During his sophomore year, Mario Cierny’s wrestling season was cut short, and he was eager to hit the mat for his junior year season and only improve upon where he left off.
“Sophomore year I broke my ankle during my match and ended up having to get surgery, but I did pretty well my sophomore year with a record of 9-1. I think I’m doing well for coming back from an injury and I’ve gone to a trainer to get my condition and endurance back, while also working on improving my strength,” Cierny said.
This season Cierny is competing on the wrestling team as a varsity member in the 165 weight class. Cierny competed in the Mid-States Wrestling Classic which took place Dec. 27 through Dec. 28 in Whitewater, Wisconsin; a very competitive tournament.
“The Mid-States Classic is a big wrestling tournament that’s hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. There were 44 teams with a 32-man bracket per weight class… It was mostly a varsity type of tournament, so it’s very tough just a lot of competitiveness with multiple ranked teams from each state,” Cierny said.
DGS placed 12th out of an assortment of 44 teams competing.
Juniors Jonathan Harris and Kyran Lawson have been wrestling with Cierny since their freshmen year. Both Harris and Lawson believe that Cierny’s determination has been a contributing factor to his wrestling career throughout high school.
“He’s a great guy to have in the room because he always puts 100% of his effort and tries his hardest to be the best wrestler he can,” Lawson said.
Harris shares a similar belief.
“Mario is a really good wrestler because he’s very technical with his positions. One of the underrated parts of his wrestling style is that he never gives up, even when he is stuck in a very difficult position on the mat,” Harris said.
First-year head wrestling coach Zachary Holtzman praised Cierny as one of his star wrestlers having proven himself as a leader and someone who is looked up to by other members of the DGS wrestling program.
“Mario Cierny is more than just a wrestler, he is an individual of high character. His dedication and perseverance stand out. Mario has overcome some tough injuries as a sophomore and continues to take strides forward physically and technically. Like many of our other wrestlers, he has bought into the process of getting better and is willing to put in the work,” Holtzman said.
Cierny ended his season record of 15-17 with regionals.
