DONNA — Puffy eyes and bed head begins to fade as the Donna North high wrestlers begin to warm up in a gym at Donna North High School.
The Chiefs beat the sun every morning because many of the wrestlers are dual athletes with obligations in the afternoon. The Chiefs begin practice at 6:30 a.m., earlier in the season it is 5:30 a.m., but the season is nearly over.
The Chiefs head to Corpus Christi to compete in the District 15-5A wrestling meet Wednesday and Thursday at Corpus Christi Carroll High School. For some, the season could be over after this week. But for others, regionals and even state will keep their season alive.
“They have done pretty good at staying committed,” Donna North head wrestling coach Joseph Villanueva said.
The Chiefs wrestled in the six-teamed District 16-6A last season. District 15-5A is a 16-teamed district, a reminder that Villanueva has been giving his team all season, he said.
“Based on what we saw in district duals, every team has a kid in each weight class,” Villanueva said.
The Chiefs girls wrestling team is peaking at the right time. After winning the Grulla Gator Roll on Jan. 14, the girls followed it up with a second-place finish at the District 15-5A dual meet on Jan. 21, upsetting Corpus Christ Carroll in the semifinals.
The morning practices are paying off.
“It is tough, but it helps mentally get through the day,” Donna North senior Esmeralda Torres said. Torres, 18-6 on the season, was a regional qualifier in 2022, and played volleyball in the fall. “If I can get through this, I can get through anything,” she added.
Another regional hopeful is Izzet De la Cruz at 112 pounds. A cheerleader, as well as a powerlifter, De La Cruz is currently 17-8, and attributes her success to the coaching, she said.
“It is all about commitment this year,” De la Cruz said. “We really want to do good at districts to make it to regionals this year.”
The boys had a lighter team this year. Most duals the boys would only have around seven wrestlers, Villanueva said.
The Chiefs have a regional hopeful, and a state hopeful. Junior Javier Garcia wrestles at 215 pounds and has a 28-10 record. Senior Kevin Lira, an alternate at state in 2022, is 25-1.
Lira goes to track practice in the evening where he runs the 400-meter run and is the first leg on the mile relay. The senior likes the grind of individual sports, he said.
“I got to do the same thing as last year,” he said. “Not change much, just do the same thing that has worked, go hard every single practice.”
Garcia did not win a match in 2022, he said. Garcia played football in the fall, and in the evening takes part in track and powerlifting. The junior beat everyone he faced at the district duals.
“I feel like I really have a chance to get first or second at district,” he said.
The Chiefs is slated to wrestle against Corpus Christi schools: Carroll, Veterans Memorial, King, Miller, Moody, London and Ray.
Donna North is also facing Beeville Jones, Donna High, Edcouch-Elsa, Edinburg Vela, Harlingen South, Victoria East and West on Wednesday and Thursday at Carroll High School in Corpus Christi.