Cambry Hitchcock
Sugar beet staff reporter
The Buffalo wrestling team has a long history of stomping out the competition at the state tournament winning first place as a team in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016. This year in the 2019 tournament the Buffs has three champions and eight team players. Jacob Holt (junior) at 132 pounds, Silas Pineda (junior) at 113, Refujio Chairez (junior) at 285, were the three buffalo state champions. Alex Rodriguez (junior), Diago Hernandez (junior), and Joshua Janas (sophomore) all took fifth place. Andrew Garcia (senior) took third place and Erick Dominguez (freshman) placed fourth. Overall the Buffalo wrestling team placed third out of thirty-six teams.
“After winning state I felt like all the hard work and injuries I sustained during the season were
worth it,” Holt said.
“This puts a new goal in my head for the next season and to get my third state championship under my belt. All of my hard work during the season reflected in how I dominated during the state tournament.”
“The wall” on of the greatest achievements of a wrestler on the team is a trophy that stays on the walls forever. To earn a place on the wall a state place must be achieved.
“It was one of the best feelings I have ever had,” Chairez said. “It was like receiving the gift you have always wanted and you finally get it. It takes a lot more outside of wrestling, I wanted to be the hardest working person here and I am so glad I got to show it at state.”
The wrestling team also had one wrestler in the girls state tournament. Angie Serrano took fourth place and won four of her five matches at 126 pounds.
“Girls state was a lot of fun, I was a lot more prepared this year then I was last year,” Serrano, sophomore said.
“I learned that I can not get discouraged or intimidated. I know what I can do, I just need to be confident in my skills, lists to my coaches, keep pressure, stay aggressive and
focused.”
There is more to the state tournament than the wrestling, the coaches are always working hard to ensure the wrestlers have memories that will last a life time.
“There are so many things that I enjoyed about the state tournament,” Chairez said. “The amazing food was definitely one of them and getting to enjoy it with my teammates. Seeing my friends win is such a great feeling.”
When it comes to points possible the Buffaloes were the leaders. The buffaloes had 279 total match points and scored 134.5 points total as a team.
“The best part about state is the atmosphere,” Holt said. “The bond our teammates share with each other is unmatched. Next year my mind-set will be shifted to getting a state title as a team.
We all work hard and deserve it as much as the other.”
Regionals is seen as one of the most important tournaments during the season. This tournament decides who wrestled at the state tournament based on placing.
“We had hoped to place all of our wrestlers,” Paul Lappin, coach said. “We only missed our mark by one. The coaching staff and wrestlers are already chomping at the bit for next year. We have a great freshman class coming in which will hopefully get us back on top.”
Ultimately the team decides on a goal, to win the state tournament not only individually but as a team. Seeing a self-portrait on “the wall” is a goal of every wrestler on the team.
Cambry Hitchcock is a trade and health junior. You can contact her at
hitchcockc@student.gckschools.com.
Garden City High School 