Category Archives: Wrestling

Winter Sports, Wrestling

Boys Wrestling Looks Forward to Growth in the Next Year

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By Kyra Ferguson

Wrestlers from Legend competed Feb. 15 in the regional competition in Colorado Springs to qualify for state. Senior Ty Mervin qualified, while senior Chris Enos, and sophomores Adam Aguilar and Kyle Stewart came close.

After qualifying at regionals, Mervin competed at state wrestling tournament at the Pepsi Center on Feb. 21, and while he didn’t place, Mervin did well.

“It went really well. I didn’t do as good, but it was an awesome experience. I’m glad I could do it.” Mervin said.

Coach Nick Rider was pleased with how his team performed this season.

“We have a really young team.” Rider said. “I anticipate that next year we’ll be pretty good, but in two years we’re going to be really good. Our league record improved, we calculate and look at things like total wins versus total losses, total takedowns versus total times we were taken down, and we gained at all the things we look at, which shows that what you’re doing is working.”

Mervin plans on continuing tournaments and joining a team in college.

With the approaching new season and summer training, Rider encourages interested students to take a look at wrestling.

“We have a real extensive summer program. We’ll go to five or six off-season camps and some of these kids will get upwards of 100 matches between now and the next season.” Rider said. “If you’re thinking about doing it, is you should come out for the summer and see if it’s something you want to do over school.”

Sports, Winter Sports, Wrestling

Wrestling Weight Class

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By Kyra Ferguson

Weight class 106, 113, 120, 126. Each time a dual or tournament approaches, wrestlers step on a scale to be divided into categories based on weight. For some wrestlers, staying in shape and eating healthy foods to meet a particular weight class is a year-long practice. For others, it can be a last minute binge and diet.

“You eat a lot of lean meats, chickens, turkeys, not a lot of heavy foods, not a lot of sugars, a lot of proteins. I just have to watch the food I eat,” said senior Ty Mervin. “This year I’m going 138. Last year I was 126.”

Mervin has been wrestling for four years, and learned to adapt healthier eating habits, rather than “cut” weight last minute.

Junior Baylor Frangella, however, aimed to change his diet to lose five pounds within a month before the season started.

“I didn’t have to, I just chose to,” Frangella said. “It’s not difficult, you just have to be dedicated to it.”

Frangella aimed to be in the same weight class he was in last year, 113, saying that he was aiming to be certified in the same weight class, “because I’ll probably be really successful at regionals” by doing so.

Practice and workouts are extensive for wrestlers, too. Wrestling practice is from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Most wrestlers, like Mervin, workout afterwards or in the morning, along with their daily practice.

“I do practice everyday, and I workout in the morning,” Mervin said.

Like Mervin, senior Colin Vazquez said that he doesn’t eat differently out of season than he does when wrestling, and practices regularly.

“I watch my weight a lot. I’m only four pounds overweight,” Vazquez said. “I’ll honestly just work harder to work off food. My mom’s really healthy.”

Vazquez said that he was on the scale everyday, out of season, monitoring his weight, and runs in the morning, as well as going to the gym after practice.

Sophomore Adam Aguilar, on the other hand, planned to lose ten pounds for the season just weeks before practice started.

“I was losing about ten pounds when I started,” Aguilar said. “You have to eat a strict diet, no junk food.”

Although some wrestlers aim to end up in a certain weight class by dieting and exercising, ultimately, it isn’t critical to their performance.

Sports, Wrestling

Brandon Champagne: A Leader on and off the Mat

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By Andy Sidel

Brandon Champagne, a senior, was deprived of the wish to make it to State one last time with his team. That didn’t keep him away from the Pepsi Center this past weekend. As he sat on the sidelines, wishing he could be in the middle of the Pepsi Center floor, he screamed and shouted for his wrestling teammates on the mat.

During his four-year wrestling career at Legend, Champagne wrestled Varsity and was one of the three Varsity captains each year. As a freshman, Champagne made it to State. As a sophomore, he was out for half of the season because of three serious concussions and has a scary memory gap from November to March of that year.

“Those three concussions could have killed me. That was a scary thought,” said Champagne.

His perseverance and passion, however, forced him to continue to wrestle.

During Legend’s wrestling match with Ponderosa in December, Champagne injured a rib. He continued to wrestle in pain. During the regional match Feb. 16 to qualify for state, wrestling in fourth place, Champagne re-injured the same rib.

Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) has a rule in which a wrestle-back is performed between fourth and fifth place finishers if they had not met previously in the regional tournament. If the fifth place wrestler challenges the fourth place wrestler, the fourth place wrestler must accept. Champagne was in this situation.

“Despite what the trainer said, I went out there and wrestled the fifth place guy and gave it my all. Even though I lost, I don’t have any regrets because I put it all out there,” Champagne said.

Champagne went to watch and cheer on his fellow teammates at the Pepsi Center on Feb. 21-23. Senior Colton Fries and freshman Caleb Strahan, both treasured Champagne’s company.

“I went up to State all three days to support my teammates and give them support. It was hard to not be wrestling but I was happy to be there and cheer them on,” added Champagne.

Champagne’s support of his teammates at State was just part of his deep commitment to the team. Before his own match, at regionals in particular, Champagne ensured that everybody else was prepared and mentally stable. According to Juan Aguilar, parent of freshman wrestler Adam Aguilar, Champagne cared about everyone else’s match before he even considered his own.

“I’ve helped coach Cimarron Middle School’s wrestling team as well as Legend’s junior wrestling team and I love to help others. I wanted to make sure that everyone was prepared for their matches and understood what was ahead. As for going to state, I was proud of everyone and wanted to cheer them on,” Champagne said.

Champagne has had four great years with Legend’s wrestling program. Through State, concussions, broken ribs, and his selfless acts, Brandon Champagne made a name and reputation for himself. He set the standard very high for the other wrestlers, but according to Champagne, they can take on the challenge. Players look up to Champagne and enjoy having him teach them things that they don’t know.

“Helping the other kids makes sure they know how to do things and helps us to remember certain things as well,” said Fries.

Champagne will attend Colorado State University in the Fall to study health and exercise science and will try a dual major in another undecided category. From there, he plans to go on to medical school. Champagne will either wrestle, coach youth wrestling, or get into martial arts. Most likely, according to Champagne, he will be coaching youth wrestling.

“I am disappointed that I didn’t make it to state, and it’s sad, but I went to support everyone else that did,” Champagne said. “I love being able to help them and support them. I hope they do just as well next year.”