As the winter sports season kicks off, the wrestling program is already seeing great success. This year, HHS is offering both boys wrestling and—for the first time ever—girls wrestling!

The JV boys had their first tournament on November 22 at the Central Valley Tournament and came home with strong results. For JV, Fulton Stanhope and Josiah Landucci took first place in their divisions, while Nico Katz and Padrick Hill earned third. All wrestlers, including varsity, have their next matchup on December 3 as they host Downey. Downey will be tough competition, but the coaches believe that with determination and confidence, the team will succeed.

The Mat Maids, Violet Blake and Emma Carne, also shared their thoughts. Carne says, “Being a Mat Maid is very entertaining and I get to make new friends. I enjoy getting to do it with people that I know, and I feel more involved with the school.” Blake adds, “This is my very first year being a Mat Maid. It is a very fun thing to do after school because I have nothing else to do. I also like being able to experience a new sport and learn new things.”

Varsity wrestler Caden Bowerman says, “The Hughson wrestling program is good. I have learned so much from the coaches and gotten a lot better. We will go against Downey tomorrow and I think we are going to dominate. Wrestling has taught me discipline and self-control because I don’t get to eat everything I see.”

Joseph Amaral, an enthusiastic supporter of Caden, says, “I enjoy watching Caden be successful and do the thing she loves. I hope that everyone does great this Wednesday.”

We can’t wait to hear the results from the upcoming matches!