ROCK SPRINGS — From closing out matches to closing out class assignments, the Western Wyoming Community College wrestling team is solely focused on “closing out” everything in their control.

Head coach Art Castillo has built a successful program that’s based on the principle of winning. Winning on the mat, winning in the classroom and building winning qualities in his wrestlers have served as a foundation towards the ultimate goal of bringing back a national title.

As the season nears the Christmas break, the Mustangs are hopeful to continue their run for a national championship in 2020.

A Hot Start

This season, the team is on track to reach that ultimate goal come March. The brotherhood that has been created is different this year and according to the team captains, the team’s full potential hasn’t been reached. That’s good news for the Mustangs who have sat atop the NJCAA team rankings for the last few weeks, earning 85 points in the polls. In addition, the team has three first-ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes in Kyle Evans, Landon Brown and Tucker Tomlinson.

“We’ve barely even scratched the surface when it comes to potential that this team has,” Landon Brown said. “We’ve had some good competition so far and continue to have some some tough competition. I think it’ll help help us reach that potential.”

From the outside looking in, one might assume the Mustangs appear to be comfortable. However, the team has ignored any chance to coast as they have put themselves in “very uncomfortable” situations this season. Last week the team put in a total of around 40 hours on the bus and faced numerous NCAA teams in Reno, Nevada. Coach Castillo believes that putting his team in uncomfortable positions has helped them respond to adversity while at the same time keeping the team humble and ready for anything that may come their way. Now, it’s a matter of finishing the season strong.

“I just think it’s been a point of emphasis,” Castillo said. “I think it’s important in life to to finish strong and to finish what you started with the same enthusiasm, if not more enthusiasm.”

Looking to Improve

All five team captains for the Mustangs agreed that the team seeks improvement. Settling for the current product is not the solution.

Kedric Coonis mentioned that despite wrestling being a physically demanding sport, the mental aspects of wrestling is a major key to his and his teammates success.

“For me personally, it’s more on the mental aspect. I know I’m one of the most athletic kids in the nation. I feel like I have the cardio, I have the tools necessary to be a national champion. I just feel it’s a mentality thing I just got to continue to work on. I talk with Coach about that quite often and that’s the only thing that will hold me back from being a national champion. I feel like that goes for a couple of guys as well on the team,” Coonis said.

Not only will changing personal mentality play a role, but according to Anthony Herrera, the team also needs to narrow in on their goal even more and continue putting in the necessary work prior to the championships in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

“I think we just need continue what we’re doing,” Hererra said. “We’ve been working hard the whole year. But I think what’s going to make us improve is realizing what our goal is, which is a national championship and individual national champions. As a team and individuals, we need to start believing it and start seeing it, especially with it coming so soon. We’re already halfway through the season and it’s going to come even quicker this time. So I think we just got to realize what short amount of time we have and how crucial it is that we use it. I think everyone works hard and we just need continue to do it, but just be a little more mindful of what we’re doing.”

A Special Group

There’s a different feeling in this year’s locker room. Western has performed well throughout the first half of the year both on and off the mat. The team finished the Fall semester with a 3.34 GPA, the highest in the history of the program and sets up Western as a favorite to win a wrestling academics championship.

Perhaps what makes the Mustangs so special is their willingness to be special. Kyle Evans, one of the three top-ranked wrestlers for Western, pointed out the willingness of the team in every scenario.

“I think that one of the things that sets this team apart from last year is the willingness of the guys to compete for every point and just being a little tougher in situations especially when they’re on the mat. Not giving up points so easily and and fighting for every single one,” Evans said.

Tucker Tomlinson also added that last year’s young team has matured this year and has only added more potential to the possibilities of the team.

“I think maturity is a big one,” Tomlinson said. “I felt like last year we were a young team and and we had a lot of potential. But I think this year we definitely have a lot more potential than we did last year. The willingness to fight you can say is a lot higher than it was last year. Like the grind that everyone has is a lot more higher than it was last year.”

Taking on the Rival

The top ranked Mustangs are back home for a dual against Northwest Wyoming College on Wednesday, December 18 in Rushmore Gym. Western will face their arch rival in an attempt to finish out the first half of the season on a high note.

Northwest, who is currently ranked 11th, looks to spoil Western’s Christmas break. The Trappers come into the dual with some tough competition of their own.

“I’m looking to to just see how these guys can close things out. We’ve been talking about that. We’re going have some really competitive matches and and you know, it’s not going to be easy,” Castillo said.

“It’s been a rivalry since the two teams started competing with each other. And I think Northwest has a better team this year. They have some pretty tough kids. And that’s what I’m most excited about for us too. They think they have a shot. And it’d be nice to kind of show everyone that we’re number one in the nation,” Herrera said.

Western and Northwest are scheduled to begin matches at 6:00 p.m. at Rushmore Gym in Rock Springs.