Dec. 13, 2023
By Aiden Nguyen
Staff Writer
With the first meet of the season coming up on Dec. 16 at James Caldwell High School, the wrestlers and first-year Head Coach DeMarco are preparing to make the most of the season.
DeMarco, who spent the past six seasons as a volunteer staff member, is no stranger to high school sports. He was on the baseball, football and wrestling team when he was an LHS student from 2012-2016.
“My biggest support cast was always my coaches, and they really helped me not only in sports but in the classroom,” DeMarco said. “I always wanted to pass that on to other generations.”
DeMarco said his goal for the season is to have a full lineup.
“[There are] 14 different weight classes, and I want to have no gaps in there,” DeMarco said. “I want to [show the team] how you need to work for stuff, how you need to earn stuff and how not everything is given to you.”
“Wrestling is a very draining sport, and it’s very independent.”
DeMarco said wrestling requires mental toughness.
“It’s you and the voice inside your head,” DeMarco said. “If you can train your voice inside your head to keep telling you ‘go,’ you’ll be good.”
Like DeMarco, junior Abraham Martinez, who has been on the varsity team for three years, also said being mentally strong is important.
“If you aren’t right mentally, you’re not going to perform at your best physically,” Martinez said.
He said he is determined to do well this season so that he has no regrets.
“I expect the team to put their best effort on the mat and to not give up,” Martinez said.
Sophomore Aitana Lozano, who joined the varsity team last year, said even though she likes wrestling, being on the team comes with some downsides.
“Wrestling is a very draining sport, and it’s very independent,” Lozano said.
She said her teammates have good chemistry and the potential to have a winning streak.
“I would describe the team as family because throughout the season we became very close,” Lozano said. “I expect that the team [will be] successful and hopefully make it to states.”
