The wrestling team competed in the regionals tournament at Bryan High School in Bryan the weekend of Feb. 12-14.

The team had nine wrestlers who competed in the tournament. Coaches Tad Hazlewood and BJ Smith accompanied seniors Aaron Gassett, Dylan Hoffard, Zech Peltier, Frank Rodriguez, Juniors Zane Zercher, Gabe Casey, Aram Amin, Dayrion Jackson and freshman Geronimo Saucedo. Senior Paul Savage served as an alternate.

“It was a good tournament. I had great competition,” junior Zane Zercher said.

Nine out of the 10 made it into the second day of regionals; many of which won all of their matches on the first day.

“It felt awesome making it into the second day,” Zercher said. “I knew I had a really tough competition coming for me the next day but I felt like I was ready.”

Four wrestlers got to advance to the State tournament. Each wrestler had to make it into the top four places in their weight class to advance to State.

Hoffard won his first three matches, automatically advancing him to the State tournament. Hoffard finished in second place overall of his 182 lb. weight class.

“After I won my third match on the second day, I lost it,” Hoffard said. “I knew that meant I was going to State and I was so pumped.”

Gassett lost his first match, but caught up and won the rest of his matches, placing him in the State tournament and fourth place overall of his 126 lb. weight class.

Amin won his first three matches, automatically advancing him to the State Tournament. Amin finished in second place overall of his 120 lb. weight class.

Jackson won his first match but lost his second, making him have to work to win his next few matches after that. Jackson challenged another wrestler for fourth place and won the match. This automatically placed him in the State tournament. Jackson placed fourth overall of his 113 lb. weight class.

Peltier and Zercher fell at fifth place and served as alternates for State. Saucedo placed sixth and served as a second alternate.

“It was dissapointing missing State by barely a hair but I’m just grateful for the opportunity to have gone this far,” Zercher said.

The State wrestlers and the alternates traveled to Houston the weekend of Feb. 18-20 to compete in the State tournament.

All of the wrestlers placed in the top 12 of the State, with the exception of Jackson who placed in the top eight in the State.

“State was such a great experience. I was upset when I lost but I eventually looked on the more positive side,” Hoffard said. “I was just glad that I got to wrestle.”

The team placed in the top 45 out of 160 schools present at the tournament.