From the operating room to the top of the ranking, senior Mateo Garreffa, has come back stronger than ever after a football injury his sophomore year, which left him with a torn ACL and meniscus.
Garreffa has been wrestling for 13 years, following in his dad’s and family’s footsteps. “I have been wrestling since I was 5. My dad wrestled, my whole family wrestled,” said Garreffa.
Garreffa’s work over the last 13 years led him to place 4th at his senior state tournament, which is two places above the previous season.
“Football injuries have made it hard to wrestle. My knee went backward during a game and I tore my ACL and meniscus and that prohibited me from wrestling my sophomore year,” said Garreffa. This setback only pushed Garreffa to work harder and gave him the chance to push himself to be his best following the loss of a whole season.
His coaches also recognize his efforts. “Going from an injury, not even competing once as a sophomore, to being a two-time state qualifier and a two-time state placer, that doesn’t come easy,” said Coach Jeffrey Buck.
According to his coaches, one word comes to mind when they describe Garrefa: disciplined. “Every time he stood up and went on the mat, he wanted to win. He’s determined to be great, which he is,” said Buck.
Seth Bogulski agreed. “He’s gonna be disciplined, he’s gonna stick to the grind, he’s gonna be disciplined with his diet, he’ll make the weight, he’ll do the right things when it comes to being successful in wrestling,” said Bogulski. That discipline that the coaches see in Garreffa is part of what led him to place 4th at state this season.
Since the 2024-2025 season is Garreffa’s senior year, and last season wrestling, this season truly showcased his personality and drive. “[Wrestling] it’s not easy it’s not fun, there’s suffering that goes along with it and pushing Matty to those points where he’s going to break mentally and physically and then watching him overcome it is one of the best things that I could probably say that I witnessed,” said Coach Bogulski.
Garreffa’s wrestling career has led him to learn important lessons he can carry with him throughout the rest of his life. “The biggest lesson wrestling has taught me is hard work and determination,” said Garreffa.
These lessons taught Garreffa to embrace the challenges and take advantage of what you are given, “You can’t ask for a better kid, a hard-working kid, who cares about his teammates, and what we preach here at Cherokee Trail, that wrestling is all about family, he embodies that,” said Buck.
