With another intense season coming to a close, the varsity wrestlers prepare for the journey to the state tournament.

All wrestlers are familiar with this part of the season, which is when the “grind” is in full swing.

The Bulldog wrestlers are 5-1 in dual meet matches, having their only loss handed to them by Brunswick. They have defeated Austintown Fitch, North Royalton, Cuyahoga Falls and Medina and outscored their opponents 267-146 in total team points.

In the Aurora Invitational, the wrestlers took second place overall.

At the Tuslaw Duals, the Bulldogs took second overall with three wrestlers who went undefeated on the weekend: senior Nick Planicka, junior Kyle Jenkins and sophomore Jared Tatgenhorst. Kiyal Izaldine was 8-1 at the tournament.

When the wrestlers traveled to Firestone for the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament, they finished 19 out of 44 teams. Three Bulldog wrestlers placed at this prestigious tournament: senior Nick Planicka took fifth, sophomore Joey Andrassy finished sixth and senior Anthony Valore won eighth.

At the wrestlers latest tournament, the NOC Tournament, they placed seventh out of the 18 teams competing. Five wrestlers placed top eight in the conference: Kyle Jenkins third, senior Justin George third, Joey Andrassy third, senior Ian Finegan sixth and Anthony Valore sixth.

“We did some good wrestling as a team and as individuals,” sophomore Joey Andrassy said, “but the season is not over. We have to do our best wrestling next weekend at sectionals to move onto districts and then states. It was a fun season but it will be better if we finish well.”

Senior Nick Planicka is finishing up his fourth year wrestling for the Bulldogs.

“I really enjoyed this season,” Planicka said. “It was really great being a senior and a leader on the team. It is a shame that I am not going to be able to wrestle with my teammates next year. On the bright side, the season is not over: we still have sectionals to work for. I believe that every member of this varsity line up can make it deep into the post-season tournaments.”