On Saturday, Feb. 22, the wrestling team sent seniors Lauren Aguilar and Andrew Jarrett, sophomore Julian Lee, and freshman Nora Scopazzi to represent Burlingame at the Central Coast Section (CCS) Masters tournament at Watsonville High School.
Aguilar, coming off a CCS Championship title last season, made history once again on Saturday — winning the tournament and advancing to the state championships for the second consecutive season, making her Burlingame’s first-ever two-time wrestling CCS champion. Winning all four of her matches in dominant fashion, Aguilar attributes her performance to her meticulous work ethic.
“When it comes to my preparation and my mindset, I’ve put in a lot of work over the past few years,” Aguilar said. “Just staying strong in my mindset helps me stay confident, and helps push me towards my wins.”
Jarrett, who qualified for states last season with a third-place finish at CCS Masters, advanced again this year, winning four of his five matches to end in fourth place in his weight class bracket. Although his performance was strong enough to put him through to state championships, Jarrett still believes he has room for improvement.
“Specifically, I could have been more patient, working the ties, and not giving up stupid positions,” Jarrett said. “Just got to tighten up the basics. I just wasn’t quite there yet, but coming to [state championships], I think I will be.”
Jarrett forfeited his semifinal match due to injury, keeping him from securing a third-place medal. However, according to Jarrett, the forfeit provided an opportunity for valuable rest. Since Jarrett was unable to compete in last year’s state championships due to injury—his primary goal this season, beyond anything on the mat, was to stay healthy ahead of this year’s event.
“I figured that I did punch my ticket to [the state championship], so I was figuring to stay healthy and not do any unneeded damage before [the championship],” Jarrett said.
Aguilar, who competed at the state championships last year, hopes to secure the state title in her final season at Burlingame. Although the championships come with immense pressure, Aguilar is not letting it get to her head.
“I am chasing the state title right now, that is the expectation I hold on myself, but I want to take it one match at a time and just win them one at a time,” Aguilar said. “Because it’s my senior year, I have no need to be nervous because it’s my last chance to prove to myself of my skills and my repertoire.”
Scopazzi and Lee, who both had successful seasons as underclassmen, fell short of qualification at CCS Masters. Even though they won’t be going to states this season, Scopazzi is excited to improve over her next three years in the program following her first appearance at the CCS playoffs.
“I feel like I could have done better, but I still have a lot of years to go,” Scopazzi said. “I just learned a lot, like what the bigger competition looks like, and what I need to focus on this summer and next year.”
