The wrestling team has only one loss and is in great position as it heads into the second half of the season. Coach Gibby said each wrestler is continuing to work hard with a goal of winning the region and making it states.

“Right now we’re working really hard on focusing, getting everybody to their optimal weight,” he said..

He said now that they’ve been able to see who their opponents will be, the coaches come up with individual plans for each wrestler. 

“We break things down by wrestler, who they might see, different opponents and stuff like that,” Coach Gibby said, “and work on specific techniques.”

The team’s biggest regional opponent will be Carolina Forest.

“I think Carolina forest would be the biggest competition right now,” he said. “We have circled on the calendar. That’s the one we’re working for. Can’t wait for that one.”

Top wrestlers include seniors Kaidan Hyde, Cole Gambacorta, and Edwin Barrios, who just earned his 100th career win. Returning sophomore Michael Kegler is another standout with over 40 wins last year.

Michael has been wrestling since 4th grade and says the sport has helped him become a disciplined person.

“Once you wrestle once, everything else is life is going to be easy,” he said. “Wrestling pretty much takes up all aspects of life.”

He already has lost 10 pounds this season and practices two hours a day in addition to hitting the weight room. Wrestlers lose weight so that they can compete in a certain weight class.

“When you lose weight, you have a competitive advantage,” he said.

Sophomore wrestler Gavin Maxwell also has kept to a strict diet and training program. Running after practices and eating mainly only peanut butter sandwiches helped him cut 15 pounds. Like Michael, he says the sport has taught him discipline.

“You can’t blame anyone else if you lose,” he said. You can’t blame your team if you lose.”