Cougar wrestling has stayed rather quiet in recent memory. In the past five seasons, not one wrestler has ever made it to the Masters tournament. This year, however, Senior Ron Mendoza has made history, becoming the only Cougar to make it onto the big stage.
For the past six years Ron had been working his hardest at increasing his abilities in the sport of wrestling, and now it looks like those long years are now finally ready to pay off. Dedicating all his successes to God, he will go to the Masters Tournament this Friday in hopes to prove to himself, God, and his family that he can compete at the highest level.
Wrestling requires tremendous discipline. Training and managing weight are tough on wrestler’s time. When you combine these two with managing and balancing school, one can only wonder how Mendoza does it. This week’s preparation has been tough on Ron. When asked how his coaches have been preparing him for this week, Medoza said, “They are helping me with my mistakes and how to fix them.”
Sadly, the wrestling season has ended for Ron’s teammates. One person, however, Senior Nick Mescardo has stayed on to help Ron prepare for his big day.
Ron has said, “I won’t let the students down. I will honor all the students at the high school.”
San Joaquin Delta Community College will host the tournament beginning Friday the 15th. Ron hopes to have as many people as possible there to support him. Best of luck to Ron as he gets on the mat one final time.