Senior Wrestlers Hit Milestone Mark

February 9, 2023

So far this season the North High Wrestling team has been on fire, with the girls’ team remaining undefeated during the season at 8-0 and the boys team sitting with a record of 7-1 with their only loss coming against an undefeated Bishop Carroll side. The girls tied for the GWAL City League championship with Kapaun Mt. Carmel and the boys finished second behind Bishop Carroll.

In addition, there are two wrestlers who have accomplished 100 career wins for North as of this season, those being seniors Larissa Garcia and Richard Shields. Even though both of these incredible athletes have accomplished this amazing milestone, they have different stories; with Shields starting his wrestling career at a young age and coming into high school with wrestling experience while Garcia came into high school with no wrestling experience and simply tried it for fun.

When speaking to Shields and Garcia they both stated that they were very happy about their 100th wins, with both of them looking to the state tournament at the end of the season to take home the win in each of their respective weight classes.

Garcia is currently a 2x state champion, with her first one coming in her sophomore year when she was wrestling in the 101 pound weight class and last year she won in the 109 pound weight class.

Although Shields has yet to win a state championship in the 113 pound weight class, he’s very determined to finish his senior season off with a championship in tow.

The head coach of the North wrestling program, Coach Quinton Burgess, said that “Richard and Larissa are proof of the progress of the program.”

He continued to talk about how since both Garcia and Shields have earned 100 wins completely at North they are great examples for the younger wrestlers. The last 100 career win wrestler that North had was the 2020 220 weight class state champion Jackson Stroud, but he only arrived at North his Junior year, so Larissa and Richard are the first 100 career win wrestlers with all North wins. Coach Burgess finished off by saying “they’re both a great influence for the younger generation to look up to and try to replicate.”