The varsity wrestling team has been working hard, practicing and competing throughout these few months. The team has been able to come out on top, and they have been very proud of their accomplishments.  

On Jan. 7, the team hosted the Ed Driscoll Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament. They placed sixth out of the 16 teams in the tournament, beating 10 other teams. They went through different rounds of the championship and consolation rounds trying to advance to the highest place they could. 

At the end of the tournament, junior James Couch and sophomore Jason Shiring placed fifth overall. Making it to the third place round, senior Tanner Millward and junior Ryan Kredel both lost by a decision, making it a defeat for both. In the championship finals round, freshman ZeShawn Williams also lost by a decision with a score of 7-1. 

They practiced and looked back on the tournament and prepared for the 2023 South Side Beaver Quad on Jan. 11. Out of the four participating teams of Freedom, Ambridge, Blackhawk and South Side Beaver, Freedom came out on top with a score of 2-0, beating both South Side Beaver and Blackhawk. In the match against South Side, Freedom took the win with a score of 51-12. Sophomore Jordan Delon and senior Matthew Schultheis both had pins, giving the team six points each. Williams had won by a decision gaining the team three points. In the next round against Blackhawk, Freedom gained 63 points to Blackhawk’s six points. Schultheis and Millward, Kredel, sophomore Gavyn McCray, Shiring and Williams each pinned their opponents. Delon had also made a win through a decision, which gainedthree points for the team. Overall, the team placed first out of the four teams.

“The beginning of the season was going pretty rough. Our record wasn’t all that great to start things, but then we started to get back in the groove and we came back and won the section title. We have been wrestling well; we just have a few spots to fill, but once we do, we will be good,” Gavyn McCray said.

That next week, they continued preparing and practicing. Then, they took on Central Valley and Ambridge during the 2023 Central Valley Tri-Meet on Jan. 18. In round two of the tri-meet, the team went up against Ambridge and came out with a score of 72-6. Schultheis, Millward, Williams and Kredel both had gained pins earning the team a majority of the points. The rest of the points had come from the forfeits by the other team. They went on to round three of the meet, beating Central Valley by a close score of 48-30. The team was led by Schultheis, Millward, Trenton McCray, Kredel, Gavyn McCray and Williams, each gaining a pin for the team. Freedom secured the win and received first place for the meet.

After beating Central Valley and Ambridge, the team won the title for 2023 section champions. The team has been working hard, and has been preparing for upcoming matches. They have been working on coming out on top, and continue to rise up.