ACP Erie Wrestling Senior Night
On Wednesday, January 23rd, our fantastic ACP wrestlers celebrated their senior night in style. As a whole, the team worked efficiently to wrap up a number of wins during the multi-meet against Odyssey Institute, Wickenburg High School, San Pasqual, and Benjamin Franklin High School. The four seniors who were honored during the night are nothing short of leaders to the team, and each bring an aura of authoritative respect with them onto the mat. These four seniors embody the spirit of the team and are looked up to by all wrestlers on the team.
The senior night was an extremely successful tournament for the team, even considering the amount of wrestlers that were unable to make it. According to junior wrestler Travis Nguyen, a full lineup would have spelled destruction for the other teams. Despite that setback, ACP wrestlers including Freshman Carter Patten, Sophomore Sebastian Rochin, and Junior Travis Nguyen continued to demonstrate prowess that clearly extended beyond the differing grades. The promising skills in our freshmen and sophomores can truly be traced back to impeccable leadership under Coach Huffman and demonstrations of willpower in dietary restrictions and workout regimens. These wrestlers, and more, have displayed a skillset that is far above the baseline.
Travis Nguyen commented after the senior night that the seniors were integral on the mat for many reasons, but the most important insight they provided was just as valuable off the mat. According to Travis, “[The Seniors] kept us motivated and acted as solid role models on what we should look for when it comes to a great wrestler compared to just a good wrestler.” The leadership demonstrated by the four talented seniors remains unmatched when it comes to integrity and morale, and many wrestlers like Andy Feng consider this interjection of morale as a leading factor in the success of the team. “The morale was a major component of our team – when we felt like we were being beaten down, the seniors made sure we could lift ourselves back up. They did all but lift us up themselves, and it helps to have that kind of support when you’re on the mat. The confidence that derives from them is unmistakably a major factor in our success on the mat.” This may be the last year on the team for these seniors, but the lessons that they have instilled branch far beyond a single year. The precedent that the seniors, and the team, has set in terms of respect and athletic integrity work to ensure a bright future for the team.
Senior Wrestler Alicia Nguyen, accompanied by Junior Wrestler Michelle “Mishi” Estrada, attended Arizona’s first Girls Sectional Tournament the weekend after the senior night, bringing ACP representation to the forefront of the wrestling community. Congratulations to our female wrestlers for this outstanding achievement!
Good wishes to our ACP Varsity Wrestling Seniors! The rest of ACP cannot wait to see what the team has in store in the future.
