Elijah Springer has capped off his 2017-18 wrestling season as a bronze medallist in the Canadian cadet wrestling championship.

Had he not cramped up he may even have finished higher.

Competing in the 71k weight class, Springer, 16, was dominating his class until his legs cramped up in the semifinals and closed the door on competing in the gold medal match, where Cochrane Cowboys head coach Vern McNeice believed he was destined to compete.

"He was up 7-0 and in a matter of a minute and a half everything goes away and he loses. To his credit, he was able to regroup and come back to win two more matches and take the bronze."

"That was disappointing for the performance he had that day because it was his best performance and he was capable of a gold medal."

"The positive thing is I believe he's one of the top cadet athletes in the country and could go far with a little more seasoned development and training. I'm really excited for him, not just him but all the kids. They're all just knocking at the door."

Six other Cowboys participating in the Canadian Championship, hosted by Edmonton, and finished out of the medals.

Naomi Cook won one and lost two matches and Autumn Shopa was injured during her first match and had to pull out of the competition.

Hunter Smith, Connor Pointen, Isaiah Springer, and Tyler Wenninger had tough opening draws.

"The boys had a bit of a tough go," says McNeice. "We had some really tough draws, tough competitors, as a group right off the bat. It was just luck of the draw. We lost some close matches that I'm sure some of the boys would like to have back.

"The difference between 1st or 3rd and 1st or fifth or sixth or even seventh or eighth comes down to the small details. If you're not on your game that day it makes a difference in your placing."

In Grecco wrestling, Wenninger got a little bit of redemption and made it to the bronze medal match. He was winning in points before being pinned.

McNeice admires the determination of the 16-year-old who competes for his high school team in Calgary in addition to travelling to Cochrane three days a week to be a Cowboy.

"To regroup after disappointment in the freestyle shows a lot of character."

With regular season competitions behind them, local wrestlers will now be participating in high-calibre camps to hone their skills. The Springer brothers, Connor Pointen, Connor McNeice and possibly Tyler Wenninger will be participating in a national level camp in South Dakota in June that will include the top wrestlers from Canada and the top six finishers in the States.

Other camps will follow in preparation for the 2018-19 season.