The Bulldogs Bow to the Bombers - By Valerie Martinez
The Richland Lady Bombers were returning from a victory against the Kennewick Lions. The Lions felt the loss with a score of 54-26. All the hard work and hours and hours of lifting to get stronger, plus hours of practice, are finally paying off.
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| Photo: Metcalf Media (@metcalfmedia_ ) |
In addition to winning against the Lions, the Lady Bombers attended the Lioness tournament earlier this week. Out of the twenty-four teams, the girls placed third overall. The brave wrestlers deserve a shoutout for all their hard work.
The Bombers were ready to strike again at this next meet against the Hermiston Bulldogs. Last winter, the Hermiston and Richland High School girls' teams fought to the top. It was winning and winning from both sides over and over again. Who will take the victory? After several attacks from each side, the outcome was a tie. Hermiston and Richland High School tied for the MCC Champions.
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| Photo: Metcalf Media (@metcalfmedia_ ) |
This year, they were back at it again—a cold, dark evening at 7:00 p.m. The Lady Bombers were getting ready and warming up for their competition. The stands were overflowing with friends, family, and supporters. Many Richland High School alumni attended, cheered on the girls, and gave them the support they needed to dominate the Bulldogs.
After so many triumphs and failures, the end result of this meet was an overpowering 46-36, with the Bombers taking on the victory.
This year, the Richland girls' wrestling team gained around fifteen new athletes with both the varsity and junior varsity teams combined. This is very impressive, considering that wrestling is one of the most physically demanding sports among high school and college athletics.
In years to come, who knows if they can one day be undefeated? At this rate, it is highly possible.
Adam Orozco, the referee for the varsity matches, said, "Not only do I have to raise the winner's arm, I think it is amazing how, in the sport of wrestling, you still have to face your opponent whether you want to or not. Wrestling takes courage, power, and will to perform at this level. Wrestling also requires a lot of dedication to your mental and physical health. Whether you win or lose, you must shake your opponent's hand before and after to show your respect." Orozco states the important qualities that wrestling teaches an athlete, but one must demonstrate them on the mat.
Wrestling is a sport that is not only physically challenging but also mentally challenging. With support from the team, it builds a family away from home. The athletes encourage each other to never stop fighting and to push until they can't anymore. The sport motivates and requires discipline. Being disciplined is crucial in wrestling; it is important to be calm and think and analyze your next move. Wrestlers must watch their weight depending on their weight groups. Many wrestlers tend to fail in their first year mainly because they can't keep up with the strict diet. Players must lose or gain weight quickly to make their weigh-ins. After their weigh-ins, they must consistently eat the right foods to fuel their body for their competitions. All of this tolls on both your mental and physical health. "Lots of ideas go through my mind during a match. My first thought is, how can I get into a better position? I like to analyze my opponent and try to determine her next move. If I get into a bad position, I keep calm and continue encouraging myself to not give up.", says Kyndra Casias, senior Richland Bomber. Her teammates in the background cheering her on also play a significant role. "Swing around! Just breathe! Come on! Push! Yeah! You got this!" The support from the team is overpowering the voices in her head. The cheering drives the wrestler and adds to the excitement. All the Adrenaline keeps her up and capable of making a pin and winning her match. As you can see, wrestling is not a sport you can just attend practice and meets. It is mandatory to meet your weight goals while still practicing and performing at your peak. Kyndra Casias also says," My fitness outside of practice is still pretty intense, consisting of lots of 'strength training' at the gym for a couple hours. I also watch videos to learn different techniques and simple changes that I can implement to improve my performance."
This intense sport is a must-watch that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The next girls' varsity meet is the War of Roses in Portland, Oregon, on 12/9, with thirty-four teams competing.
