Welcome to #TIGERTALK – a SweetwaterNOW exclusive series where Rock Springs High School Tigers inspire our community by telling their stories in their own words.
My name is Santiago Cruz, a 17-year-old senior at Rock Springs High School. I’m a dedicated student-athlete, competing in wrestling and football for 14 years each. These sports have shaped who I am.
Ever since I was young, football has been more than just a game for me; it became my passion and my first love. I remember being in the living room when I was about 4-5 years old, and I would be watching Odell Beckham Jr.’s football highlights. I would sit in front of the TV for hours, by myself, throwing the ball up to myself, practicing his famous 1 hand catch every day, and I feel this is where my love for football really took off.
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I remember my first little league football practice. It was unreal for me at the time; all I wanted to do was play football, and that’s what I was out there doing. My first year, I was just happy to be there and be on a football team. After that year ended, I wanted to start taking it more seriously. My second year of little league ball, I found myself being the backup running back for the team and getting a little playing time all year, and I knew I was better than the starter in front of me, so after the very bad year the team had, in walked in to my last year as a little league football player. When we started, I knew I was going to do great things for the team. I was one of the captains and started on all sides of the ball. My favorite side of the ball for sure was the running back position. I loved the physicality of having to run through traffic and the reward being daylight at the end of the smoke.
After this year ended, I was very happy with how I did, even if our record didn’t show, I felt I did my part for the team. I found myself crying and not ready for my last season to be over, and I remember bringing my pads to the announcer tower like everyone else, but it was different. I was told to hold on to my pads by the president of the league. In confusion, we went home, and that’s when my mother received a call saying I would be on the Little League All-Star team. This was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I didn’t play much on the team, but I was happy that I finally got noticed. I did make a few plays, and when I was in, I made sure that I gave everything I had! That year, we were fortunate enough to go compete in Vegas for the national Little League football championships. We ended up winning it and being national champions for our division. This was a feeling like no other, and I knew that going into jr high, we would have a good team, and I would have to work harder.
Now, going into my 7th-grade year, I had nothing but high expectations for our team, but I also had high expectations for myself. Starting the year, I switched positions and became a wide receiver and defensive back. I worked hard enough to be on the starting 7th-grade team for both WR and DB. I had made a handful of plays, nothing major, but just enough to make me happy with my year. That year, our team went undefeated and was one of the best Jr. High programs the school has ever seen. Going on to my 8th-grade year, I had even higher expectations and couldn’t wait to play again. When the season started, I worked hard to make sure I would play with the A team, and I knew I was at that level as some of my former teammates, but at the time I was having a hard time standing out, when the teams were announced I was told I would play A team and I would start as both WR and DB. This made me so happy, and as the season went on, I made all sorts of plays and we dominated every team… until the start of the valley team. We took our first loss in about 2 years. The team was down, but we finished the season with 1 loss, and I ended my junior high career a winner!
Being a tiny freshman in high school was very nerve-racking, but I knew the football season was coming up, and I had nothing else on my mind. Starting our freshman year, we were something else. Our team was running scouts against our second team varsity team and beating them; we knew we were good, and all of that translated to the field. I played DB and slot receiver. I started at both and did very well at both. This year was nothing short of history in the making, This team only lost to one team and that was star valley again, luckily they weren’t in our division and we were the first team to make it and win the Gideon bowl against sheridan, After winning that game we went into our sophomore year expecting the same, unfortunately we lost a few key parts of our team and we had a new head coach, it sucked cause our team had more potential then it was showing but we ended that year with a not so great record. And finally, in my Jr year, we had another new coach, Coach Kasey Bo Koepplin. At first, we didn’t know what to think of the coach, but we had a new coach, a new team, and a new year to go out and show everyone we could compete with the best. For me I worked as hard as I could but I failed to make the starting varsity team and was put on jv, this hurt because I knew I could do what the guys I grew up with were doing but I didn’t have enough to show, I played 2 JV games and balled out and got promoted and I sat and watched varsity for a few games, until I was given a shot, one of my teammates was injured and needed a replacement and Defensive Back and the first game I played I did great and through the 4-5 games I got to play, nothing stood out more than the game vs Sheridan, on the very first play I intercepted the ball against the defending state champs with very high caliber players on the team, this started a groove for the team and we held them to a 1 score game and was the first team to hold Sheridan in years. We did end up losing, but man, I did myself that game. I had 2 tackles for loss, 1 pick, multiple long-distance kick returns, and much more. At the end of the year, I was honored with all-state honorable mention Defensive back, but I wasn’t yet done and had one year to prove I could be great.
Senior year was loading, and in May, when captains were announced, I was one of the lucky individuals who got chosen to lead this team. Summer came, and I was in the weight room every day, getting field work every day, and becoming a better athlete every day. The season started, and we were picking our numbers and jerseys and all that jazz, and by some miracle, I was given the honor to wear number 1 for the team. This meant so much to me, and I knew I had to do everything in my power to lead this team and be one of the best on the team. The season started, and I was ready to go through our first 4 games. We lost 3 and won 1, sure, I was upset, but I had to keep moving for my guys. We then played all of our games leading up to East. We were 1-6 heading into a have to win to solidify a spot in the play offs, we were missing key players and we did end up losing that game, we were heartbroken but had to keep pushing because kelly was in the same spot we were in, all we had to do was beat Kelly Walsh to advance and play the Wyoming’s best team 52-0 team that only beat us by 1 score. There were obviously a ton of feelings heading into my senior night, but I had to set them aside and give my everything for potentially my last football game, and unfortunately, that would be my last football game of my career. Throughout my football career, I’ve had amazing coaches and amazing teammates, and I wanna give thanks to everyone who helped me throughout my career! Thanks to god and all of my family, especially my mom! Love you, Mom!
And to my wrestling career. I am also approaching my senior year of wrestling. Wrestling is definitely a love-hate relationship, and at times it’s hard, but I believe that sport is what has shaped me into the person I am today (And the people I surround myself with, of course). But wrestling started my love for sports and wanting to be the best. I remember being little in the room and getting to wrestle with other kids without being screamed at or getting in trouble for. I think that’s what I loved so much. When I was about 10 years old my little brother competed at the WAWA State Championship in Wyoming. This was my second time going to this tournament, and let’s just say I would leave on a high note. I wrestled 3 Styles from folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco. Now the tournament is a 3-day thing, and the first day I competed in freestyle and I won the bracket, therefore being a state champ in freestyle. It was impressive to win one style, but I wanted more. I wanted to win all 3 styles, and that is just what I did. I became a 3-style state champion in Wyoming. This started to light the spark in my interest in wrestling. I then went into my final year of competing at youth wrestling before I was in jr high. This year, I was very dominant. I had only lost 7-8 total matches in the year, and we were hitting tournament after tournament, I was getting better and preparing for my junior high season.
The junior high season was finally upon us. I was to wrestle 80 lbs that year, as I was still very small, and I was having a breakout season, only losing twice up until one weekend at a dirtbike race. I rode the indoor race that the event’s complex puts on, and was excited because I also love to ride dirtbikes! That weekend, I ended up breaking both my collarbones at the same time, therefore ending my 7th-grade jr high season. I was super upset, but I look forward to healing up and trying next year. 8th grade then rolled around. Now this year was very important to me, placing at our region tournament would mean you could go on to the section tournament, and placing top 3 at this tournament would mean you could go compete in the national Iowa tournament and be on team gold for winning sections, or 2nd and 3rd would be the brown team. I was doing myself the season, losing 1 time, and the most important day came, regionals, and it was nothing but good to me, I won regionals, and that would mean I could go compete to be on team Wyoming at sections. As we got to sections, I had a first-round bye, sending me to the first match of my day, which I won by tech, and went on to the quarterfinal match. I ended up winning that match by major decision in points and went on to the semi. All I had to do was win to guarantee me a spot on either team. And I did just that, I won, and that would mean I was immediately on the brown team. I did end up losing the finals match, but I was still stoked to be on the brown team. We got all our stuff to go to Iowa to compete, and left a few months later. I have never been in a place like that with that many kids wrestling. I ended up going 7-1 in Iowa and becoming an All-American. Now all that was left was for me to go to high school and compete at the same level.
My freshman year of highschool was very good as well. I was 14-2 going into the dual tournament in Colorodo for the weekend, and that following day we had wrestled 1 dual that I got a bye at because they had no weight for me, but then we wrestled the second team that did have a weight for, and since in was the lightest I would be going first. It was about the middle of the match and I was up 12-5, when I picked bottom in referee’s position I had felt my arm give out and a sharp pain, I tore a tendon that is referred to a baseball muscle tear. I was so sad because I could’ve won state my freshman year, but I was once again focused on the next football season and wrestling season. My sophomore year came about, and I was more focused than ever to be back on the podium, once again doing my thing. I had made regionals, and I actually ended up winning regionals, which was crazy to me, meaning I would have the number 1 seed at the state tournament. I was so hype for this and the tournament entered day 2 and I was already in the semi finals, I was losing this match but winning the match would mean I could go to the finals for state and have a shot at becoming a state champ, with 45 seconds left to go in the 3rd period I was down 5 and light dampened… until I grabbed a last second cradle and pinned my opponent in the final seconds, I was so ecstatic but had to lock in for the final match, safe to say i lost the finals last year and came home with 2nd place.
And finally, my junior year arrived, and this year was very mellow and calm, nothing too big, a couple finals matches in a few big tournaments, 6th at TOC, finalist at Thoman Jackman, and regional champ again, meaning I was a two time region champ heading into state, yet again the number 1 seed. I was beating everyone until my semi final match against a very good opponent, and I wanted to be back in the finals to get my get back from the previous year, this match was close only a 1 score match with me down and 30 seconds to go, with that he ended up getting me in a 2 nearfall count and I escaped making it a have to get 3 points option, I lost with 3 seconds left I watched my dream slip away once again. I placed 3rd at state last year, and this year I’m coming in full head and with one goal on my mind, and that is to win state. But I wanna thank everyone who has helped me on this journey to my success, and I will do nothing but pay it back to you! Thank you all!
Go Tigers!
— Santiago Cruz
