Saturday January 11th, 2025, the Goffstown High School wrestling team headed up to Concord High School in an attempt to beat five other schools. As they headed there, they kept a mindset of confidence, aggression, and respect. The Goffstown wrestling team has a two-year undefeated title to uphold. They get through every meet and completion as a family with the desire to push. As the captains shake hands of the other team’s, the rest of the team gets pumped up for the fight, stretching and running in place.
At the matches, Goffstown receives the credit of wrestlers who didn’t show up on the other teams giving Goffstown the advantage. This didn’t affect Goffstown’s drive as they still fought for the top giving more of their all than the Wednesday before in the meet against Milford. In this meet Goffstown lost to two teams and won against three. “[It’s the] desire to push myself and a community of people who want the best for me,” says Elijah Aseltine, a junior at Goffstown High School.
The mindset of the team stands to be in Elijah’s eyes “the most important part” because getting in your head distracts one from what’s most important. It also distracts from the decisions a wrestler makes on the spot and remembering what was taught at the practices leading up to a match. One can’t let a match determine their strength; one must work harder and learn from it.
The point system of wrestling is 3 points if the person is on the ground, 1 from flipping the opponent, 2 if one gets close to a pin, and 4 points from winning the pin. Wrestlers must be open to trying new moves, but ideally, not while in a match. “[ Having] Confidence, ability, aggression, and respect,” Joshua Devriendt always says to his wrestlers is the key to success in a wrestling career.
Wrestling is about critiquing one’s weakest points and being able to do something on the spot. In this meet Goffstown lost their streak, but it will make them stronger not weaker as a team. Hopefully, with this loss. Goffstown could still claim some kind of victory, even if it is second place. One doesn’t always have to win to be successful.
