SNHS wrestlers Evan Burch, Carlos Mattinas, represent school, region, at provincial championship

Tim Brody - Editor

Two Sioux North High School wrestlers have proven themselves to be among the province’s elite, earning the opportunity to attend the OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) wrestling championship, which took place in Ottawa from March 6-8.
Grade 10 student Evan Burch and Grade 12 student Carlos Mattinas took on the province’s best, giving it their all.
Wrestling Coach Rob Sakamoto said making it to OFSAA is a huge accomplishment for Burch and Mattinas, both first year wrestlers, “It’s really amazing. It’s a really difficult, tough region (NWOSSA).”
“Every wrestler there has to be the top guy in his division, in his region. So, there’s no easy matches there whatsoever,” Sakamoto added.
“I’ve had wrestlers who tried for five years straight to try to earn a spot to get to OFSAA and these guys did it first year, that’s pretty awesome,” he commented.
Although Mattinas, competing in the 83kg weight class, lost both matches, Sakamoto said he proved he can wrestle with the best. “There was no match that you got run over by anybody,” Sakamoto said while talking to Mattinas.
Sakamoto shared, “We’re sitting there and there’s weigh ins and there’s 30 guys in line in front of a scale and they’re all warming up and trying to intimidate each other… after Carlos gets weighed in, I go, “hey Carlos, any tough guys in your weight class? And he looks up at me, “no.” That’s kind of Carlos’ mindset, it’s intimidating for most people, but he was kind of like, “no”.”
Burch, who competed in the 51kg weight class, won both matches on Day 1, advancing to Day 2 of the championship, where he was handed two losses.
“To have the opportunity to go to OFSAA is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Burch said, “Being able to make it out of such a tough region… is quite difficult.”
Mattinas will be graduating this year. Burch plans to be return to the wrestling program next year.
“That’s invaluable for sure. I’m actually really excited about next year as well, it’s a young team but we have some grade 9s and 10s and 11s this year that are going to be just killers next year,” Sakamoto shared.
Sakamoto said he is looking forward to an elementary wrestling program for students in grades 3-8 which will start up after the March Break, which Levi Melnichuk, a former wrestler in the program, will be spearheading.  
Mattinas and Burch will both be coaches in that program.
“They’re going to be giving back to the next generation of wrestlers, which is amazing,” Sakamoto concluded, “I love the idea of have mentor athletes and that’s what these guys are, they’re role models and that’s the way they carry themselves.”