The real work happens in the quiet, humid air of the practice room. It’s a world of functional movement with bear crawls, wheelbarrows and mat returns. But for seniors Alireza Dodangeh and Gavin Gross, this year wasn’t just another season; it was the final chapter of their high school journey, defined by their final moments.

“In wrestling, it’s just you versus someone else,” assistant coach Jake McIntyre said. “It either really builds people up to take ownership of their outcome or some people just crumble to it.”

Together, Dodangeh and Gross took on the state tournament Feb. 12–14 in Houston for the championship.

Ultimately, Dodangeh placed fifth in UIL-6A, taking home a medal for the wolves, with Gross falling close in the Blood Rounds. The journey to the UIL State Tournament began long before the bus pulled out of Plano for Gross.

“I used to think the state guys were superheroes in my eighth-grade year,” Gross said. “ When I walked into that arena, I felt the pressure once again, and I was ready to show my work ethic one final time.”

Dodangeh ended his season with a final record of 24-6, with him pinning an opponent who beat him in the first round. That character was tested at the UIL State Tournament. A veteran of the state floor, Dodangeh and Gross entered their final year with a calm focus that only comes with experience.

“I’ve been there before, and I was calmer than the last time because I wrestled there, and I just stayed focused and just took one match at a time,” Dodangeh said. “When I threw my blood round kid on his back, I knew it was wraps, and I knew I was a state placer.”

Senior Gabriel Verdin fell short in the regional tournament by one match, not allowing him to go to state as a wrestler, but more as a teammate and a partner.

While Dodangeh secures his podium spot, fellow senior Gross represented West in the Top 12. The duo spent the last season pushing one another to be better alonside their training partner, senior Gabriel Verdin.

For Verdin, the season was about the team they built.

“I never really thought I would do wrestling till freshman year,” Verdin said. “I just enjoyed being one of the faces of the sport I represented at West and really enjoyed being a part of the entire thing.”

With McIntyre a part of the program for the last two years, he has sent nearly a dozen athletes to state.

For the coaching staff, the big stage brings emotional challenges. “Wrestling is a sport of seconds,” assistant coach Luis Rolon said. “You can be the worst or the best wrestler in the world, but if you get caught or catch someone, the entire outcome can change.”

For Dodangeh, the podium was just the beginning of the end. Even as his time at West draws close, his eyes are on the biggest stage possible.

“I have a lot more accomplishments than just placing at state,” Dodangeh Said. “ My next goal is an Olympic title. As of right now, that’s what I’m looking for next.”

As the seniors look toward the future, the legacy they leave at Plano West walls is one of humility. And when younger wrestlers look back on the 2025-2026 season, Gross has one hope for them.

“Be better than me,” he said.