For two days, the commons, main gym and auxiliary gym of Green Hope were transformed into wrestling arenas. Schools from across the state compete in this two day event. On Friday, Dec. 6 and Saturday, Dec. 7, Green Hope’s men and women wrestling teams hosted their biggest tournament of the year: the Green Hope Grapple. The team put countless hours into practice and drilling for this massive event, and it paid off with some massive successes at the tournament.
Right before the event, the GH Falcon sat down with the coaches and players to get their opinions on the upcoming event. Gavin Lopez, a sophomore on the Green Hope wrestling team, discussed his predictions for the tournament.
Lopez is only in his second year with Green Hope, but he has been wrestling for close to 11 years in total. In 2023, Lopez placed 3rd in the Green Hope Grapple, an impressive feat for a freshman. When asked what preparation went into this upcoming tournament, Lopez stated, “We just put a lot of effort into practice, show up on time, and work hard. It’s all about communication and relationships with the team.” This hard work is what allows the wrestling team to see success throughout their season.
Lopez had big predictions when asked what results he hoped to see at the tournament. With his previous success, he clearly had high hopes for the upcoming tournament. He said, “I hope that as a team we win the tournament, and most of us win the tournament individually, myself included.” While keeping his own victories in mind, Lopez also thought of his team and hoped for everyone’s success.
The coaches also weighed in with their thoughts. Coach Brady Shulfer gave a brief overview of the team’s effort stating, “Over the past month, our team has been getting a lot better. I think we’ll have no problem taking home the tournament.” His opinion was on the same track as Gavin Lopez, highlighting the strength of the wrestling team.
Overall, the Green Hope teams put up a strong team performance, winning fourth overall. Some of the individual male wrestlers had incredible performances. Gavin Lopez lived up to his prediction, winning the tournament in the 190 pound weight class in a nerve-wracking, intense final match. Hutson Catullo got second place in the 132 weight class, Jack Barbour won third in 175 and James Bradley and Suhaas Kuppam both got fourth in 157 and 126, respectively.
The women wrestlers also had a great tournament. Emily Jenkins placed first in 107 with a hard-fought final match, and Laura Boyle and Sienna Drumgo both got second in the 120 and 114 weight classes, respectively. Aleena Rosenzweig placed third and Ariana Adlr got fourth, both in the 100 pound weight class.
The Green Hope Grapple was a massive success, highlighted by phenomenal performances from a number of wrestlers who have been working hard the whole season for this. The wrestling team hopes to continue their success with more victories in upcoming matches, showcasing their immense talent.
