Facing the first match of the season, the girls’ wrestling team tackled Gateway away on Jan. 8. The team consists of two girls, Brigitte Malikakis and Layla Salamone, and their expert leaders, Coach Hass and Coach Dae. This match resulted in two wins for the Cypress girls due to weight forfeit. Each of these athletes have been working on and off of the mats, spending countless hours training and preparing. Although the team this year is small, they are twice as hardworking. 

This match also featured an exhibition match by Malikakis against Gateway senior Ilyana Sterett. It was a tough fight, but in the end Ilyana broke through and took the win. Malikakis said, “It was overall a really good experience. This is my first time competing in wrestling for the school, so I feel like it went well.” This year has simply been a warm up as the team rebuilds and trains for next season where they are sure to triumph. 

Recently, the girls supported the boys wrestling team at North Fort Myers High School. They attended the Red Knight Wrestling Tournament to cheer on their teammates on Jan. 11, sporting their Cypress pride. As they grow into the second semester, great things are expected of these girls. The district meets are right around the corner and throughout the rest of the season Cypress is sure to see success in their names at the upcoming district tournament.