As founder of Ford motor company, Henry Ford, once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” The Xavier wrestling program is beginning the 2021-22 season after one of the programs’ most successful seasons in school history last year. The Saints had five wrestlers qualify for the state tournament in 2021: Ivan Thomas (X21), Ryan Volk (X21), Caelen Shannon (X21), Christian Stanek (X22) and Ronan Thomas (X24). With three of the five wrestlers that qualified for the state tournament graduating last year, the team is looking to rebuild back to where it was. One of the leaders on this years’ team is returning state qualifier, Christian Stanek. “It will be very difficult to rebuild this team to how it was last year, we’re dealing with a lot of beginner leveled wrestlers,” Stanek said. “My goals for me individually are to win a state championship. I’m motivated by the thought of losing, I hate losing and losing in the state semis the last 2 years I feel that motivated me even more.” Along with Stanek, Ronan Thomas is another returning wrestler who qualified for the state tournament last season. Ronan’s older brother, Ivan, graduated last year, he was among the senior class that were great role models for the underclassmen. “The seniors last year didn’t come to practice and meets to worry about themselves. They always went out of their way to make everyone in the room better. There was never a match in any meet or dual that the seniors weren’t there coaching us up,” Thomas said. With many seniors graduating, underclassmen on the junior varsity team will be expected to fill their spots. Junior, Caiden Tresnak, is excited for the challenge in competing with his teammates for those spots, but says the team is closer than ever before. “My favorite part of being on the team is making bonds with my teammates and just seeing everyone succeed after all the hard work they put in,” Tresnak said. “My goals are just to try and make varsity with a winning season, I will try my best to be my best everyday in practice and try to make my teammates better.” Come support the wrestling team in their tournament on December 11th at Mount Vernon High School.