The West Fork girls wrestling team with a majority of underclassman filling this year’s roster was guided by two seniors who exemplified hard work and determination, Fernanda Ramirez and Preslee Dickman.
Fernanda Ramirez was a Class 1A regional champion and first time state qualifier (34-7) at 170.
Head Coach Onni Prestidge on Ramirez’s drive to improve and her achievement.
“I started this year giving all athletes a day off from weights, so they can sleep in a little bit. Fernanda refused to sleep in, she was there. That is the mindset, if you want to be great, if you want to be special, if you don’t want to be just another number, those are the things that you have to do and she did,” says Prestidge. “Big moments, her heart’s racing, there’s a thousand things going on in her head. She’s not one that goes out of her way so people hear her. That smile at the end of that match when she won, not because of what happened on the other side of the mat that prevented a wrestle back, a true second wrestle back, but the fact that she was able to punch her own ticket her way. That smile showed everything about who she is. It’s just a special moment for a kid that’s done everything right.”
At state, Ramirez reached the quarterfinals at 170 before bowing out in the second consolation round.
Preslee Dickman at 125 fought through an illness during the season that tried to keep her sidelined. Dickman worked hard in recovery, to compete in her final matches at the Class 1A regional state qualifying meet, and concluded the season at 13-4.
Prestidge on developing a winning mindset and wrestlers balancing multiple sports.
“It is a thing when you go through events through the year, you’ve pinned kids, you’ve beat kids and all it takes is one moment and the whole tide shifts. We talk about winning moments. These are the things that our girls, our young girls, have to make sure that they learn, observe and actually soak in. I know our girls are doing a hundred different things. Our girls are in track, our girls are in softball. I know that wrestling at West Fork is not a massive thing, I get it. These are the things, if you want to be great, that you have to do.”
The Warhawks are projected to return eight wrestlers next season. The top returners by record for the Warhawks include Josi Janssen (31-7) at 135 and 140, Jenny Ramirez (26-13) at 140 and 145 and Kaitlyn Burgin (16-9) at 155.
The Warhawks also went 10-9 in duals to conclude their third officially sanctioned season.
