On Dec. 13, the Wildcats faced off against Hononegah High School in a close tri-meet that eventually ended in a defeat for WEGO.

The Wildcats fell behind early in their matches and were down by 11 points until junior Emy Rangel and freshman Jace Serpa won, picking up momentum for their team.

Early in the meet, Jace Serpa impressively escaped a hold and regained his composure, later winning his match with a pin in the third period.

Serpa is one of two freshmen on the varsity roster and has consistently racked up wins for his team. With most of the team made up of upperclassmen, having young and talented athletes in the program is key for its future.

His goals for the season are clear:

“Be the first freshman in 14 years to qualify for the IHSA state championship,” Serpa said.

Junior Emy Rangel’s offensive stance restrained his opponent and gave him the advantage, enabling him to win his first match. Rangel later went on to win his second match as well with less than five seconds on the clock, after an intense battle.

As a sophomore last year, Rangel unfortunately lost in the blood round, the deciding match for a spot at state. Since then, Rangel has stayed committed to the sport and anticipates a strong season.

“This loss broke me, and I knew I needed to work harder, so I trained all summer and now we’re here. My goal is to make it to state,” Rangel said.

Once again, Serpa escaped a hold and turned the tables to his advantage.

“I feel as if I did what I’m supposed to do. I worked all my moves, racked up my points, and got both wins,” Serpa said. “I did my part for the team; we are just waiting for everybody’s moment to click.”

Amidst a tough opponent, junior Cesar Munoz grinned at the camera seconds before gaining a pin and winning his second match.

“The team fought hard, but we fell a bit short, and there’s definitely room for improvement. I feel like I did pretty well. I had a rough first match but bounced back in the next match and got the pin for the team,” Munoz said.

Senior Benjamin Plumlee was congratulated by his coach after winning in the second period. Plumlee’s win marked the final points for the Wildcats, bringing their total score to 28. After his win, several forfeits and a few losses by the Wildcats gave Hononegah a 14-point lead, ending the meet 44–28.

Although falling short, the team’s spirits remained high as they encouraged each other and debriefed after their matches. With the wrestling season only one month in, the Wildcats are hopeful and will continue to work hard.