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New Lothrop junior Steven Garza capped off a productive junior season by winning a state individual title, being part of a team championship, and finishing the season with a perfect record.
By DAVID COOK
After placing fifth as a sophomore last season, New Lothrop junior Steven Garza geared up for a big season this year.
Garza put the wraps on what was a storybook season, when he defeated Mason Lopinski of Hudson to win the 145-pound title at the Division 4 individual wrestling state finals.
Garza took a 4-2 lead at the end of the first period and added three more points in the final period to win the match.
With the win, Garza finished the season with a perfect 42-0 record. “This feels great,” he said. “Looking back on last season, it didn’t end the way I wanted it to. This season I came back and worked even harder.”
Garza faced a familiar foe in the finals, as he defeated Lopinski the week before in the team state finals. “Last week, I was wrestling for the team,” Garza said. “I was trying to get bonus points to help our team. This week, I was wrestling for myself. I didn’t have to try for bonus points, so I didn’t have to try anything crazy.”
Garza finished the year with the impressive trifecta of going undefeated, being part of a team state championship, and winning an individual state championship. “Winning the title by myself is nice,” Garza said, “but the team title was more important. We are all united like a family at the team state.”