Wrestling banquet caps an amazing season

March 20, 2017

This past Wednesday, all three of the wrestling teams celebrated their victories this year with an end-of-season banquet, held at Security National Bank. All members of the team exceeded expectations with their records this season, and as a result, they brought home two state medals won by seniors Josh Jansa and Darlondo Hill, ending a 16 year drought at Westside. How was any of this even possible? The road to success was a long one, and it wasn’t easy.

“We had good days and we had bad days,” Jansa said.

As an experienced wrestler, both time and patience played a major roll in his, as well as the team’s success throughout the season.

“One of the biggest challenges was focus and being able to reach my full potential.”

Of course, the weight of the win can’t be placed on the wrestlers themselves. Head coach Mike Jernigan and assistant coach Reed Webber pushed their athletes to new heights this season, encouraging them in practice and during their matches.

“The coaches here aren’t like anywhere else,” Jansa said. “I owe them a lot.”

With the progress the team has made this year, including the success of both the athletes and the coaches, it will be interesting to see how the season plays out next year with the loss of both state champions. The team is hopeful that this added attention will inspire future wrestlers and encourage students to support the wrestling program in the future.

“If you’re ready to work hard, definitely come out for wrestling. We need it,” Jansa said.