Coaches: Matthew Acosta (head coach), Fernando Mora (assistant coach) 

Top Returning Players: Julien Galvan (10), Gavin Kim (12), Austin McCuen (10), Daniel Mora (11), Riken Ramos (11)

Top Newcomers: Jessalyn Doucet (9), Lincoln Freilich (9), Caleb Han (10), Ayden Paguyo (10), Albert Sandoval (10)

Last Season: The Sunny Hills wrestling team finished 4-0 in the Freeway League and won their first championship since 2007. The Lancers proved they belong in the tougher league through intense conditioning under Mora. Co-captain Galvan and the team’s dedication to pushing their limits paid off with the championship.

After moving up from the North Hills League to the Freeway League, the wrestling team aimed to prove its efficiency against tougher competition while pushing toward a CIF-SS qualification.

Galvan said the stark increase in difficulty raised expectations in the wrestling room and pushed everyone to improve.

“We need our team pushing it harder in the wrestling room and to stay dedicated to the sport,” Galvan said.

Mora said he focused on stricter practice habits and weight management to further prepare the team.

“I push the kids to their utmost limits to show them they can go farther than what they think they can,” Mora said.

Drawing from experience, the coach said conditioning would determine success in the new league.

“I’ve been there, done my own training, and I know that all I have to do is to get them to push themselves because of how hard this new league is,” Mora said.

Galvan said he continued last season’s intensity while helping teammates adjust and maintain healthy routines.

“I try to teach the new people a mentality that you’re going to dominate,” Galvan said. “The team needs to stay with a healthy diet and a healthy mind.”

The Lancers earned spots in the CIF-SS competition, demonstrating their ability to meet the demands of the Freeway League.

Mora said that hand control was important, as it got the team ahead of its opponents.

“We got stricter with tougher training since last year, but that is what it takes to compete at the new level,” he said.

Han said the greatest struggle during practices was mental preparation.

“It’s just another day, and I just have to push through,” Han said. “The techniques that coach goes over [are] what [make] us one step closer to victory, at least for me.”

As the season continued, other wrestlers echoed that balancing confidence with composure became just as important as physical training.

Senior Keira Suh, an athlete on the girls wrestling team, said trusting the work done in practice helped calm nerves when matches mattered most. 

“We’ve trained hard for this, so I try to believe in myself and my team when it’s time to compete,” Suh said.

Kim said he relied on a calmer approach as pressure increased throughout the season.

“I went through a lot of mental challenges regarding everything, but [I’ve] tried to stay calm,” Kim said.

Despite the difficulties of competing in a new and harder league, the wrestling team ultimately secured its place in CIF-SS through conditioning and dedication.

The Lancers will compete in their first CIF-SS match on Friday, Feb. 13, and Saturday, Feb. 14, at Moorpark High School.