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Tuesday April 30, 2024
Gonzalez Leading Inexperienced Emerald Wrestlers

MANISTIQUE---The Manistique High School wrestling team is finding out what it takes to compete against the U.P.'s other teams during the first few weeks of the season.

The Emeralds are led by former state qualifier and collegiate wrestler Mat Gonzalez. He says the start of the season has been all about getting used to varsity wrestling.

"We're a young team, kind of inexperienced," Gonzalez said as his team wrestled in Bark River last Thursday. "In any week, in any match, it's kind of up in the air how we're going to do. We're just looking to progress and build for the future."

Gonzalez knows what it takes to wrestle at a high level. The 2013 Manistique High School graduate was a three-time state qualifier in high school, lettering all four years with the Emeralds.

After a brief stop at Luther College, Gonzalez transferred to Lakeland (Wis.) College, where he wrestled for two seasons.

Gonzalez is from a family full of wrestlers. His brothers Cole, Zavier, and Tanner were also talented high school wrestlers, with Tanner Gonzalez winning a MHSAA Division Four state championship two years ago for the Manistique Emeralds.

The Emeralds will have some growing pains this winter.

"We have one senior, and all the rest are all freshmen and sophomores," Gonzalez said. "Hopefully, we'll perform and react well to different circumstances. I think we have couple of kids with a lot of potential."

Gonzalez is especially excited with sophomores James Schroeder (125 pounds), Josiah Gilroy (135 pounds), and Ryan Korva (145 pounds).

"They all want to be great like my younger brother was," Gonzalez said. "They don't quite yet understand the sacrafice it takes, but they'll get there. That's what it's gonna take, a little sacrafice."

The Emeralds were able to have four boys wrestle against Bark River-Harris on Thursday, but Gwinn was able to put just one wrestler on the mat against the Emeralds in the other dual. Manistique won that match in a battle of forfeits.

The week before, Manistique competed at the Bridge Brawl in Rudyard, against the likes of Boyne City, Sault Ste. Marie, Munising, and Newberry. And this Friday, the Emeralds will wrestle at another big tournament against big schools and small, in Munising.







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