When junior Pedro Reis arrived, Friday, February 27th, at the Floyd Little Athletic Center mat to wrestle his opponent, a 165-pound middleweight, he didn’t feel scared or nervous; he felt determined and confident. What he didn’t know was that this would be the match that would land him a spot at the state opens, his first ever, and he would be representing Morgan as the only wrestler to make it. Reis has been wrestling since he was 14, and, as a junior, is making states for the first time. When his hand was raised, he knew that he had won and landed his spot at the state opens. “I was very surprised. I expected more people to make state opens, but I was very happy,” said Reis.
3 days later, the Morgan wrestling team went to the state opens to watch Reis wrestle. “It’s a very cool experience going there. I’ve been there for previous wrestlers in the past, and seeing him [Reis] go out there and try, it was a good feeling, because I’ve been wrestling with this kid for years. It’s good to see how well he has grown as a wrestler and the confidence he has gained,” said Jaidyn Hills, a senior on the wrestling team.
One special moment Reis remembered was arriving at the state opens and seeing everything there, as it was his first time there. When he arrived at the state opens building, he said he was more excited than nervous. “I think I was more excited, and I felt really privileged to be there, because I was able to go there for my friend, Julian Larabee, when he went to state opens. But I was really excited, a little nervous that I was the only one wrestling, but I was really excited,” said Reis.
Reis’s record for the state opens was 0 and 2, meaning he won 0 and lost 2. Reis’s record was 22-24 this season. A big win for Reis was against the wrestler from Saint Joseph, who was strong and his toughest opponent.
The training was also challenging for Reis. “It was pretty intense. I worked a lot with multiple different partners, lighter partners, heavier partners, people who were slower, who had more strength, or were quicker. It was pretty intense,” said Reis.
Reis’s opponents during wrestling practice have said that he is a very valiant and hard-working wrestler. Reis, according to Jaidyn, is labeled as a skilled wrestler with a funky-type wrestling style, pulling tricks that his opponents never expect. He’s a confident and aggressive competitor against other schools, and he has won many matches.
“I think the toughest opponent I’ve gone against to get to the opens was this one kid from Saint Joseph, he was my toughest opponent in that competition. Like, I really had to work hard to beat him in that competition,” said Reis.
Reis has also learned from his biggest challenges. His toughest match came in victory, when he faced off against a 170-pound wrestler at Saint Joseph High School. He won that match and was very happy with it, since the opponent was his toughest opponent yet.
Motivation is one of the key factors that help anyone keep pursuing a sport. Reis’s teammates cheered him on throughout his wrestling career. “They really did motivate me, especially during that match against St. Joseph. They were right beside me, just really motivating me,” said Reis.
Outside of wrestling, Reis is labeled as funny and respectful to everyone. “Pedro, outside of wrestling, he’s a very funny kid. He’s very respectful to people, the parents, the siblings, everyone. I love him to death, he’s a great kid,” said Jaidyn, who is also one of Reis’s greatest friends.
Reis plans on joining the wrestling team again for his final year as a senior and hopes to make state opens again for his second time. It will be hard work and will take a lot of effort. But in the end, it will all be worth it.
Reis hasn’t said if he is going to wrestle in college, but if he works the way he does now, he has a chance of playing at the collegiate level.
