Wrestling pushes to playoffs
photo by Noah Kemper
Senior Devin Kohn attempts to take down his opponent on senior night. The team won 55-18 to close out their season.
After finishing the regular season 9-2, including a first ever win at the Johnny Rouse invitational, the boys wrestling team lost in the quarterfinals of the first ever state dual-championships, but the true postseason, the individual championships, beginning in Feburary.
The regular season included the team consistently defeating conference opponent Winter Springs, a historically successful program, three times in the Bill Scott memorial, Johnny Rouse invitational and the Tournament of Champions.
The team finished second in the Tournament of Champions while senior Justin Segarra was able to win in the 172-pound weight class.
“After my semi-finals match it was a good feeling to know I was going to the finals,” Segarra said. “I knew it was going to be a tough match so I just had to stay focused.”
The team came out victorious in their previous tournament, the Bill Scott Memorial, with five wrestlers winning their weight class. Among the winners were freshman Dylan Kohn, in the 120-pound weight class, and his brother, senior Devin Kohn, in the 145-pound weight class.
“We’ve been wrestling together for years now, he started two years after I did,” Devin Kohn said. “We just started in high school together and it’s been good.”
A big accomplishment for the team this season was their success against Winter Springs. In previous years, the team would often fall just short of Winter Springs and their success against them this season has been a testament of how much this program has grown.
“We are getting better, we’ve caught up with them and passed them,” Diaz said. “We still have a lot of work to do but we are going in the right direction.”
The team won the Johnny Rouse Invitational on Dec. 9, the first time in program history they won that meet. Segarra, who is in his first year in the program, led the way, recording five pins.
Transferring schools and joining a new team is never easy but head coach Scotty Diaz and the rest of the wrestling team have been able to aid Segarra in his transition.
“This season has meant a lot especially since it’s my senior year and I’m at a new school,” Segarra said. “It’s been tough getting around with new people but it’s been pretty good so far. I’m really looking forward to the end of the season.”
The program’s expectations have grown throughout the years. Diaz and the rest of the coaching staff have continually set higher standards for their wrestlers to meet; much of which includes winning their weight class. The team has put 12 different wrestlers on the top of the podium throughout the season, a number that continues to grow as the program develops.
“Now that we’ve gotten better our expectations have certainly grown,” Diaz said. “I’m expecting us to get in the tournaments and win.”
The winning continued through the team’s most recent meet against Apopka. The team won 45-24 and ten wrestlers won their weight class. In the last meet of the regular season, the team destroyed rival Oviedo, 55-18 to close the season 9-2 as they head into districts on Friday, Feb. 13.
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