Chesterton High School’s 2020/21 wrestling team is a dedicated team previously sending 8 wrestlers to state in 2019 and ending with a state champion, Evan Bates. This year, Covid has shifted the season in a different direction and has caused more cancellations in tournaments and meets than in previous years. Despite the hardships, CHS’s wrestling team has an optimistic outlook on the future. Sectionals is a tournament that is approaching right around the corner on Saturday, January 30th in LaPorte, Indiana. 

At their previous meet against Valparaiso, Chesterton won 63 to 12. Next, they move on to sectionals on January 30th at LaPorte. Sectionals is a tournament against other teams who qualified to wrestle at sectionals. The road to state consists of sectionals, regionals, and semi-state. The teams and wrestlers that place at sectionals moves to regionals on February 6th in Crown Point. Regionals is a tournament that includes teams and wrestlers in our whole region, not just our duneland opponents. Next is semi-state February 13th in East Chicago; this is the tournament that determines who goes to state. State is a two-day tournament in Indianapolis on February 19th and 20th. 

Just recently our team had 8 wrestlers out due to Covid and contact tracing measures. The recent home game against LaPorte was canceled as a result. The wrestlers that are able to attend practice are working harder than ever for the upcoming tournaments. Each tournament is a week apart from each other which leaves the team with approximately 15 more practices before state.

Junior Luke Stento stated, “[Covid] has not really impacted the season until this past week. We only have 8 people in the room as of now, but we are still preparing for sectionals.”

Aside from Covid and the slight fallbacks our team has had, it looks to be very promising with a very strong and determined team.

Stento strongly stated, “I see a state championship. That has been our goal all year and we are fully capable of achieving it.” 

Last year we had 8 Chesterton wrestlers move on to the State tournament and Evan Bates placed first. State is merely 3 weeks away and the competition is high, however, our team is preparing and working hard to accomplish their team and personal goals within their short amount of time. This year we have a team full of determined wrestlers with goals to get the state championship. With canceled meets, tournaments, and setbacks from Covid, our team sees a state championship in their future.