Junior Mario Carini slammed his opponent on the mat, putting him on his back for a pin, winning his match and taking the number-one spot at the Doc Buchanan tournament on Jan 9 and 10. He reached one of the biggest goals by becoming number one in the county for the 175-pound weight class. According to Carini, the support he has received has helped him accomplish this milestone.
“My parents have always been there to support me throughout my career, though I give a lot of credit to my dad, especially, who had me start at 5-years-old,” Carini said.
Before wrestling, Carini participated in jujitsu at only 3-yearsold. After two years, he switched to wrestling and has been doing it for 13 years. His dedication in the wrestling room has not gone unnoticed. “Mario Carini is a great training partner, always staying on task and working hard,” junior Bailey Holman said.
Carini was able to compete with some of the best wrestlers in the nation. Mario Carnini is only a junior, and he’s ranked number one in the country for his weight class now. After the Doc B tournament, he beat the number 2 and 6 kids in the country at the tournament,” wrestling head coach John Meyers said. Carini felt the tournament was not all stressful.“It was super fun to go against the best competition in the country and showcase the work I’ve been putting in,” Carini said.
His main goal for finals was to just wrestle as he normally does, not letting the pressure get to him, and get revenge for his loss in the finals from the previous year. Carini’s success goes beyond just one tournament. His achievements include placing third at the Super 32 tournament, seventh at the U20 U.S. open, and winning a state championship. Carini still keeps pushing the bar higher and higher for himself. His next goal is to wrestle in the NCAAs. After High School. He committed to attending Virginia Tech, where he plans to compete for national and world titles. He believes that competing in big events like Doc B helps prove that he belongs with the best wrestlers in the country
