NC wrestlers went up against the Hillgrove Hawks and Pebblebrook Eagles and  achieved their first two wins of the season Wednesday, November 20. NC Warriors beat Pebblebrook with a 54-18 win as well as a 54-23 win overall against Hillgrove. The night went exactly how Head Coach Jeffrey Bettis wanted, every wrestler giving their all on the mats. With only eleven days into the season, the Warriors showed their refined skills.

“We won both our matches so that was always positive, we beat Hillgrove 54-23 and we beat Pebblebrook 54-18 they were our first two wins of the year,” Bettis said.

In an exhilarating match, senior Anthony Miranda went against Hillgrove wrestler, both struggling to keep control in the first period. Miranda stayed quick oh his feet, a key play to distract Hillgrove wrestler from making a shot. In the second period, Miranda found the perfect moment to take a shot at knocking the Hillgrove wrestler off his feet, shocking him. The Hillgrove wrestler reacted too slowly to the takedown and did not manage to keep his shoulder off the mat. Miranda pinned him in 1:10 seconds, a key win for NC. Miranda, a vital wrestler for NC, showed the skills he gained from four years on the team.

“Every match is a life-changing experience, I may not be the best but I always put in the work to be better in my matches, once you get into the match its either fight or lose, I felt prepared for my match but the wrestler was a good competitor and that made me nervous, but I brought my best and that’s why I won,” Miranda said. 

NC sophomore Tyler Rogers, a promising wrestler for NC, wrestled in the weight class of 160 against Hillgrove. In the intense match, Rogers stayed in Hillgrove’s tight lock for the majority of the fight. Rogers struggled to escape, yet in the first period, he managed to push Hillgrove off his back. Hillgrove’s wrestler, in an attempt to keep his lock on Rogers, injured his finger taking a 12 second injury time. In the third period of the match, Rogers took a shot at Hillgrove and only stayed on top for a couple of seconds until Hillgrove reversed. Hillgrove then placed a tight lock around Rogers’ shoulder, although he appeared to struggle, he still persevered. The match showed NC’s dedication and passion for the sport, even with this loss Rogers showed true skill on the mat.

“I tried to use my strategy of using his weakness against him, it was difficult to find at first and I struggled a lot, I eventually lost but I gave it my all,” said sophomore Tyler Rogers. 

The NC wrestling team showcased their dedication and improved skills during their matches as they faced major teams in the state. The wrestlers’ work does not end here as they continue to improve throughout the season in hopes for a spot at state this year.

“I don’t know if we will make it to state or not, that is ultimately our goal. Last night told me that our young players have become experienced and better, and we are headed in the right direction,” Coach Jeffrey Bettis said.