On Jan. 8, the varsity boys’ wrestling team faced Fenton in a high-adrenaline match and stuck out the meet with a 43-28 win. The Wildcats fought hard throughout their entire match due to many having to come back near the end to get their pin. Every match was a battle of endurance, and well-earned victories came for the Wildcats.
Fenton came out strong to begin every match; however, the Wildcats were ready and on their toes. Junior Brian Correa fought a long match with many momentum shifts.
Correa held many near pins that had the crowd on the edge of their seats until eventually his opponent escaped.
He also had a scratch bleeding near his eye mid-match, causing for blood-time.
His opponent held onto him by the leg for nearly a quarter of the match until Correa could wiggle free.
In the end, he won by a tech.
Junior Alvaro Martinez and junior Alan Garcia were pulled up from JV to compete with varsity, and they held their own at the higher level.
Martinez was held under his opponent for most of his match, until the very end, when he was able to escape and hold a pin.
“[During the match] I think about what to do next, like when I was on bottom, I was just thinking how to escape back up,” Martinez said.
As Martinez made his way out of his hold, he pinned his opponent quickly. With the crowd in shock, the gym erupted in excitement at his accomplishment.
“I’m hyped, I’m glad I won and celebrating with my fans, because they cheer me up,” Martinez said.
A few varsity players felt that the JV players who were pulled up today stood out to them the most out of the whole match.
“They’re both JV guys, and they stepped up for us, and they showed out. They did their job,” junior Brian Correa said.
These players show that the WEGO wrestling program has more to come in the future. Their greatness will not end after the current seniors leave. The program is continuing to build itself from the ground up every year.
“Alan stood out to me because he came up from JV just to wrestle in this varsity spot, and even though he lost, I think he wrestled amazingly, almost getting the pin in the beginning,” senior Leo Rosas said.
While many individuals may believe that wrestling is only physically challenging, the Wildcats echo thoughts about the importance of mental strength that is built during the wrestling season. Mental toughness that is developed during the wrestling season is not only essential for the sport – it also becomes a strength athletes can rely on throughout their lives.
