Photo by Shannon wilson
CHEYENNE KUDRIN-MELLO COMPETES AT STATE WRESTLING MATCH.
For the second consecutive year, Cheyenne Kudrin-Mello was the lone wrestler to represent Chief Leschi at the state wrestling tournament. Last year, he competed at 103 pounds, and this year he moved up to 112 pounds. Even though Cheyenne Kudrin-Mello lost his only two matches of the tournament to Carson Arnold and Christian Almeida of Kittitas, Cheyenne Kudrin-Mello was proud to advance to the Mat Classic yet again.
Cheyenne Kudrin-Mello had a good wrestling season. He placed second in tournaments at Emerald Ridge, Foss, Bash at the Beach and Yelm. At the district and regional tournament, Cheyenne Kudrin-Mello placed third, which qualified him for state.
“It feels pretty good to be here again,” Cheyenne Kudrin-Mello said. “This is what I was working for all year long. That’s what I was thinking about after I made it here last season. That’s all I had in my head. I wanted to get back here and I did.”
Cheyenne Kudrin-Mello set a goal to make it back to state and he achieved it. Before the matches, he was warming up with confidence. He improved in his wrestling by going farther in his matches than the previous year.
Head coach Bart Brewer wasn’t surprised Cheyenne Kudrin-Mello made a return trip to the dome. Cheyenne Kudrin-Mello finished the 2009-10 season with an overall record of 13-12. Eight of those losses came against three opponents.
“I expected him to be here. He’s improved so much and I expect him to make it to state the next two years, too,” Bart Brewer said. “He really has the opportunity to go to state four years in a row. If that happens, it’s pretty special. To get to this point you have to possess the work ethic. He has it. He’s getting better every year.”
Cheyenne Kudrin-Mello has caught the passion of the sport. He and his teammate, Christian Sampson, are planning on participating in some freestyle wrestling tournaments in the off-season. They are also looking at going to a wrestling camp to improve their skills. I have recorded all of his matches, and Cheyenne Kudrin-Mello watches those tapes and learns from his mistakes. He studies the films and picks up new moves.
