Tension runs high while the wrestlers are at a stalemate in the third period. Sweat dripping down their faces, muscles shaking from the past two periods and their teammates motivating them to pin the other guy down.

There is a fight to stay off your back that requires technique and grace; a workout filled with explosive cardio and weights added on. Every bit of strength a wrestler puts into each match is counteracted by their opponent’s strength. Some may consider wrestling to be one of the toughest sports to compete in and it is a challenge only a few can take.

“Imagine lifting weights, but the weights are lifting you back,” senior Stanton Harris said. “You are trying to push, fight and pull, but it’s also pushing, fighting and pulling back.”

The 2016-2017 season started with duals and tournaments early in November, and these wrestlers have been training and practicing every morning from 7:30 to 9 since the season started. Harris and his teammates are competing for spots on varsity and preparing for District competition that will be held on Sat., Feb. 11.

“District is like a tournament,” senior Ari Haatanen said. “If you place top four, you qualify for Regionals, and at Regionals if you place top three, you qualify for State.”

Although Haatanen, Harris and other Wolves are a team, wrestling is an individual sport. It is only one person and their abilities and strengths against another solo person. The fight is won by pinning someone down on their back, but collecting points in the three periods is also be a way to end up with a victory.

“Stay off your back,” senior Andrew Jones said. “You can get points by taking people down, reversing, standing up and breaking away, or pinning people down.”

The Wolves are a team regardless of the individual component to the sport. Competing is solo; however practices are always a chance to help a teammate improve their skills. These wrestlers can be in all different weight classes or groups, and depending on the amount in each weight class, competition for that one varsity spot can be tough. These challenges occur almost weekly before each tournament.

“Everyone helps each other out during practices to make sure we’re getting better,” Haatanen said. “It’s not how good you are, it’s how much you’re willing to work for it.”

It is a different type of sport because the only equipment you have to win is your body. There is no ball, goal or racket.

“I think wrestling is the hardest workout ever,” Jones said. “You really do get a tough mentally and physically off of wrestling. That’s a valuable trait for myself that came out of my wrestling career.”

The wrestling team and their coach want more of their teammates to go to State this year, and have a final of first or second place in District. These seniors agree that this sport is about commitment and skill is a product of hard work and a personal drive to get better.

“My advice for others would be to stick with it,” Haatanen said. “Go to practice, put your all into it, listen to coach and do your best.”

Districts, Regionals and State occur the month of February in Allen. The members of the school’s varsity wrestling team promises that they embody the same blood-pumping competitiveness and excitement as other sports.

“It’s like fighting for your life really,” Haatanen said. “It’s like training for a fight to the death because no one will want give up.”