Wrestling is not a sport for the faint of heart. Requiring a spectacular combination of speed, strength and endurance in order to be competitive at any level of the sport.

  A high school wrestling match consists of three two minute periods for a total of a six minute match. During this match each wrestlers is attempting to score as many points as possible by the end of the match. Points are awarded in four categories: Takedown worth 2 points, escape worth one point, reversal worth two points and near fall worth either two or three points. Basically when a wrestler either establishes or escapes control they will be awarded points by the referee.

  The person with the most points by the end of the match wins, but sometimes a victory does not require a full six minutes. A wrestler can win a match by pinning their opponent.

  A pin is when a wrestler has their opponents shoulders held in contact with(pinned to) the ground. In high school a pin must be held for two seconds in order to win.

  At Broughton wrestling is a growing sport, and the team is quickly become an underrated threat at the state level. Last year the program found huge success sending four wrestlers to the state championship meet. Nick Valdespino, Nash Philbeck and Christian Hite all placed second in their weight class at the state meet. Kaleb Wright and Patrick Maxwell also qualified to compete at the meet.

  Valdespino, Philbeck, Hite and Maxwell were all in their senior season last year, so after the best seasons in program history this year has been one for a fresh start.

  “It’s a rebuilding year,” assistant coach Rickey Smith said.

  The caps suffered some tough losses as a team at the Greenhope Grapple and the Mathews Griffin Burt Memorial meet coming in 14th and 21st, but with a young team sights are set on the future.

  “Were looking to build up a team and a culture in the school,” junior Patrick Edmonston said.

  The team is very young this year with only four upperclassmen, two seniors and two juniors. The youth is a positive thing for the team because it indicates growth for the program. Last year there were only nine wrestlers on the team. This year there are twenty one, and most of these have two or three more years ahead of them in the program.

  The goal of this year has been to train the new wrestlers for success in future seasons rather than immediate success building fundamentals, learning basic moves and gaining experience.

  “There’s an old saying: every time you step foot on a mat you get better,” Smith said.

  Smith said the team would like to continue on this growth by having at least 50 wrestlers on the team. The coaches are looking to achieve this growth by recruiting and actively promoting awareness of the wrestling team in the school.

  New this year is an all girls wrestling league in north carolina. In the past the girls have wrestled with the guys. Girls will still be able to wrestle in the main league, but the new league will provide greater opportunities for success for female athletes. The three girls on the Broughton team recently attended an all girls tournament where they found tremendous success. They achieved two second places and a first place.

  “We would like to be the powerhouse for girls wrestling,” Smith said.

  The individual regional championships will take place on friday February eighth. Senior captain Kaleb Wright heads into the meet as one of the favorites as he will look to challenge for an individual state title in the 170 pound weight class this year. Coach smith said he has the skills to be a state champion but only time will tell.