Wrestlers finish ninth at regional meet

Adrenaline pulsing through their veins, head gear strapped on, singlet just a little too tight. They shake their opponent’s hand, wishing them luck. Then the whistle blows; it’s time to win. The wrestling team is ready for action.

The team spends eighth period practicing as well as after school to get better and increase stamina for upcoming duals and tournaments.

“Wrestling is very demanding,” Aaron Gassett said, a junior on the varsity team. “It takes up a lot of my time.”

Wrestlers not only have to be physically fit and mentally prepared, but they have to watch their weight. The week of each match, wrestlers try to “cut weight” so they can meet the weight requirements for their weight class that they will wrestle in.

“Maintaining a good stamina gets to be a little challenging, especially around half way through the season when your body starts to get a little worn out,” Shane Brown said, a junior on the varsity team.

There are different weight classes in the sport of wrestling. If a wrestler weighs 125 pounds, he wrestles opponents that are 125 pounds, putting him in the 125 pound weight class. Most wrestlers focus on eating healthy, drinking water and exercising enough before each dual or tournament. Whatever they weigh in at when it comes time, is what determines if they will wrestle or not.

“It’s really important to maintain your weight,” Gassett said. “You’re under a lot of pressure because your team is counting on you and you won’t wrestle if you don’t make weight.”

With some division changes in Texas high schools, the school has now moved up to a 5A district. They will have to wrestle newer, more experienced, and bigger schools.

“The competition this year is definitely harder, “ Paul Savage said, a junior on the varsity team. “but the team is doing well.”

In these upcoming events, the team is not only focusing on skills as wrestlers individually, but also on their team work. Before each match, there is always a member of the team standing by to watch or help his teammate who is about to wrestle.

“We focus a lot on team chemistry because most of the team work is based around support. It’s a one-on-one kind of sport,” David Beddow said, a junior on the varsity team. “It’s constant joking in the locker room, but whenever it’s time to be serious, we always have each other’s backs.”

The wrestling team took place at the Regional tournament Feb. 13-14. They had three state qualifiers: Zech Peltier, Aaron Gassett, and Shane Brown, one alternate: Aram Amin, and one additional placer: Dylan Hoffard. The state qualifiers are now preparing for the State tournament this weekend Feb. 20-21.

“Getting your hand raised for winning after a match is the best part,” Brown said. “That’s what makes all of the work worth it.”