Girls:

As their season came to a close, six of La Quinta High’s girls’ wrestlers competed at CIF duals on Feb. 3. Jasmine Tessandore ‘20 scored a single leg takedown, qualifying for CIF championships on Feb. 8-9. Their Jan. 24 away match against Shadow Hills went accordingly, with everyone pushing through.

“We went out there, wrestled hard and fought well,” said Gloria Haro ‘21. “We mentally prepared by telling ourselves we could beat them.”

Although they didn’t win DVL, the team ended their season on a high note with their strong bond bringing them together to compete for more than just a “title.”

“My favorite part about wrestling was becoming part of a family,” said Haro. “It teaches you endurance and how to think fast in hard situations.”

Boys:

As DVL finals approach, La Quinta High’s boys’ wrestling team has rocketed their way through the season. Noel Magallanes ‘18 scored a double leg takedown, claiming the team victory during their Jan. 24 away match at Shadow Hills.

“We’re 4-11 in DVL and so is Palm Desert, so we’re co-league champs,” said Magallanes. “We have beat them already, so we are looking to be league champs.”

With the CIF duals nearing, Magallanes shared that running drills during practices are physically and mentally tough. “We prepare by always working hard when we run and when we practice,” he said. “No other team in the valley works as hard as us.”

Overall, the team has demonstrated strong growth throughout the season. “The matches have been tough but we are coming together,” said Grant Russell ‘19. “We are, for sure, going to be champs.”

Both Magallanes and Russell agreed that the team is on track to achieve their ultimate goal of winning DVL and CIF. “We’re one of the top teams in CIF,” said Magallanes. “We have a real shot at completing our goal and that’s to bring a CIF title back home.”

Due to publishing deadlines, the most recent match on Saturday, Feb. 10 at Palm Desert, will not be featured in this issue.