Birmingham competed in the 2024 L.A. City Wrestling Championships and were very successful. BCCHS had 26 section placers in total, 14 girls and 12 boys. Patriot wrestlers had 18 finalists, 10 girls, and 8 boys. Birmingham was awarded two MVP awards won by Avy Perez (11) and  Nikita Smatov (12). The boys’ team won the championship by 43 points which makes this the 6th City Championship title in a row (2018-2024).

The girls won by an incredible 165.5 points, which makes this their third City Championship title in a row. Patriot first-place finishers for the boys included: (106) Henry Aslikyan (10), (120) Arno Vardanyan (10), (132) Draven Lukata (12), (144) Greg Torosian (9), and (157) Nikita Smatov (12). BCCHS first-place finishers for the girls were (110) Avy Perez (11), (130) Monica Vasquez (11), (145) Adeladia Fernandez (11), and (155) Elizabeth Reyes (12).

Birmingham also competed in the CIF State Championships and finished successfully. Birmingham had a total of 14 state qualifiers, 9 girls and 5 boys. The wrestlers are Draven Lukata, Nikita Smatov, Savannah Sequiera, Keiry Mazariegos, Monica Vasquez, Greg Torosian, Diana Barone, Emma Reyes, Arno Vardanyan, Avy Perez, Henry Aslikyan, and Adeladia Fernandez. We had one state champion, Henry Aslikyan. Henry did not give up one takedown the entire tournament. He was seeded 6th and he was the real underdog of the tournament. He is now Birmingham’s first boys’ state wrestling champion. Congratulations to the Asilkyan family for a great season.

High school wrestling is a demanding and thrilling sport that excels in mere physical ability. Set within the competitive atmosphere of high school gyms, this intense form of one-on-one combat requires athletes to grapple not only with their opponents on the mat, but also with the challenges of weight management, intense training, and the pursuit of individual and team success.

As wrestlers step onto the mat, they embody the dedication and resilience of high school sports. Forging a unique path where the pursuit of victory is mixed with personal growth and a sense of companionship that extends far beyond the confines of the wrestling mat and room.

The team goes through multiple intense practices. I understand the personal struggle of the wrestling team and all the intense training that the team has to go through. I even also went through all the weight room training and the multiple hours of practice every day. Birmingham wrestling coach Jim Medeiros is a great coach who is always doing what it takes to make the team better. We practiced months before any school in the valley started to practice. He takes his time practicing with the freshmen who join the team and this is the main reason why Birmingham is the most successful team in the San Fernando Valley. They will continue to compete for city championships as long as the school stays with the coaching staff.

I interviewed Birmingham wrestlers and asked them a few questions about the team and the season. I asked Birmingham wrestler Jareth Saldivar (11) whether he thought the season was successful. He replied, “I think this season was great, we won city and state, and I always think winning city is the best thing we can achieve as a team.”

I also asked which newbie he helped and how he did. Saldivar said, “My newbie was Alexander Martinez (11) and he has been one of the best newbies. He has won the most out of all the 190-lb.  newbies and I am proud of him.”

I also asked him which Birmingham coach helped him the most and he stated, “The coach that has helped me develop the most was Coach Eio.” I finally asked him which returner had improved the most, and he said, “The returner that has improved the most was Angel Garcia (11), as he developed a lot on his defense and his offense.” I want to thank Jareth for allowing me to interview him and we wish him luck for next season.

To sum up, the Birmingham Community Charter High School wrestling season was an electrifying experience. A lot of ups and downs, but overall, the season was very successful. The Birmingham Wrestling Team is looking to build on this season and we will keep track of the team next year.