The SHS wrestling team is ramping up its efforts in preparation for the 2026 Sectional tournament, the first round of the post-season which begins Feb. 28. The boys will compete at St. Edward, while the girls will travel to Euclid. Only top finishers of each weight class will advance to Districts, meaning not every wrestler’s season will continue.
Head Coach Connor McMahon said that with months of training behind them, the Comets are honing their existing skills rather than focusing on new techniques, and practices look different during this time of year.
“As the year goes along, practice gets shorter but more intense,” McMahon said. ”So, the practices the last couple of weeks have been a lot harder.”
With learning new moves behind them, the focus has shifted to refinement.
“It’s not about learning new moves now,” McMahon said. “It’s about mastering what we know right now. Continuing to keep on going, making everything nice and crisp.”
This mindset has translated into results.
P.J. Tomazic leads the team with a 28-10 record, while Alihan Keldibayev follows closely with 27-10. Junior Nicholas Medow, has compiled an 18-5 record at a 78% win rate. Brandon Vinson (22-13) and Kellen Singleton (18-14) have also been key contributors as the post-season approaches.
Over the course of the season, McMahon said he’s seen major growth in his team.
“From the start of the year to now, I just think we’ve gotten tougher and more competitive in our matches,” McMahon said.
That toughness is something that the wrestlers feel in themselves, junior Shivakrishna Dhondi, a varsity wrestler said. Noting that the hard work is paying off.
“Honestly, I’m just crisping up what I already know I’m good at,” Dhondi said. “I know that when I wrestle well, I’m solid on my feet and can win the game of takedowns.”
The post-season stage is not new for many Comets. Last year, Carmello Kolb and Adom Sharpley qualified for the state tournament, setting a standard for the current team to match. In recent seasons, wrestlers such as Hank Wagner, Robert Bradely, Ellis Nickerson and Hamza Aslan have also made deep runs through the Sectional and District competitions.
Junior Nicholas Medow, captain of the wrestling team, is leading by example as the team intensifies its preparations.
“I am focusing on my conditioning and making sure I can wrestle to my fullest ability at sectionals,” Medow said.
Reflecting on a runner-up finish last year at Sectionals, Medow said that loss continues to drive him.
“My biggest motivation going into Sectionals is that I took second last year in a very close match and I use that to fuel myself to win this year,” Medow said.
