On Jan. 22, McLean’s senior wrestlers stepped onto the mat and prepared to pin their opponent, a familiar challenge that has accompanied them throughout their high school careers. The Senior Night district tri meet against Washington-Liberty and Marshall served to honor the accomplishments of graduating seniors on the teams and congratulate them on their future plans, kicking off with a ceremony acknowledging each senior athlete.

“I think the meet went really well—everyone wrestled really strongly,” junior Aarish Sharma said. “The seniors worked really hard throughout high school for this moment, so I’m really happy for them.”
Amid the action on the mats—the sweep singles, sprawling takedowns and proud cheers from supporters in the stands—was a reminder of the team’s progress and determination.

“We fell short in regionals last year, and the loss really stuck with everyone in the offseason,” junior Emil Ragimov said. “We came back this year with a vengeance, and it has really been showing up so far.”
Victories such as these have been a common theme for the defending district champions this year, boasting a 4-0 record in district matchups. They not only hope to repeat as district champions but to compete and win the state championships.
“[The team] has made some significant improvements,” junior manager Mahdi Kashani said. “This year and last year, the team was crazy good. I know the experiences that they [get are] very valuable.”

Every individual match was full of conviction and grit, the team’s perseverance and dedication leading them to demolish their opponents with an impressive 56-13 victory over Washington-Liberty. These skills gained from wrestling have allowed the student athletes to triumph both on the mat and in everyday life.

“Wrestling [teaches] discipline and resilience, to keep pushing through challenges and to not give up,” senior Billy Arslan said. “[Wrestling] has helped me with my schoolwork, having more discipline and not procrastinating.”

Though the seniors will be graduating this spring, the persevering and diligent example they have set for underclassmen will remain at McLean.

“I would tell [new wrestlers] that it’s a challenging sport, but if you stick with it, you’ll learn a lot,” senior Carlos Ordunez said. “[You’ll] learn things that you didn’t think you’d be able to do.”

Some seniors on the team intend to advance their wrestling careers in college and maybe even beyond, continuing to grow their athletic skills as they grow as people. While they begin to say their goodbyes, they can appreciate the resolve and companionship McLean wrestling has gifted them.

“[Wrestling] means a lot to me,” Ordunez said. “It has taught me so many things and given me my best friends.”