Wrestling Competes at Regional Championship

During the last week of February, members of the wrestling team competed at the regional tournament, facing the toughest competition of the season. Players representing the school in wrestling were senior Tommy Robinson, who competed in the 127-pound weight class, and sophmore Dylan Baughan, who competed in the 133-pound weight class. Regionals marked a major step in the team's postseason, and according to Baughan, the competition was significantly more challenging. Dylan states that “Regionals is different from every other tournament because everyone there is great.” Additionally, Baughan mentions that “each person had to earn their spot so there are no easy opponents.”

Leading up to the competition, the wrestlers' preparation differed from the typical in-season. Rather than focusing on intense strength and conditioning, Baughan and Robinson worked with their coaches to improve on individual skills. Moreover, their practices leading up to regionals eased up and consisted of more mental preparation for their upcoming matches.

Despite the successful qualification for regionals, the team still faced challenges. For example, Baughan explained that “this season [his] biggest challenge was cutting weight.” Managing weight while maintaining strength can be difficult for wrestlers. Because his weight wasn’t managed properly, Baughan said that he struggled with endurance during the tournament and ultimately finished 0-2 at the regional competition. Even with the unfortunate result, competing at regionals remains a tremendous accomplishment for the team. With regionals only accepting the top six wrestlers at each weight class from districts, qualifying reflects the hard work and determination the wrestling team displayed this season.