The 2021-22 wrestling season isn’t over yet, and this year the team has brought itself back up after COVID got between last year’s season.

 Though the team has gone through its ups and downs, they seem to always pick themselves back up. Matthew Jens, a member of the varsity team, stated “We have a very young team. More than half the kids are all brand new to the sport, so as a team you gotta, you know, start from the bottom and rebuild everything as time passes.” Jens and his team have continued to work hard as the season goes on.  

The Grayslake Central wrestling team is still moving forward into different kinds of competition which leads members of the team to have their own goals during this time. “Personally, I think it’s going really well. You know, with the state series coming up, I’m ready to peak at the right time of the season and have a very successful regular season because last year COVID got in the way,” stated Jens.

Jen’s older brother, Joey Jens, was well known for the sports he played here at GCHS. He was also in varsity wrestling and was a state qualifier. Matthew Jens explained how his older brother’s success changed the way he felt about wrestling.  “It is tough because we both played football and both wrestled, so he always expected me to be in the same shoes as him. But we’re very different, so I kind of feel like I’m doing my own thing and we’re going different ways,” Jens explained.

Although wrestling is a competitive sport, the team has had fun along the way. Jens favorite memory of this year’s wrestling season was “going down to Springfield for a tournament and just hanging out with the team. We spent the night down there, with Coach Mezzetta and he always has a good time. So you know, it’s fun.”