, Calif. She wrestled for Saint Maries, Idaho. The Thornton family moved to Colfax last year in November.
"She fell in love with Colfax, her new school, new friends, and eventually the Colfax wrestling club. Sydney came home from her first day of school in Colfax and she told us I love it this is right where I need to be. Mom , Dad I have 25 new friends, everyone really likes me, they're all so nice," said Corey.
Sydney's passion is wrestling and that's always been her favorite sport, reports her parents.
Sydney lost her brother when he passed away in March of 2022.
"She realized life is not fair, life is very hard and the one way she deals with the loss is to wrestle," said Corey.
Sydney started out her first tournament with the Colfax wrestling club with a pin in Spangle. She went on to win her first match at Liberty High School.
"She came off the mat and told her daddy with watery eyes 'I did that for my brother. He is watching me today and guiding me through the match,'" said Corey.
Sydney went on to take third place in Liberty with two first round pins and a technical pin in the finals. She ended the tournament with 3-1 for the day.
Sydney's parents and peers at school are not the only ones taking an interest in her wrestling. The family reports that they uploaded her first Colfax Bulldog Pin to Youtube and the video gained traction overnight
Sydney spends her free time practicing for the sport.
"She goes to Colfax Wrestling Club and Pullman Wrestling Club. She puts in countless hours and sometimes doesn't come home until 9:30 at night. Then she wrestles on Saturdays," said Corey.
The family credits her healing from grief and loss to the sport.
Olivia Harnack is a Journalist at the Whitman County Gazette. Olivia is enrolled at University of Idaho and is majoring in digital film studies. She serves in the United States Army National Guard and is proud to serve Whitman County.
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