![Evelyn Fu (‘27), a Webb wrestler, grabs her opponent’s legs as the teams watch inattentively. As Evelyn scores 3 points for her takedown, the crowd erupts into cheers. “I want [the wrestlers] to lock into the present moment because the present moment is all we have,” said Rieanna Duncan, the girls’ head wrestling coach. The wrestling team won both schools in the tri-school meet with confidence, and both the coaches and athletes look forward to more matches in the future.](https://webbcanyonchronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Li-On-campus-sports-event-1200x900.jpg)
Under the bright gym lights, the atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as the wrestling team prepared to face Nuview Bridge Early College High School in their first home match of the season. The crowd, made up of students, families, and faculty, packed the bleachers, as the teams warmed up at the center of the gymnasium.
The wrestlers took to the mat for warm-ups, while the coaches offered last-minute advice, teammates drilled the moves once more.
For Nora Mu (‘27), a first-year wrestler, preparing for a match involves both mental and physical readiness.
“Before my matches I usually talk to returning wrestlers, because it is my first year,” Nora said. “I think positively and cheer on whoever’s before me.”
As the matches began, the gym came alive with a mix of cheers and yells. Each match demonstrated the wrestlers’ relentless efforts, blending strategy, strength, and endurance. Tychelle Moore Culpepper (‘27), a member of the audience, described her pleasant surprise at her first wrestling game
“I think it was a very aggressive match that requires a lot of endurance,” Tychelle said. “I was like ‘oh my gosh, how do they train to endure the physical activity?”
The 6-minute matches might sound easy but required athletes to acquire both strength and speed to wrestle smart.
The matches demonstrated hard-fought victories; others highlighted the challenges of the sport. For the team, setbacks such as close losses or fatigue were met with determination.
“It’s about attitude,” Alina Li (‘25) said. “Although I was hurt, I still enjoy the sport and support my teammates on the sidelines!”
The first home match against Nuview Bridge Early College High School and Pomona High School provided an exciting glimpse into what promises to be a season full of grit and growth. The wrestlers left everything on the mat, earning the admiration of the crowd and laying the foundation for future successes.
“I hope this season everyone can get to a space where they can step [onto the] mat being confident in themselves, find a style of wrestling that truly showcases who they are, and then live in the moment of the match,” Coach Rieanna Duncan said.
Although the wrestlers collected 2 wins that night, they will continue to further demonstrate their skill in future matches during the next home meet on December 18th.
![From making your morning latte to producing a hit song, Judcody Limon is a man of many talents. When not working at Webb, you can find him experimenting with beats and writing lyrics. "I'm feeling confident enough about [making music] to where I'm pushing out my own stuff as opposed to holding off until I feel good enough about it,” said Judcody Limon.](https://webbcanyonchronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jucody-my-goat.jpg)
![The Faro laser scanner is set up in the locker room of the gym as Webb students received a demonstration of how the scanner works. This scanning marks the first phase of the gym’s renovation. "I think there should be student voices involved [in the renovation] because although faculty see the gym, they don’t play on the gym floor as much as an athlete might,” Makayla Kays (‘28) said.](https://webbcanyonchronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Ma-gym-scanning-1200x900.jpeg)
