On February 5th, Wilsonville’s wrestling team not only got a hard-fought victory but celebrated our senior wrestlers. Four seniors were there to interview and tell their stories.
Yahir Corona has the most years wrestling, wrestling for Wilsonville for four years and youth for two years in Salem. Yahir moved to Wilsonville the day before freshman year and grew bonds through wrestling.
Corona’s advice to freshmen starting wrestling or anyone new is to have a goal before the season. He reasoned a goal is necessary to make it through the season.
”Best thing you can do for yourself is to have a goal. Wrestling is hard and you will hit a point in the season where you question your want to be there so if you have that goal you have a purpose to keep working,”
After four years of wrestling his favorite memory was just recently after a great day at Milwaukee they bonded on the bus ride back blasting music and their own karaoke.
What’s a favorite memory for Corona, builds the team aspect to Geo Echevarria. Echevarria is another senior who’s wrestled for four years here at Wilsonville. He spoke about the challenge of bonding in a sport where you compete by your lonesome.
Echevarria says his biggest lesson from wrestling is learning to fight on your own and be in charge of your own success, but no matter what you have your coaches and team there to support.
However, the support and bond aren’t just given on the day of the match. The team needs to bond somehow and in a sport where you’re by yourself, it’s important to work extra to connect.
Corona’s memories of bus rides are what Geo states builds the team bond.
Spending hours on end together, going through the practices where you wonder why you ever joined, celebrating on the rides home or reflecting, you do it as a team and that’s what relates the players.
One senior who didn’t quite spend as much time together starting his junior year but still made his impact and bond with the team was Liv Ludwig. Ludwig started wrestling as a junior. Inspired by Abe Peykanu in orchestra, he tried a workout and fell in love with the sport.
Ludwig loved all aspects of the sport, his favorite memories being with his friends, and the lessons he’s learned. But what he’s most appreciative of getting from wrestling was the feeling of putting your all into something and accomplishment.
Our last senior had many of the same values, spending four years wrestling for Wilsonville, Charlie Middleton. Charlie comes from a wrestling family being the middle child of Wilsonville wrestlers between Sarah (2024 grad) and junior Connor.
Middleton was reluctant to wrestle being told by his football coach freshman year to participate but still spoke to Coach Milham. And over time Middleton found his calling.
Middleton has improved over the years become the beast on the mat he is now and preaches the discipline of the sport. He advises to never stop working and push yourself because the outcome will be worth the pain.
His best lesson over the years was different from the discipline theme he spoke of but valuable to any athlete,” You may fight on the mat alone but you work with your team and the people around you are essential to succeed,”.
Senior night isn’t just about the players but the parents too. It takes a village to raise a kid and getting one through high school athletics is no easy task. But to “Mama Middleton,” she takes pride.
Putting three kids into the Wilsonville program her love for the sport was contagious. It wasn’t the longest interview but she had me ready to go out onto the mat and fight myself. After listening to her reminisce on her children’s wins I think she should speak before this Super Bowl.
It takes sacrifice and determination to be a student athlete and each one has their individual story. And these seniors who have led their team and told their stories without a doubt left an impact. Ask Mama Middleton about any wrestling questions you might have!