Photo by Reece Draney
Wrestling in the 157-pound weight class is senior Zach Thomas from Derby High School. Thomas has one goal this season, and that goal is to win state. For the team, Thomas and teammates have set the goal to place within the top three at state.
Overall, Thomas is looking forward to senior year and competing for one last season for the high school. The tournaments Thomas is most looking forward to are The Newton Tournament of Champions and of course The State Tournament.
To prepare for senior season, Thomas put in extra training. During the summer, Thomas went to Fargo to compete with some of the best in the country. Fargo holds the toughest Freestyle Greco tournament in the country. Thomas practiced over the summer in Freestyle and Greco Wrestling. This type of wrestling is done at the world level. In addition to wrestling training, Thomas lifted weights to build more muscle.
Thomas is proud to have placed at state as a junior, but this year, Thomas wants to surpass that by placing first. Another accomplishment Thomas is proud of is qualifying for Fargo for the second time during the summer months.
After graduation this coming spring, Thomas would like to compete at the collegiate level in wrestling but is undecided yet where to attend. In college, Thomas would like to work on getting a degree in biology. In the fall, Thomas also competes in football for the high school. This year, Derby’s football team made a strong run for state before losing in the semifinals.
