The Antioch varsity wrestling team traveled to Cary Grove on Saturday, December 9 for their quad meet against Cary Grove, Sycamore and Saint Charles East. Going into the meet, the team had high hopes of coming out with a victory.

“We’re all mentally prepared,” senior captain RJ Vazquez said. “Since I’m out for the meet, I helped my teammates warm up so they would have a bit more confidence going into the meet.”

The Sequoits started off strong going into the meet. The team had many pins from their members and came out on top against both Cary Grove and Sycamore High School.

A standout wrestler at the meet was sophomore Alex Barbarise who went 3-0 in the weight class of 113 pounds. One of those pins was against a state ranked wrestler.

According to junior Jackie Sistrunk, the nerves before every meet are horrendous, but focusing on what needs to be done and contributing to his team is what makes him better as a wrestler.

“I’m always nervous before I wrestle,” Sistrunk said. “I sometimes just psych myself out and then I have to gain the confidence I had before the meet back before I wrestle. Everytime I go out on the mat I know I’ve gotten just a little bit better and that’s what matters to me.”

Though the victories over Cary Grove and Sycamore gave the team confidence to dominate against Saint Charles East, the team fell short of defeating the Saints in the last round of the meet.

Overall, the Sequoits had a 2-1 record which ended up putting them in second place to the Saints.

Go support your Sequoit wrestlers as they compete at home on Friday, December 22 against Round Lake High School.