The wrestling season for both boys and girls at Northwest concluded on Feb. 24th. At the state competition, there were a total of five boys and one girl competing.
None of the Northwest wrestlers placed at the tournament. At the end of the tournament, freshman Blake Berry totaled 190 points, senior Andrew Shahrokhi totaled 165 points, junior Carter Hughes totaled 144 points, junior Reid Saugstad totaled 138 points and senior Mikha’el Muldrow totaled 126. The school competitors consisted of freshman Blake Berry, junior Divya Subramoni, junior Reid Saugstad and Carter Hughes, and seniors Andrew Sharhrokhi and Mikha’el Mildrow.
For Sharhrokhi, it was his second time at state.
Although Sharhrokhi did not place, he said he performed better than he had in previous years and felt he improved.
“This year, I had expectations of going out there and competing and doing better than I did last year,” Sharhrokhi said. “I went from having a losing record at the beginning of the season to having a really good record at the end of the season,”.
With this season being Sharhrokhi’s last wrestling season at Northwest, he described its ending as feeling bittersweet.
“I feel sad [because] I know I’m not going to wrestle with my teammates again, or wrestle competitively again, but I know that next year I’ll see the juniors become seniors. I’m [going to] see them do big things, and I’m gonna see them do better,” Sharhrokhi said.
Divya Subramoni became the first girl in Northwest history to qualify for state for girls wrestling. She explained feeling excited about making it to state her first year as a wrestler.
“I think it’s pretty cool. I know it’s the first year we had a program but at first I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. But everyone like even the boys on the boys team were like that’s cool that you did on your first year, like that’s a big deal. ,” Subramoni said.
Subramoni said that wrestling was a great experience for her and she plans to return to the team next year as well.
“I just think it’s a really good outlet to get emotions out and like I’ve learned so much about like how the human body works and how to push yourself,” Subramoni said.
She also explained how encouraging everyone is during the season.
“The community is really good. Everyone’s really supportive because although it is an individual sport, there are team aspects to it. Everyone cheering each other on and the coach is so amazing and she’s taught me so much inside and outside of wrestling.
Subramoni’s coach, Anna-Maria Hernandez said Subramoni has made a big impact on the team.
“I think [Divya qualifying for state] is well deserved. And the fact that this was her very first year out wrestling just shows how amazing of an athlete that she is. And it gave her a little taste of it. So I know she’s hungry for more and to see how far she can go next year,” Hernandez said.
This was the girls’ wrestling team’s first season at NW. Hernandez said that she expects it to grow from here.
“I think that it’s something very exciting and rewarding for young ladies who haven’t had the opportunity to experience all the benefits of being in a combat-style sport. And I think it’s awesome that there’s been enough girls to come out this year to actually have a team established,” Hernandez said.
Overall, none of the Huskies placed at state this year. According to Subramoni, however, she will be back and hopes to place at state next year.
