Many wrestlers worked hard to prepare for the 2024-2025 season and have recently started competing. The first season practice, for the girls, started on Nov. 4, as for the boys it started on Nov. 11.
The first meet for the girls was on Dec. 2 at the Butler scramble. Seniors Alysia Yoder was 1-1, Brooklyn Jackman 2-0, junior Naomi Yoder 1-1, sophomores Lilliana Perez 0-2, Izabella Schierholz 2-0, Analicia Guevara 2-0, Freshman Emmersyn Miskell 2-0, Leigha Coons 0-2, Bella Ramirez 2-0, and Brooke Terry 0-2.
The first meet for the boys was on Dec. 7 in Bolivar. The team placed third. Junior Jayce Estes was 4-0 1st Place (Medalist), Kaimen Reser was 2-2 3rd Place (Medalist), Sean Reinertsen was 5-0 1st Place (Medalist), Isaac Daughenbaugh was 3-2 3rd Place (Medalist), David Gregory went 0-5, Johrdan Decker was 3-2 5th Place, Josh Hartley went 1-4, Brecken Brewster was 3-2 5th Place, D’Angelo Ramirez was 3-2 2nd Place (Medalist), Bostyn Wilson was 4-1 3rd Place (Medalist), Drake Murrell wsa 4-1 2nd Place (Medalist), Josh Harvath was 5-0 1st Place (Medalist), Isaac Comer was 1-4, Jayce Depriest was 3-2 5th Place, Manny Henriquez was 1-3 4th Place, Isaac Henderson went 3-2 3rd Place (Medalist).
Junior Jayce Estes was especially excited for the season. Estes has big goals for this coming season, which includes retaining his state champion title.
“My goals are an undefeated season and a repeat in state,” Estes said. Last season, juniors Naomi Yoder, Josh Harvath, Jayce Estes, and senior Drake Murrell got the opportunity to compete at state. Harvath finished with fifth place while being a sophomore, and Murrell ended with fourth as a junior. Estes won first place in the 113 lb weight class while just being a sophomore. This year they are coming back and working just as hard to make it back to state.
Estes has been wrestling for 13 going on 14 years now. He was first inspired to do wrestling because of his dad and brother. Estes’s favorite thing about wrestling is all of the memories he makes with his team. He expresses that the most difficult part of wrestling has to be the work that is put into it.
Sophomore Izabella Schierholz is also ready for the season that is to come. Schierholz has been wrestling now for two years. Her goals for this year are to make weight for districts and to hopefully make state. Schierholz favorite part about wrestling is the learning process from the coaches.
“I’d probably say I like the learning process; like the coaches and everything. If you don’t learn something then you can just ask and they won’t get mad about it they will just explain it,” Shierholz said.
The most difficult part of wrestling to her is pushing herself to do it.
“Pushing yourself. Getting past that mental mindset. Not everyone can do it,” Schierholz said.
A way that Schierholz fights harder while wrestling is telling herself “you can.”
“Just pushing myself. Saying I can instead of saying I can’t. Like trying to get one for rep in or like trying to do it,” Schierholz said.
Senior Brooklyn Jackman is setting goals for the upcoming season.
“ My goal is to make it to state and try to get close enough to an undefeated record,” Jackman said.
Jackman has been wrestling for four years now. Her favorite part about wrestling are the friendships you make.
“Making connections with the other teammates. I like hanging out with the girls team, and even the boys. Just like one big family,” Jackman said.
The hardest part of wrestling for Jackman is cutting weight.
“It’s like just trying to cut weight. Sometimes it is hard to try to drop down the weight classes,” Jackman said.
Jackman explained how she balances other daily life things such as school work.
“It’s not crazy hard. When we get more into the season the tournaments start to take class work and you obviously start doing homework at home, and stay caught up,” she said.
Head coach Justin Wisdom has been coaching wrestling at WHS for three seasons now, and he has been overall coaching for 17 seasons. Wisdom has high expectations for this season’s wrestlers.
“Continued pursuit of excellence and finding consistency. The kids have done what we have asked of them in order to get the culture going in the right direction. It is now time to start being consistent and accepting nothing less,” Wisdom said.
