‘Pin it to win it’, Wrestling Roundup

Rebecca Gonzalez

Delta High School, Home of the Panthers, is home to more than just the sports of basketball and baseball. The highlight is that of wrestling. Not only is this a sport that has become a sort of staple in most schools, but students have made this a thriving community. 

   When discussing this sport, insight from these athletes is a vital part. The wrestling team at Delta High consists of two coaches, two managers, and about 24 wrestlers this season. Coach Meza and Coach Mills. Coach Meza has been the head coach of wrestling for the last two years but he´d been coaching for 17 years. As long as Meza has been coaching, he can see his team improve and it shows in their accomplishments.

   ¨We have had a few successes over the course of the season, we placed in the top 15 in one of the toughest tournaments in the State. We are a very young team so this is a great achievement, we only have 3 seniors on the team. We have a lot of individual successes too, just to name a few we have 3 wrestlers ranked in the top 10 in their weights. Dawsen Drozdik, Matthew Valdez, & Ripp Lockhart,¨ said Luis Meza.

   The Delta High wrestlers this year have seen success on a team level as we´ve been told but also every win for every person is a success. The dynamic these wrestlers have is being supportive towards their teammates which is a huge key to being victorious.

   Cody Hawks, a sophomore that has been wrestling since he was 6 years old, gave us the answers to some questions about the atmosphere revolving around the sport. 

   ¨It´s about as hard as you make it. The more work you put in the more you get out,¨ Hawks said about the work it takes to be successful in this sport.

   Hawks told us about the best parts of wrestling which included playing dodgeball at practices but also the nerve-racking tournaments he attends, his advice resonating with a good message and a sense of accomplishment after every tournament. 

   As long as this team keeps showing us their hard work, the wrestling community is proud. And so is its mentors.

   ¨We have some of the hardest-working kids on our team. No one works harder than us!¨ said Coach Meza.