For the fifth consecutive year, the South High wrestling team has taken the city title. With an impressive 13-3 record, all three losses occurred out of conference.

What has made South’s wrestling program so strong?  As Senior Captain Nathan Peterson puts it, “We have more kids…and better coaches.”  With a larger program under the guide of excellent coaches, Peterson thinks that the wrestling program will continue being the most competitive program in the conference.

“We do better because we have better coaches and a better work ethic,” agreed senior Ryan Mulloy.  Sophomore Elijah Ellison thinks “it starts with Coach Gao and Coach Morgan,” and that one of the biggest things that sets South’s team apart is this excellent coaching staff.

The season starts out extremely difficult to weed out the less committed athletes, according to Ellison.  “First thing they tell you is that soft kids quit,” he added.  The team starts the season by preparing physically and, towards the end, mostly working on attitude and preparing mentally, which is why Ellison thinks the team has been so successful.

In matches against suburban teams, South has gone 7-3, still a winning record. “We do alright, we’ve gotten a lot better,” Mulloy said.  While the matches are much closer, Peterson sees the program as a success in and out of conference matches as well.  “The matches are a lot closer, but we still come out on top,” said Peterson.

Peterson says the wrestling team is the largest in the city of Minneapolis and he thinks that the program will continue drawing recruits.  “I think a lot of Parkboard wrestlers take their first look at South,” said Peterson, and the presence of a strong program at South ultimately attracts many of these students to make South their final decision.  

According to Mulloy: “We’re doing very good.”