The wrestling team has an overall record of 14-7, including 4-3 in league competition. However, it has not been an easy road.

A team that began with eighty wrestlers has now dwindled to about fifteen due the intense dedication, discipline, and determination needed to succeed in this tough sport. The team has forfeited matches because there are no back-up wrestlers when someone gets sick or does not make weight.

Having a small team will especially hurt when the seniors graduate – the team is constantly rebuilding instead of reloading.

There are also several players who are ineligible this season because they could not handle the difficulty of balancing schoolwork and their love for the sport.

“Everyday, the players condition and train for three hours at school, then take a long bus ride home and do their homework, only to do it all over again the next morning,” said Coach Ernest Ciaccio, describing the intense dedication demanded of the Matmen.

The team’s determination is evident every Saturday, when the wrestlers wake up at 5:00 a.m. to participate in tournaments, not arriving home until 9:00 p.m. They also worked through the summer and fall to gain experience and fine-tune their skills.

“This year has been a huge improvement from last year,” said Ciaccio. “Several wrestlers medaled in individual tournaments.”

Although there have been only two City Champions from University High, three wrestlers deserve a title this year: sophomore Shkodran Kamberi, wrestling at 160 pounds, and seniors Tony Ralda (189) and David Yang (125). There are several other wrestlers who should place: sophomores Henson Chong, Henry Flores, and George Ramirez, and senior Reymundo Rosas.

Yang, a student with a competitive GPA and high SAT scores, has the opportunity to attend UCLA, UC Davis, Marshall, and Wilkes University. He has also received several scholarship offers. This scholar-athlete is so dedicated that, to maintain has weight, he runs six to twelve miles every day after practice. Even more impressive is that he has 2.7 percent body fat. As a result of his outstanding achievements, Yang will be featured in a Los Angeles Times article expected to be published in the next two weeks.

Tomorrow the Matmen will participate in the L.A. City Dual Meet Championship at Birmingham, and University High will host the L.A. City Championship the following week.