Injuries. Diversity. Seniors leaving. It hasn’t been a walk in the park for DePaul Prep’s wrestling team. This won’t make them even think about backing down from what is coming up. With regionals approaching on this resilient squad, will Coach Patrick Heffernan and his strongly prepared athletes be able to seal the deal? Let’s take a deeper dive at what is coming next for this team.

Nate Miller, an up and coming sophomore star for this team, explained how he and his fellow sophomore teammates have to fill a bigger role this year. With more than ten seniors leaving for college, Miller and his peers have succeeded all season with guiding freshman wrestlers to carry victorious names. Not only has this team shown what they can do on the mat, but they are forming bonds like no other off of the mat. Miller has glorified how well his team has bonded this season and emphasized the importance of teammate bonding when it comes to being a powerful, fearless team.

Heffernan’s remarkable 14 year career started with eight guys who had a vision. A vision to expand this program into what at one point was the seventh best wrestling team in the state. Heffernan described the coaching staff as a strong, smart, group of experienced men. This staff strives to teach their wrestlers good habits that will stick with them throughout their lifetimes.

Part of where DePaul Preps success comes from is their strenuous, competitive practices. Heffernan and the rest of the staff understand and acknowledge that wrestling is a mentally draining sport that causes wrestlers to lose confidence. DePaul Prep combats this by allowing much room for improvement, putting the wrestlers into positions and drills that require them to be mentally tough, and focusing more on the process rather than the result.

Younger wrestlers at DePaul Prep have nothing but success and rewards waiting for them in the end. Sophomores such as Drew Sendre and Nico Trautman are both freaks of nature that plan to continue with their wrestling career. Their unexpected win to loss ratio was described as “unforeseen” which really illustrates the work that these tough men put into the offseason. From being bench warmer freshman to key players on the team within a year is an achievement that not all people can grasp and hang on to.

This team is not only looking scary, but they are looking hungry for the state championship that they deserve. Whether it is this year or in the years ahead, Heffernan plans to attain the team that he used to have five years ago. Watch out wrestlers. The Rams are coming for a title.