After a tireless season of weekly tournaments, restless practices, and frequent meets, the GBL Wrestling Team officially reached the end of their season after facing Malden Catholic on February 2nd for the team’s Senior Night. The turnout was hefty; friends and family of competitors on both teams filled the bleachers and cheered in support of the players, with the energy of the loved ones matching the output on the mat.
The team this year had many highlights, including breaking Malden’s meet record and making GBL history.
Salina Shresthra from Everett was the first to step out onto the mat, fighting for the 113-pound weight class. In her match, despite having a strong start, even getting three points, she was pinned, which resulted in a loss against the Malden Catholic wrestler. The loss did not discourage the team’s performance, however, and the matches continued with each wrestler being filled with determination.
Ryan Posada, also from Everett, fought for the 132-pound weight class. With a determined resolve, he fought a hard match, lasting all three periods, but he lost to his opponent by three points, with the outcome being “decision”, declaring whoever has the most points the winner after running out of time.
Captain David Parada from Malden’s match, fighting for the 144-pound weight class, was one of two forfeits that night, walking on with a smile as the referee lifted his arm up to declare him the automatic winner of the match.
Mateus Philype-Pereira from Everett, fighting for the 150-pound weight class, turned his outcome around. Fighting a difficult match, he was close to losing the fight, going into the second period. His opponent had the upper hand, scoring 7 points while Philype-Pereira had only one. He changed the tide by getting a pin on his opponent, securing his win.
Captain Angel Chinchilla from Everett fought a difficult yet playful round. Toying with his opponent, he had several chances to pin him, but instead waited for the right moment to get his desired outcome. With the match ending in 17-2, the 157-pound competitor won with a “tech fall”, getting the option to finish with a 14-point up or to finish the pin.
Sahelert Lemus from Chelsea fought for the 165-pound weight class and fought hard to get the outcome he wished. Lemus’ main goal was to pin his opponent, causing him to chase the pin with determination throughout the periods. Despite many attempts, he wasn’t able to get it in the first place. In the second period, he was able to pin his opponent, securing the win, ending in 6-0.
Omar Chouiki from Malden, similar to Lemus, sought a pin, leading to a longer round. His match for the 175-pound class lasted longer because he kept chasing a cradle; ultimately, in his second period, he caved and pinned his opponent with a “half-nelson”, driving his opponent’s shoulder to the mat. He walked off the match with a win, ending in 6-1.
Captain Joseph Alayane from Malden stepped onto the mat with a clear goal for his match. Fighting for the 190-pound weight class, he pinned his opponent in record time, taking 30 seconds to secure the win. Walking off the mat with a 3-0 win, there was one final match remaining for the night.
Captain Ismail Elbahlawan from Malden, fighting for the 215-pound weight class, fought a hard match—possibly one of the most anticipated ones of the night. Going against a wrestler ranked 12th in the state, Elbahlawan kept his composure and walked confidently on the mat. After fighting a hard match, he ultimately got tech-falled, only having one point by the end of his match.
Last but not least, the final senior competitor, Javi Lopez from Everett, won his match through the aforementioned forfeit from Malden Catholic. The heavyweight competitor left the mat with a smile, concluding the matches for that night, marking the end of the competition.
The night ended with a heartfelt ceremony, in which Head Coach Eli Gutentag announced each senior on the team, highlighting their strengths, contributions to the team, and their performance throughout their time on the team, handing a flower to each senior.
The team went on to compete for the final time in the den this season on February 14th, where they competed in and hosted sectionals, which allowed Elbahlawan and Lopez to qualify for wrestling’s state championships.
These seniors have left their mark on the mat, setting a precedent for the underclassmen to surpass their accomplishments and carry on the successful legacy that the team has created.
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