Manuel Veiga-Diaz, Natan Lailari, Teddy Rueckert and Mike Larcamp made up the George Mason
High School varsity wrestling contingent at the Group A state wrestling tournament held last Friday and Saturday in Salem, Va. and each spent the weekend battling the best in their respective weight classes.
“I miss it already,” said senior Manuel Veiga-Diaz, after receiving his medal for earning All State honors with a seventh-place finish in the 189-pound weight class.
“I hate to see it end,” he said. “It’s hard to comprehend that my high school career is over.”
Rueckert, a senior, also earned all state honors at the state tournament with a fourth-place finish at 152-pounds. He admitted to having mixed emotions.
“I really enjoyed this year,” Rueckert said, “and I can’t think of a better way to cap it off than being All State, but it’s time for me to get back on the soccer field and help us repeat as champions.”
Both he and Lailari, a fellow senior, were ready to put down their headgear and prepare to rejoin their soccer teammates, as the Mason soccer team gets ready to defend the state title it won last spring.
Mike Larcamp, who is a junior and wrestles at 285, said he couldn’t wait to get back on the mats, either.
When asked about his Mustangs’ performances, Head Coach Bryan Harris had nothing but praise for his group. “Both Lailari and Larcamp did all they could at the tournament and came up short. We congratulate them on getting to the state tournament. As to Rueckert and Veiga-Diaz, earning All State is certainly something to be proud of,” Harris said.
The Mustangs won’t take to the mats again till 3:45 p.m. sharp Monday, Nov. 15.
