FALLON, Nev. – The Truckee Wrestling Club celebrated the culmination of their season at the USAW Nevada Folkstyle State Championships, where 24 dedicated wrestlers showcased their skills. This marked the twelfth and final event of the season for the club’s pre-K through 8th-grade athletes. Demonstrating the club’s evolution over seven years, the 2024 state championships stood out as a pinnacle moment, with four wrestlers earning individual titles and thirteen wrestlers securing top 6 placements.

“Truckee has had several top 6 place winners over the last six to seven years, but we’ve never had this many, and this year marks the first time that we ever crowned any champions in the folkstyle event, let alone multiple ones,” Aaron Svitana, Head Coach, said. 

Among the standout champions were Sammy Svitana, Zayde Mozrok, David Heil, and Kota Calhoun. Mozrok dominated the 6U 38-41 pound bracket with three consecutive falls, securing his first state title. He ended the season with a 20-11 record, leading the team with 16 falls. Heil clinched his title in the True Beginner 12U 84-87 pound division with a fall and a forfeit, concluding a rookie season highlighted by six falls. Calhoun’s journey to victory in the True Beginner 10U 80-87 pound division was fueled by four wins, including his first three falls of the season.

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Adding to his accolades, Sammy Svitana claimed his first Folkstyle title, complementing his Freestyle and Greco Roman titles from the previous year’s USAW State Championship. His victory in the Middle School Varsity 77-pound division was highlighted by a win in the championship finals. Despite a single loss earlier in the season, Svitana’s overall record of 28-1, with 11 falls, reinforced his dominance on the mat.

Several wrestlers secured runner-up positions, including Ace Pena, Shawn Holm, Johnny Bohnet, and Sam Brunk. Notable performances also came from Hunter Collinson, Emiliano Cortes, Kana Calhoun, Evan Mozrok, and Jake Pena, who earned bronze medals, while Dillon Torres, Maximiliano Cortez, Julianna Tenorio, and Jacob Svitana secured 4th place finishes, and Johnny Bohnet achieved 5th place in their respective categories.

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In the team standings, Truckee Wrestling Club claimed the 14th position out of 43 teams, an impressive feat considering their smaller roster compared to many competing teams. Coach Svitana attributed the club’s success to a surge in enrollment, with nearly 70 participants, including a dozen girls, many of whom came from diverse athletic backgrounds. The support from families, the broader Truckee community, and dedicated volunteer coaching staff were also crucial factors in the club’s achievements. 

“Most importantly, I must recognize the countless hours that our all-volunteer coaching staff provided for the development of kids through weekly practices and traveling all over northern Nevada and California for competitions.  Without Darin and Tyler Sheridan, Eljay Pena, Max Collinson, Franco Torres, Matt Mills, Dave Fichter and Steve Holm, none of what we accomplished to grow the sport of wrestling this year in Truckee/North Tahoe would have ever been possible,” Coach Svitana said.