At the beginning of the season when workouts were taking place, senior Christian Hernandez said that the team’s objective was to have at least five qualify for regionals. Hernandez was spot on with his prediction since senior Diego Pasley, junior Levi Sutton, sophomore Josue Rubio, sophomore Ayden Salisbury, and senior Christian Hernandez all advanced out of the Jan. 28 sectional meet at Winamac High School.

“Josue came as a shocker to many of us because he has not had a lot of varsity experience,” Pasley said. “However, we can tell how much better he has gotten over the season, winning three wrestle-offs for that varsity spot.” 

The team feels confident in what each of them can do and is going to use coach Sam Fry’s techniques to help them advance out of the regional on Feb. 4 at Logansport High School. 

“Coach Fry has prepared us for everything that is under our noses,” Hernandez said. “We all have the determination and mindset to go out there and beat whoever is lined up across from us. We plan on using everything that we have been taught by the coach and trying our best to advance even further in the tournament.”

Pasley feels good that he is moving on, and he already knows who he is matched up against, Harrison’s Bricker Crum. Even with a sprained ankle, he is ready to face this competitor for a third time. 

“My hope is to compete, honestly, since I got fourth in the sectional,” Pasley said. “The number one seed winner of the Lafayette Sectional is the Harrison kid. I’ve wrestled him twice already, and I’ve lost both times. But, you never know. However, you know what they always say, the third time’s the charm.”