Amador wrestling started as a small program, but through the influence of coaches and teammates, more students have developed a strong passion for the sport.
“I started wrestling through Coach Chubb being a football coach. That’s a head wrestling coach. And also, Andrew Johnson was one of my good friends in football, and he convinced me to join,” said Jayden Wood (‘25).
Building Strong Bonds
The connections wrestlers form with one another are special. Many have been teammates from the start, making their final match against their rivals a meaningful way to end the season.
“It’ll be really special, just because it’s a lot of these people that I’ve spent a lot of time with, and we’ve all grown together and learned a lot throughout high school together, so it should be exciting to finish out that race,” said Wood (‘25).
High Expectations for the Rivalry Match
Both Amador and Foothill wrestlers have high expectations for their dual match, aiming for a victory. While some wrestlers defeated their rivals last year, roster changes due to graduation or weight class shifts could affect this year’s results.
“I feel like last year, compared to this year, last year was a lot harder. I was wrestling someone older than me, a senior at that time, but it was a super fun match last year. But this year, going into it, I felt like I was out there going more dominant and more dominant wrestling,” said Foothill wrestler Grayson Duncan (‘25).
Preparing for the Big Match
Amador wrestlers have been training hard for this match, with the team and coaches studying Foothill’s strategies.
“We’re keeping track of how our kids are doing, how their kids are doing, what kind of matchups we like, you know, which kids of theirs that we think we can beat, which ones we’re gonna struggle against, and what we can do. So it takes a lot of work looking online and following tournament results to see what the best matchups are, and so we’re kind of preparing all season,” said Coach Travis Chubbs.
Learning from Mistakes
Although Amador secured a victory against Foothill, some wrestlers lost due to small mistakes. However, these losses serve as valuable learning experiences.
“I know some things I could’ve worked on in this match. So in practice, I’ll be able to work on that more and not have it happen in other matches,” said Mihika Jajaju (‘28).
A Night to Remember
Amador defeated the Foothill Falcons with a final score of 38-14. While it was a thrilling night for Amador, Foothill’s wrestlers remained proud of their team.
“Even win or loss, no matter what, they’re still my team. And I believe in them with all my heart. And no matter what, regardless of win or lose, they’re part of my team. At the end of the day, we’re all family now,” said Foothill student Obaid Malakzai (‘25).
