After the loss of eight starters, CHS wrestling struggled to meet the high expectations it set for itself at the beginning of the season. The Bulldogs finished the regular season with a record of 4-10.
This season’s underachieving was mostly due to the loss of freshman Mitch Block, sophomore Alec McGee and juniors Hunter Sutton, Hunter Daniel and Adama Keita. All losses occurred early on in the season as a result of injuries and team members quitting.
“We went into the season with so much confidence,” senior Rustin Tashayyod said. “Everything just fell apart.”
Despite this handicap, CHS managed to pull out a win against Wheaton Feb. 2. Senior Matt Schleckser won his match, while junior captain Zach Raizon and sophomore Giulian Groce saw their opponents forfeit.
“They just did not have enough people,” Raizon said. “It definitely helped us, but we wrestled hard nonetheless.”
Although the Bulldogs lost their match against Gaithersburg Jan. 29, some wrestlers had solid performances, including Groce, who won his match with a 30-second pin.
“It felt amazing,” Groce said. “I liked helping the team put some points on the board during a tough defeat.”
In the match against Sherwood Jan. 9, the Bulldogs won by a nail-biting two points, with Keita and Sutton both winning their matches.
According to Gross, the team lost Sutton and Block due to injuries. Other wrestlers then quit because of the loss of other wrestlers. The season went downhill from there.
The team has tried not to dwell on the disappointment of this season and is looking forward to next year. There are many freshmen and sophomores, as well as other experienced and highly talented juniors, such as Keita, Sutton and Raizon, who will be able to lead the team next year.
“We have a lot of younger guys with a lot of talent,” Tashayyod said. “I’m confident the team will do much better next year and in years to come.”
States are scheduled for March 1, and participants are not yet determined.
According to Raizon, Gross and Schleckser have high chances of making it.
