HOLLAND, MI
​
Results of our 2019 strength and conditioning combine are listed below. Testing involved grip strength, bench press, squat, 40 time, and pull ups. Overall, an improvement from last year (which can be viewed below). Also some lifting records were broken this year (also view-able below). 

HOLLAND, MI

The Panthers took to the mats on Wednesday to wrestle for varsity positions. Finalist had to best each other two out of three matches to earn the spot. Team White defeated Team Black 54-39. Many freshman got a chance to wrestle for the first time under the spotlight, a new tradition started at West Ottawa last season. "This a young team," Coach Ryan Lancaster speculates, "But they are aggressive and that is a difficult mindset to train an athlete to have. I have very excited to have  a few seasons to develop these men and women. The onus is on my coaching to staff to help them hone their craft and cultivate a love for the sport."

The season continues this Saturday at home at the annual Battle for the Bridge scrimmage where the Panthers square off against Holland and Fennville. The regular season opens up on the road versus Hesperia and Lundington.

RESULTS
ROUND ONE
119 O. Foster (BLACK) pin A. Mao (WHITE)
125 J. Sanchez (WHITE) pin. K. Heck (BLACK)
130 C. Quintanilla (BLACK) dec. Mayson Levandowski (WHITE)
135 S. Ajpop (WHITE) pin. A. Nhem (BLACK)
140 T. Hawkins (BLACK) pin A. Chanthalanon (WHITE)
160 M. Kirkland (BLACK) pin. I. Huerta (WHITE)
171 L. Hornshaw (WHITE) pin. A. Phetrirath (BLACK)
215 A. Vandyke (WHITE) dec. (OT) Santos de la Rosa (BLACK)
285 L. Lewis (WHITE) pin. Elias Bocanegra (BLACK)

ROUND TWO
119 O. Foster (BLACK) pin A. Mao (WHITE)
125 J. Sanchez (WHITE) pin. K. Heck (BLACK)
​135 S. Ajpop (WHITE) pin. A. Nhem (BLACK)
​140 T. Hawkins (BLACK) pin A. Chanthalanon (WHITE)
160 M. Kirkland (BLACK) pin. I. Huerta (WHITE)
171 L. Hornshaw (WHITE) pin. A. Phetrirath (BLACK)
215 A. Vandyke (WHITE) dec. (OT) Santos de la Rosa (BLACK)
​285 L. Lewis (WHITE) pin. Elias Bocanegra (BLACK)

UNDERCARDS
M. Rodriguez (WHITE) pin. A. Silva (BLACK)
V. Jang (WHITE) pin. Jaicob Un (BLACK)
A. Serrano (WHITE) pin. R. Esquivel (BLACK)
Q. Moyo (WHITE) pin. K. Zwagerman (BLACK)
M. Brower (BLACK) pin. J. Gaytan (WHITE)
A. Hernandez (WHITE) pin. L. Volakakis (BLACK)

WATCH THE MATCHES HERE

​HOLLAND, MI

Today, we look at some of our alumni that are still competing at the collegiate level. Ethan Garcia (Adrian College), Ethan Curtin (Michigan State), Jace Garza (Merchant Marine Academy) and Ramon Correa (Coker College) all have begun competing at their respective programs. If you';d like to follow along, their schedules are posted below. Good luck to all our former wrestlers!
​
Highlighted = Home Underlined = Live Stream

Ethan Garcia
​Adrian College
Jr.
157

ADRIAN COLLEGE SCHEDULE 
11.2.19 Adrian Invitational
11.09.19 at Mount Union Invitational
11.16.19 Adrian Bulldog Duals
11.21.19 vs. Manchester
11.23.19 at Olivet Duals
12.05.19 vs. Lordes
12.07.19 at Ohio Northern
12.14.19 at Kalahari Duals
01.04.20 at Waynesburg Invitational
01.07.20 at Olivet
01.16.20 vs. Alma
01.18.20 at Elmhurst College
01.23.20 vs. Trine
01.25.20 at Case Western Quad
01.31.20 at Wheaton College
02.06.20 vs. Defiance
02.15.20 Mid State Conference at Wabash College
02.28.20 NCAA Midwest Regional
​03.13.20 NCAA D3 National Championships 

Jace Garza
US. Merchant Marines Academy
Jr.
125

US MERCHANT MARINES ACADEMY SCHEDULE
11.24.19 At New York State Championships
12.06.19 at New Standard Corp. Invitational
12.14.19 at Long Island Open
12.21.19 at Jersey City Duals
01.11.20 at North-South Duals
11.18.20 at Centenary
11.25.20 at All-Academy Championships 
02.01.20 at Ursinus
02.08.20 at McDaniel
02.12.20 vs. Coast Guard
02.15.20 at Centennial Regional Championships 
02.29.20 at NCAA D3 Mideast Regional Championships
03.13.20 at NCAA D3 National Championships

HOLLAND, MI-

We have teamed up with the BSN Sportswear and Dashthreads to provide the West Ottawa wrestling family its fan and team gear this season. To ensure that items arrive prior to Christmas, please pay close attention to due date. For those that wish to make a re-order or are a part of the youth and middle school teams, another store will be opened up in 2020. 

​BSN Sportswear
​This order from the BSN Sportswear is put together to ensure friends and family have wrestling shirts to wear during our matches, or our athletes have team wear to work out in. The first BSN store closes Nov. 12th. An additional store will close Jan. 8th.
​

Dashthreads
Though most of this will be gear that the wrestlers use to compete this season, fans will be able to get their hands on it as well. Place an online order and Dashthreads will ship it directly to you. The first Dashthreads store will close Nov. 22. An additional store will be opened for middle school and youth wrestlers at a later date. 

HOLLAND, MI
Wrestlers from all over the state gathered at West Ottawa High School on October 20th to take part in the 5th Annual Myrmidon Attack Tournament. The Panthers had a great showing, with multiple placers. While it was a fundraiser for both West Ottawa and Myrmidon programs, a portion also went to Pinning Down Autism, a charitable organization whose mission is to respond and address the immediate needs of children and their families within our local communities that are affected by autism and to promote education and awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder’s.

Another portion went to GVSU Veterans History Project, an organization that record and archive oral history interviews and other materials relating to the experiences of military veterans of all eras, as well as of civilians and foreign nationals with stories relating to the American experience in wartime.

The Attack Tournament is unique, as it is the only one of its kind. The Attack Bandz are utilized to keep score instead of traditional takedowns and escapes. The Attack Bandz themselves are a removable strap for wrapping around and securing to a wrestler's ankle. "Think like flag football, but for wrestling, " Coach Ryan Lancaster describes to new wrestlers."It's also a great learning tool," he went on to say, "that makes wrestling accessible to everyone, even kids that have never competed before." Of the sixty competitors, the majority of them experienced their every first tournament this past Sunday.

$53.50 was donated to Pinning Down Autism. Myrmidon and West Ottawa have raised $1000.02 for this charity since 2016.
$53.50 was donated to GVSU Veterans History Project.  Myrmidon and West Ottawa have raised $53.50 for this organization since 2019.
​Myrmidon and West Ottawa have raised $107.00  for Pin Cancer since 2017

Together since 2016, Myrmidon and West Ottawa have raised $1,160.52 towards various charities.  

• Want to know more about Pinning Down Autism? Click HERE
• Want to know more about GVSU Veterans History Project? Click HERE
• Want to know more about Pin Cancer? Click HERE
• Want to know more about Attack Bandz? Click HERE
• Want to know more about Myrmidon Training Systems? Click HERE

2019 Attack Tournament Results

Attack
Kids
30-40
1st Mason Potts -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Jaxxon Blasen -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd Ford Applegate -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
4th Eden Renteria -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

41-51
1st Marrko Foster -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Toretto Leija - Jenison
3rd Kyle Messer - -Myrmidon/Panther Elite​

53-54
1st Lucas Brower -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
1st Jaxxon Bosch -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Oso Reyes -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

58-59
1st Peter Priest - Jenison
2nd Kaius Cabrera -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd Anthony Landin -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

60-64.4
1st Mateaus Chavarria -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Asher Tuinstra - N/A
3rd Jonathan Garcia -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

65-67
1st Chase Shults -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Joe Leija - Jenison
3rd Ethan Hammer - Jenison
4th Todd Bush - Jenison

69-72
1st Aiden Cruz -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Armando Cruz -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd Edson Rodriguez -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
4th Ethan Louks -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

82-85
1st Carson Bosch -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Gaven Cruz -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd Rox Quintanilla -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

80-84
1st Easton Johns - Jenison
2nd Lisset Chavarria -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd Raenan Cantu -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
4th Dominic Antone -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

87.2-92
1st Josiah Solis-Aguilar -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Wyatt Berghuis -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd Chayse Cooke -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

93-110
1st Genisis Tuinstra - N/A
2nd Carritos Leija - Jenison
3rd Deklan Johns - Jenison
4th Tyson Gomez -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

Youth
97-125
1st Owen Foster -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Abby Vanderzwaag -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd Nolan Larson - Sparta
4th Jalen Cantu -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
5th Samantha Sheppard - Fruitport

155-165
1st Luke Tuinstra -Myrmidon
2nd Hunter Jurries -Myrmidon
3rd Michael Brower -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

180-225
1st Mike Gibson -Myrmidon
2nd William Goodboo -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

Adult
175
1st Agustin Mata- N/A
2nd Luis Renteria- Myrmidon

230
1st Jared Lancaster -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

Takedown
Kids
30-41
1st Mason Potts -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Torretto Leija -Jension
3rd Kyle Messer -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
4th Jaxxon Blasen -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
5th Eden Renteria -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

53-54
1st Peter Priest -Jension
2nd Markko Foster -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd Lucas Brower -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

58-59
1st Anthony Landin -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

60-61
1st Jonathan Garcia -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Jaxxon Bosch -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

64.4-66
1st Joe Leija -Jension
2nd Todd Bush -Jension
3rd Mateaus Chavarria -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

67-69
1st Chase Shults -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Ethan Hammer -Jension
3rd Edson Rodriguez -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

70.6-72
1st Armando Cruz -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Aiden Cruz -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

80-82
1st Gaven Cruz -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Easton Johns -Jension
3rd Lisset Chavarria -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
4th Dominic Antone -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

85-90
1st  Carson Bosch -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Chayse Cooke -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd Rox Quintanilla -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
4th Aden Garcia -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

92-98
1st Carlitos Leija -Jension
2nd Deklan Johns -Jension
3rd Tyson Gomez -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
4th Josiah Solis-Aguilar -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

Youth
120-122
1st Cale Coppess -Montague
2nd Owen Foster -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd Samantha Sheppard -Fruitport
4th Abby VanderZwaag -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

155-165
1st Hunter Jurries -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Mike Brower -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

171-225
1st Mike Gibson -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
2nd Logan Hornshaw -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd William Goodboo -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

Adult
145-175
1st Augstin Mata -N/A
2nd Jason Blasen -Myrmidon/Panther Elite
3rd Luis Renteria -Myrmidon/Panther Elite​

230
1st Jared Lancaster -Myrmidon/Panther Elite

RESULTS FROM 2018
RESULTS FROM 2017
RESULTS FROM 2016

HOLLAND, MI
They say football is a game of inches. The same can be said about the sport of wrestling; advancement made incremental over years of training. Junior Santos Ajpop has shattered that notion, improving in wrestling by leaps and bounds. In a mere 2 years, he has cemented himself as not only a varsity wrestler, but as a team leader. Ajpop opened up to us about his training regiment and what motivates him to excel. 

How did you prepare for this season?
I prepared for this season by going to most of the off-season practices and getting in the room with Coach Keenan and also attending Myrmidon and learning new techniques.

What got you into wrestling?
I got into wrestling because I was ashamed of my athletic abilities and I was always interested in combat sports and always wanted to try one out and wrestling was a good opportunity.

How were the open mat sessions this summer?
During the summer I went to all the open mats that I could.

What are some of the hurdles you have to face?
One of my hurdles was that sometimes there would be a scheduled open mat and I'd be busy.  But thankfully Coach Keenan would make time so that I could get into the room and practice my technique and learn new things. 

What has been for motivation in the off season?
My motivation for this season is to make it to Regional(s) and to advance my techniques.

Who is your wrestling hero?
My wrestling hero is probably gonna be all my mentors because they give me a whole bunch of opportunities to improve in this sport and they give me more one on one mentoring than what other athletes would usually get. 

HOLLAND, MI
West Ottawa a storied tradition of wrestling excellence over the last 50 years. To celebrate this, we are asking YOU the fans to help us decided our ALL-TIME TEAM. Each week, we will be going through one weight class and have you vote on your favorite wrestler. We will announce wrestlers each week and set up our 1st, 2nd, 3rd team. Make sure you check back often (and vote often)!

VOTING FOR 160 CLOSES 12/13/19 at 10pm

Karl "Kasey" Nadolsky ('98)
-1998 MHSAA State Champion
​-1998 MHSAA Regional Champion 
-1998 MHSAA District Champion
-1998 OK Red Conference Champion
-Career Leader in Wins 
-Career Leader in Technical Falls
​-Season Takedown Record 
-Career Leader in Takedowns

Honorable Mention: Jason Fuller ('02) Rick Moralez ('00)

Troy Shults ('00)
-2000 MHSAA State Qualifier
​-2000 MHSAA District Champion 
-2000 OK Red Conference Champion
-Career Leader in Major Decisions 
​
​Honorable Mention: Ryan Kruithoff  ('97) Bobby Blank ('08)

Karl "Kasey" Nadolsky ('97)
-1997 MHSAA State Runner-up 
-1997 MHSAA Regional Champion
-1997 OK Red Conference Champion

Honorable Mention: James Tietema ('94), Kareem Naguib ('04​)

Karl "Kasey" Nadolsky ('96)

• 1996 MHSAA State Runner-Up
• 1996 OK Red Conference Champion

​Honorable Mention: Jason Fuller ('00), Ben Sasamoto ('07)

Ethan Curtin ('16)

• 2016 MHSAA State Qualifier 
• 2016 MHSAA District Champion
• 2016 OK Red Conference Champion
• 2016 MWA Academic All-State

Honorable Mention: Gaven Daniels ('13), Lance Lamar ('79)

Karl "Kasey" Nadolsky '95

• 1995 MHSAA State Champion
• 1995 MHSAA Regional Champion
• 1995 MHSAA District Champion
• 1995 OK Red Conference Champion

Honerable Mention: Jace Garza ('15), Jason Fuller ('99)

HOLLAND, MI

In a sport that breeds hard workers, it can sometimes difficult to separate the truly exceptional from the pack. This is not the case for Logan Hornshaw. The tenacious senior looks to close out his career at West Ottawa as a champion. Logan opened up to us about his work ethic, wrestling in the sand, and the legacy he wished to leave behind, 


How did you prepare for this season?
For this season I have been weightlifting and doing conditioning all summer, with some greco-roman wrestling tournaments.

What was sand wrestling like?
Sand wrestling is one of my personal favorite types of wrestling, shoving people into the sand and throwing, but it took days for the sand to go away.

How has your brother being a wrestler impacted you?
My brother wrestled for about 4 years while I was in elementary school, I saw him as a guy who would never back down, so in 4th grade I started wrestling.

What are some of the hurdles you have to face?
Hurdles I have had to face in wrestling was breaking the wall in my physical conditioning, starting up every season and you come back doing sprints and 3 mile runs and hard drilling and workouts, you hit a physical wall and end up breaking past that, but when you hit that wall you end up puking, sweating, and your body gives up on you, but the next day you can run faster, longer, and the workouts don't bother you.

What would you like your legacy to be for the program?
I want my legacy to be known as someone who never backed down, never quit, and never broke.

Who is your wrestling hero?
My wrestling hero was my dad who was one of the first wrestlers of his hometown high school.

​HOLLAND, MI
It's one thing to build yourself into a champion; its a completely other thing to build up those around you as well. Mathew "Mad Dawg" Hakken has dedicated himself to the sport and the program at large. Any given day you'll find Mathew in the gym training or helping coach the next generation. Hakken opened up to us about his career at the national level, and his quest to be West Ottawa's next All-American.


How did you prepare for this season?
I prepared for this season by learning from my matches last year. I watched the matches back, and saw what I needed to improve on by changing my style. I changed my mind set from a pure folkstyle mind set, to a freestyle/Greco Roman mindset. I feel like I wrestle better when I think of my matches as freestyle/Greco. I feel like I am a pretty strong Greco Roman  wrestler, and if I think of what I might do in a Greco match I may have an advantage since a lot of people in West Michigan are not as familiar with Greco. I also prepared by competing in tournaments during the off season. I placed at States in both Freestyle and Greco Roman. Because I placed at the state level I was able to compete with Team Michigan again this summer. I was able to practice with some of the best kids in Michigan every weekend, and get coach by some great coaches from around the state. I traveled around the country this spring and summer to compete at the National level. I competed this spring at the Folkstyle Nationals in Waterloo, Ia,. I also traveled to Fargo ND to compete at the Freestyle and Greco Roman National tournament. I also continued to practice at least 3 times a week at Myrmidon. I was able to get one on one training there by some of the best coaches in our area. I worked on not only physical training and drilling, but worked a lot on my mindset and making sure that I will have a strong, positive mindset for this up coming season. 

What was practicing at Myrmidon in the off-season?
Practicing at Myrmidon during the off season consisted of both physical training, learning new technique, and changing my mental game. I mostly focused on Freestyle and Greco Roman wrestling this summer. By continuing to learn about different wrestling styles, this will give me an advantage over my competitors. I focused a lot on my mental game because that is where most matches are won or lost. If I can be stronger mentally than my opponent before we set on the mat, I will have a better chance of beating him when we step on the mat. I have coaches who have helped me realize that I can compete and beat the best kids locally and best around the country, and with them believing in me, it helps me believe in myself. Myrmidon also helps me build new friendships from kids who compete at different schools around the area and across the country. Some of my closest friends are from neighboring schools, and even from other states who workout with me over the summer months. Because I have been attending Myrmidon for a while, I am able to help teach some kids who are newer to the sport, or don't have as much experience as I may have with certain situations.

How was the experience of wrestling at Fargo and Iowa?
The experience of wrestling in Waterloo and Fargo were great, challenging, and definitely a learning experience. Wrestling in Waterloo was very difficult, I was at the very low end of the weight class and competed against kids who were bigger, and stronger than I am. I learned that leading into a tournament you need to be at the top of your game, both physically and mentally. Fargo was also a learning experience. I competed again kids who were top in the country. I had matches that were against All American wrestlers, and was able to score on the wrestler who took first in my weight class. I learned that I am good enough to compete against them, and even have the chance to be an All American next year. This was a huge mental hurdle that I feel I am making progress on. Being able to travel around the country and have my family members from other states there was also very nice since they are not able to watch me wrestle live most of the year. 

What are some of the hurdles you have to face?
One of the main hurdles I face is athleticism. I have never been the fastest or strongest kid, so I have had to work harder than a lot of my competitors. Another hurdle I have is my mental game. Although I have grown this summer, it is still something I need to work on. I have to realize that I am good enough to compete against the kids who are maybe more naturally athletic  than I am. I need to continue to get stronger both physically and mentally.  I need to continue to work on not only my basic drills, but the techniques I have picked up over the last couple of years. 

What has been for motivation in the off season?
One of my main motivations during the off season has been Fargo. My ultimate goal is to be an All American, and in order to do that, I have to continue to train all year long. As much as I look forward to folkstyle season, it is only a stepping stone to where I want to go. For my folkstyle season I want to do better at than I did last year during the High School season. I did better last year than my Freshmen year by making it to Regionals, but I would like to compete and place at the State level. So my main motivation is to keep getting better, and keep reaching for my ultimate goal of being All American. 

Who is your wrestling hero?
I would have to say that my coaches at Myrmidon are my wrestling heroes. Coach Jared Lancaster has taught me so much over the years. He has taught me how to stay strong even when I am feeling down, how to overcome my losses. He has shown me how to look at both my wins and losses and learn what I can do better next time so that I can continue to grow. Coach Aaron Parr-Basemer has shown me even though I am not as athletic as some of my opponents, by putting in the work I can compete with the "big dogs". He has shown me some moves that work well for lighter weight classes. He has shown me that being small is not a bad thing, and has given me a lot of tools that I can use to continue to improve. Both these coaches, as well as others at Myrmidon, have stood behind me, even when it is difficult. They have helped me realize that I am better than I think I am. They have supported me, mentally, physically and emotionally when I need it. All of my coaches have shown me what it means to not only be a great wrestler, but a great person. They have taught me lessons that will work not only on the mat, but will help me throughout my life time. I am truly grateful to not only call them my coaches, my heroes, but also my friends.

HOLLAND, MI
​
The saying goes that it takes a village to raise a person. Well, if that is true, Owen is the mayor of that village. Seldom the man to turn down a challenge, we sat down with Owen to discuss his big debut at the high school, his dedicated regiment, and his experience at the national level. 

How did you prepare for this season?
To prepare for this upcoming season, especially being my first High School wrestling season, I have done multiple things. The first one, and most likely, the best thing was working out over the summer. This summer I really focused on lifting, primarily keeping a good schedule with lifting to reach my full potential and strength for the season. I lifted through the West Ottawa Wrestling Weight Training Program set up by Dr. Nadolsky, and it showed really good results. Another thing I did to prepare for the upcoming season was running cross-country throughout the summer and this fall. Cross-country is one of the best conditioning sports I could do to help increase lung capacity, and get me in good shape for the season. It helps with keeping a good mindset, to always keep going, even if it hurts. It has helped my mental game a lot because of the adversity it makes me face when I am running at my hardest. Cross-Country will definitely help my mental game and conditioning for the season. The final main thing to prepare me for the upcoming season was that I kept wrestling through the spring and summer through practices, camps, and competitions. During the spring I attended open mats at the High School, myrmidon practices and also competed at the Michigan Freestyle/Greco states. During the summer I also attended Myrmidon, trained up at Muskegon Community College through Jayhawk wrestling, and went to multiple camps across the state. To name a few, the Hudson Wrestling Camp, Richmond Wrestling Camp, and West Ottawa's Wrestling Camp. I also competed in multiple events such as the Barn Brawl in Ludington, and the Beast of the Beach in Grand Haven. 

What was has travel baseball helped your wrestling?
To be honest, travel baseball didn't fully help my wrestling, as much as wrestling has helped my baseball skills. From positioning to explosiveness on the field, it all comes back to wrestling. When fielding grounders, the ready position is extremely similar to a wrestling stance. Being a wrestler, allows me to have really good footwork and explosiveness in that position. This corresponds to everything in baseball, from catching and pitching, and batting. 

How was the wrestling combine at Cornell?
The wrestling combine at Cornell University was an extremely cool experience. I got to train with some of the best kids in the country under some of the best coaches in the country. The people there pushed me and showed me that I can compete at a high level, but I still have a lot to work on to become the best wrestler I can be. There was high level technique, but also basic technique, which cemented the fact that basic moves and positions are just as important, if not more, than advanced ones. I also got to explore the campus of Cornell, which was absolutely stunning. 

What are some of the hurdles you have to face?
Throughout my career in wrestling, I have faced many hurdles. One hurdle I have overcome is placing at MYWAY states, which I finally achieved last season. I had qualified for states the previous two years but always lost in the blood round to get to the finals. Last season, I did not want that to happen again. I worked on my technique in the off season and in season, constantly drilling (meaning missing some games at practice). I pushed myself to my limits knowing that it will pay off in the end. Due to my hard work, I achieved my goal and passed a major hurdle in my career. Another hurdle that I will face this season, One that I have not overcome is competing and winning in the OK Red. Coming into the season, many kids I have lost to, or wrestle close matches with will be wrestling for schools in the OK Red. This season I have to really push myself and work to match and beat my opponents that I have had trouble with in the past. If I do this, I know I have a shot for an OK Red title and even a state title. 

What has been like transitioning from middle school?
The transition from middle school to high school hasn't been as tough as it could have been. The walking between buildings and changes in schedule from normal to seminar days hasn't been very hard for me. The main aspect of the transition that was difficult was the workload of homework and projects, as well as managing my time so that I can turn everything in and maintain my grades. I have already learned that procrastination cannot happen. 

Who is your wrestling hero?
Personally, I don't have much of a wrestling hero at this point in time. There are many extraordinary wrestlers right now, but the people I look up to most are my instructors and coaches that I've had through my years as a wrestler. They are the ones that have helped me, and shaped me into the wrestler I am today.