Mount Baker’s Dylan Moa is returning for his senior season after qualifying for the Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association Mat Classic in the 1A 190-pound division. Moa and the Mountaineers are coming off a 10th-place finish at the Mat Classic with 45 team points.
“A lot of the guys who graduated come back and build us back up,” Moa said. “Since coach (Ron) Lepper stepped in, we are going to work harder than everyone else. We try to work as hard as we can, so we can be in better shape and mentally tougher than everyone else.”
Moa started wrestling in kindergarten but quit after a couple years. He returned to the sport in seventh grade and has been competing since then.
“Everybody told me the best football players are wrestlers,” Moa said. “Since football was my first love, I thought I should do wrestling to get in shape and build my character.”
Moa has learned about discipline, hard work and accountability through the sport of wrestling. As one of the seniors on the roster, he hopes he can step into a leadership role and build the future of the Mount Baker wrestling program.
When Moa is off the mat, he teaches the younger wrestlers, supports them and lightens the mood with jokes. On the mat, Moa tends to focus on his speed, athleticism and conditioning so he can defeat his opponents.
“I have always been athletic and quick,” Moa said. “I have been to state a couple of times and hope to return to state.”
Moa would like to wrestle in college once he graduates from Mount Baker, but it is not his priority. Instead, Moa is focusing on his passion for math and becoming either a structural or civil engineer.
Before he graduates, Moa is “excited to see what we got and see what we can do.”
Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
