Winter sports are coming our way through the clear, crisp air and brisk breeze. Frederick Wrestling made their debut this past weekend at a competition that Fort Lupton High School was the host of. Frederick wrestling has been around for a very long time, but this past weekend the team made a statement and they don’t intend to stop there. The squad is pushing forward at full speed since the remainder of the season is just getting started.

Unlike other basic tournaments, this one took a different approach, and it was a terrific way to start the season and show off what Frederick has to offer. The tournament was held in dual style for the first half, with two teams competing against each other. Each team entered one wrestler per weight class, and that wrestler faced an opponent from the other team within that weight class. Either points or pins can be used to win. The second half of the competition was centered around a traditional tournament format, in which wrestlers competed for a ranking determined by their placings from the dual style bracket.

Frederick wrestled against four different schools before each wrestler was assigned to a weight class bracket and allowed to compete for a spot. Denver North was the first school Frederick faced, and they turned heads because as a team, they performed incredibly well and powerfully, with less than five losses overall and almost all of their victories coming via pins — very few of their matches were won with points, drawing attention from opposing teams to Frederick. The next team they faced was one that had a lot of elite athletes. Frederick took on Broomfield and didn’t take them lightly; they were very confident and took the match to the mat, much like they had done when they faced Denver North earlier. They had a lot of pins, won some matches by points, and had very few losses. However, they performed an excellent job all around.

The next team they played, Centaurus High, had some really good players, and they faced a really formidable team. Frederick overcame them in spite of this as they were victorious once more. These matches were undoubtedly more competitive, and they prevailed in the most of them by points as well as by pins. The final dual before the tournament placement was against Fort Lupton. Frederick put up a tremendous fight and worked hard to generate matches with a lot of pressure and intensity, even if they didn’t have many victories against Fort Lupton. The squad performed admirably against this tough group of opponents and was able to win a few matches.

Anthony Medina, head coach, says he’s pleased with the team’s performance this past weekend. “I’m very happy with how we performed this weekend. We still have a lot of work to do to be ready for regionals and state but overall everyone wrestled their hearts out and showed it. This is the first time we have won so decisively over good teams like Denver North, Broomfield, and Centaurus. I’ve noticed a switch in the team. A self belief that we can hang with the best of ’em. A belief that we are on the right path. A closeness and a bond stronger than ever before. There’s a different mentality and vibe to this year.”

Qualifications for the tournament were determined after the duals finished up. Frederick, fortunately, was able to put in a lot of effort and brought back a lot of wrestlers to the mat to fight for a podium spot. Six wrestlers finished in the top five: junior Niko Carrillo finished third in his weight class at 120, junior Andres Hernandez finished fourth in his weight class at 126, junior Rico Moreno finished third and junior Wyatt Schust finished fourth in their weight class at 144, junior Diego Rangel finished second in his weight class at 175 and senior Tatum Sanders finished third in his weight class at 190.

Coach Medina has had time to consider their strengths and shortcomings after the intense, all-out fight this past weekend, and they are eager to learn from them.“We are happy with this week’s outcome but it’s in the past now. Time to focus on our next events, our dual with Skyline and our tournament at Vista Peak. If we can capture the magic we had this past weekend, this will be an amazing season. We have never been so tough, so ready, and so hungry to show what we got,” Coach Medina said. 

This past weekend, the squad created a lot of noise and performed incredibly well overall. Teams are unprepared for these underdogs, and they have restored Frederick’s reputation to prominence. Coach Medina says, “I’m looking forward to the memories we are making together this season. I believe in our team, I think we can qualify a record amount of athletes to state this year. I also think we may have another regional champ or 2 in the mix this season as well.” This team has a lot more to offer, and they are committed to making their mark. As they are heading into the rest of their season, Head Coach Anthony Medina states, “We still have a lot of work to do but you can feel something in the air this year. It’s real, its been built through years of struggle and sacrifice. We are a mature team that has its eye on the final prize. WE want recognition that Frederick is coming to wrestle, and that together FREDERICK IS STRONG.”