Led by a dominating senior lineup, the Panther wrestling team looks to prove
that they have what it takes to beat the toughest teams in the district. With
the season under way, the squad seeks guidance from their returning wrestlers
and hopes to be in the picture come post-season playoffs.
Head Coach David Soderholm believes his team has what it takes to be a top
contender in the district this year.
“We have a lot of returning wrestlers this year and believe that we can beat the
strong teams. We have to beat some great teams that are probably more
experienced, but I believe that this can be a successful season for us,”
Soderholm said.
The team includes key wrestlers such as seniors Juan Alonzo, Brett Philips and
sophomore Justin Cook. Alonzo and Phillips look to be the leaders of the team
and provide the confidence needed to win crucial matches.
“Alonzo is a crucial part of our team. He brings the spark that we need to be
successful. Every match and practice he fixes the little things that make him
better, and as a team we build off his inspiring effort,” sophomore Ricky Varela
said.
Expecting to improve on last year’s record of 23-4, the team is confident that
they can strive for an even better record this year.
Juan Alonzo believes that Soderholm is a big part of the team’s success and
expects to feed off his knowledge throughout his time at Palmetto.
“He is a very motivating coach and leads us into our matches feeling positive
and confident. As a team we build off the drive and commitment of our coaching
staff,” Alonzo said.
This year, the wrestling team is sporting a new look by having five girls on the
squad. With this new addition the team feels that the girls will be an asset to
the squad and only drive the team to greater victories. Many boys on the team
like the opportunity to play along side the girls and expect big things out of
them.
“The more the merrier, as long as we work hard together and stay focused as a
team, we love the new additions,” sophomore Miguel Cabrera said.
Being a part of the team is a great honor for the girls and they love the
opportunity to play this sport. The girls believe that this could revolutionize
the sport at the high school level.
“It’s really great, this will get more people out to watch the sport. As a girl
currently on the team, it’s amazing how far we’ve come over the past years. It’s
awesome that this year we have girls actually staying on the team and to be a
part of this is a great honor,” freshman Rebecca Soderholm said.
According to Cook, relying on the whole team instead of just the team leaders is
the way to obtain victory.
“If we practice and compete hard, the possibilities are endless for our squad.
If we do what we know best and remain focused throughout the entire season, we
can accomplish our goals,” Cook said.