Wrestling Senior Night Wraps Up Years Of Competition

Photo from Bella Alcaine | JFK Wrestling seniors are celebrated at their final home meet.

As the winter sports season comes to an end, wrestling, too, must close off its latest season for the 2025-2026 school year. During their final home game on January 27, the Kennedy Titans went up against the Logan High School Colts for a match that would serve as the MVAL League Championship.

For wrestling, every individual match contributes to the team score depending on the type of victory or loss. In a close back and forth struggle between the Titans and the Colts, both teams played until the very last match to determine the victor. However, at the end of the night, the Colts emerged victorious.

To honor the seniors that are now leaving the team, wrestling held its Senior Night at this final home game. Senior Night was in honor of the 10 senior wrestlers: Bella Alcaine, Haley Huynh, Derek Pereyda, Diego Villalobos, Hamza Labbaq, Jacob Parker, Jacob Dominguez, Jemario Muirhead, Abrahim Khokar, and Cameron Jackson.

As these seniors leave their team and high school behind, they reflect on their wrestling experience and their time on a high school team.

Diego Villalobos (12), one of the 10 seniors, described his first experience with wrestling his sophomore year, “I was pretty uncomfortable because I’d never done physical contact like that so it was weird and tiring for me. I wanted to quit but I pushed through it and started loving it instead.”

Ever since he chose to persevere his sophomore year, he continued to pursue the sport and has done it the three years since with no regrets.

He states, “I made great memories. Wrestling gives me something to do and have fun and work with teammates and on improving myself.”

Many of them commented on the mixed emotions that come with graduating from the team.

Bella Alcaine (12), another wrestler honored on senior night, states, “I’m sad that my high school folkstyle career is ending…but I’m looking forward to the upcoming freestyle season and my college wrestling journey as well.”

Alcaine will continue to participate in wrestling off season and into her future in college.

However, for the people that won’t continue with wrestling, the ending of the season is their final goodbye to the sport.

“I’m gonna miss it” states Jemario Muirhead, a graduating senior. “It feels bittersweet. I had lots of fun these last two seasons”

“…it feels like it went by so fast I wish I had more time” added teammate Haley Huynh (12).

Many of the seniors expressed how wrestling became a large part of its participants due to its high commitment nature.

“Wrestling is like a bridge. I’ve experienced so many new things and it’s taught me a lot” states Huynh.

“The sport gives me something to be proud of as I continue to work towards my goals, and it’s given me a lifelong community” explained Alcaine.

As experienced wrestlers leave the team and reflect on their own struggles throughout their time competing, they hope to offer valuable advice to beginners, underclassmen, or anyone interested in participating in the sport.

A significant part of building community and a team is listening to and applying the words others have to offer.

“It’s always going to be tough at first, and you’ll lose matches, but just keep going at it and keep pushing yourself and you’ll see progress with not just wrestling but in everything” remarked Villalobos.

“It’s all about commitment and repetition, train that one move over and over again, that’s the key. If you want to join, there should be nothing stopping you, try it out. Wrestling is the road to developing your mindset and many gains both muscular and other,” commented Muirhead.

“Have confidence in yourself. It really comes down to your mindset that can change the outcome of a match. And also, make the most out of your time because it goes by really fast,” concluded Huynh.