Ending with a big bang from last season has brought higher expectations for the girls’ wrestling team. Last year, the team qualified for CCS with seniors Stephanie Ruelas and Melissa Rios placing second, and junior Rosalba Orozco and sophomore Marisol Licea placing third. Based on their placing, the four of them qualified for State, making history. Even though two of the girls made it to the second day, they did not receive any placement in the State tournament. However, the girls realized that this year, they will have to work twice as hard to overtake the past accomplishments.

The girls’ head coach, Ernesto Fuentes, has high expectations for them. “The number one goal will always be to qualify for CCS,” he said. He added, “Every player is to be watched on how they play, no one is to be left out.”

So far, the girls are on track of making their dream come true to qualify for CCS. Out of the 4 matches, the girls have won 3 against Christopher, North, and Salinas High. In tournaments, the girls have placed 2nd at Overfelt Lady Royals, and 1st at Lynbrook Challenge, Trojan Wrath, Cupertino, and at the Kusomoto Classic. The coach has stayed true to his word when asked which wrestler is to be watched and who has exceeded his expectations. He mentions, “For now, all the girls have performed well during their matches.”

The coach isn’t the only one feeling the excitement for this season. Senior Rosalba Orozco has high expectations of her own. Her goals are to, “To win all of my matches, be in first place for CCS and to once again make it to State.” She believes that she will do great this year because, “I actually have been spending a lot of time in wrestling practice because last year I was playing basketball too, which took time away from wrestling.” Her toughest challenge will be to face the, “taller opponents” which she hopes to defeat.

Along with Orozco, senior Victoria Cabrera has goals of her own to accomplish. Her personal goals are to, “Place first in CCS and to place top two in every tournament that I participate in. For the team, I hope we place first in CCS because for the last two years, we have missed it by a hair.” She believes that she will do well this season because, “For this season,I have trained harder than ever before, I put in some off season practice, and even though it may be nerve wracking and stressful because I am in a leadership position right now, I’m going to give it my all.”

Junior Marisol Licea has expectations of her own. With being in State last year, she mentions, “It was a dream come true to qualify for States. I had gotten hurt in my freshman year of high school, but I worked hard in my sophomore year and managed to make that goal of mine. This year will be a bit difficult because currently I am injured, but I’m hoping to get healed before CCS and try to make it to State again and hopefully place or go into the second day of the tournament.”

By Cassandra Reyes