The Santa Fe High Wrestling team has earned a spot in the district championship, having beaten Sandia, Eldorado and Manzano high schools.

At the championship dual on Jan. 30, the Demons lost a close match against La Cueva, resulting in a score of 33-39. The match was filled with mixed emotions as the two teams battled it out, trading points between each other. “I was really proud of my team because we were down 24 points from forfeits,” said wrestler Isaiah Vargas, “and we almost came back to win the district duals.”

However, Isaiah explained, “District duals is just for bragging rights. The important thing is the district tournament, which qualifies us for state.”

More than 20 wrestlers, ranging from 106 to 245 pounds, will compete at the district tournament on Feb. 10 in Albuquerque.

Many have a passion for wrestling, which brings them back year after year to the sport.
Wrestler Miguel Padilla said, “I like wrestling because of the competition and to show who really wants it more.”

The team has competed in numerous tournaments, including the Jaguar Invitational, which they won by nearly 200 points; Conflict at Cleveland, where they finished in fourth place; and the Joe Vivian Classic, where they took fifth place.

The State Championship will be on Feb. 16 and 17 at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho.