Established in 2011 and coached by Daniel Ventura, the wrestling team is a relatively new arrival on the wrestling scene. Despite this, however, it has enjoyed a victorious season full of wins. With star members of the team already emerging, McNeil’s wrestling future has proved to look promising.
At the Vandegrift tournament, senior Kody Steele, sophomore James Yonker and freshman CJ Hernandez won first place in their weight classes. Sophomore Daniel Nguyen took second place.
At the Georgetown tournament, Nguyen and Hernandez again won first place, while Yonker and senior Corbin Long took third.
Steele also placed third at the State of Texas Wrestling Tournament San Antonio with 7 wins and 1 loss.
“I’m really proud of the team,” junior Katherine Bilanski said. “We did really well this season.”
In addition to Bilanski, Long, Steele, Nguyen, Yonker, and Hernandez, the team also includes sophomore Walter Bilanski and senior Abby Carine. They practiced every day after school in the Mat Room from 4:30 to 6 p.m., and all this time did not just contribute to the team’s wins; it also helped to create a friendly team atmosphere.
“I really liked the interaction and bonding along with the cardio and exercise,” Walter Bilanski said. “This was my first time wrestling, and it was a cool experience.”
