The wrestling team participated in the Southern California Regional Dual Team Championships on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 9 a.m. at the Cerritos College Gymnasium.

The team felt good going into this tournament with a perfect record and no team had an answer to their perfect record.

Jesse Gomez said, “I felt really good, I felt like the team was well prepared. We had a long week of practice, we felt good and we just wrestled.”

With big tournaments like this one, the team had to do some preparations to be able to take on their competition.

Head coach Don Garriott explained how the team would prepare for the tournament and said, “Same way we do everyday. We get in here, work on technique, conditioning, and the fundamental aspect of it. Our training never ends. It’s more what the individual does outside of this room, whether it’s running on their own, watching their weight, that’s what’s going to make a difference.”

Not only does the coach have to do the training and work on the techniques with the wrestlers, but it is up to the wrestlers to maintain their weight and not go over weight or go under weight.

The wrestlers used everything they learned in practice and all their preparations to win their first match again West Hills College with a final score of 55-0.

That would lead the team to having very strong mindsets throughout the rest of the tournament.

The wrestlers then used their strength to carry them to another win against Cuesta College with a final score of 28-12.

With another win, that would mean that they are without a loss in the tournament, but little did the wrestlers know that in their next match, every point would count and would have to fight for the title.

Unfortunately, they had a heart-breaking two-point loss against Mt. San Antonio College with a final score of 23-21.

That was the wrestlers first loss of the season.

Coach Garriott said, “I felt like [they] wrestled really well on their feet, really good on their takedowns. I believe they got 75% of the takedowns in the matches.”

Not only did Coach Garriott think that there were some strengths, but the wrestlers did as well.

Gomez said, “I took down my opponent pretty easy, I was able to take him out, felt good and felt pretty strong.”

Despite their strengths, the team found some things that need improvement.

“We were not as good getting off bottom as we have been. Guys were riding us out a little bit longer than what we should have, which makes us a little bit more tired than they should have,” Coach Garriott said. “It makes us more tired when you fight off bottom and it tires you out so that is what we are going to focus on today,”

Dylan Clarke said, “I need to work on my shots and know that I can execute the right shots so it’s a mental thing as well.”

The team’s next meet is on Oct. 22 against the school that beat them, Mt. San Antonio College, at 7 p.m.