Junior Zoya Wexler has worked himself into statewide rankings as the wrestling season progressed. Currently, he is ranked 7th in the state, placing him among the top wrestlers in Maryland.
With numerous successful tournaments beginning the 2025-2026 season, Wexler placed first at the Knitemare Invitational on Dec. 5 and placed first again at the North Hagerstown Hub Cup on Jan. 9.
Rankings are determined by factors such as results from head-to-head competitions and are updated every week. Being ranked highly in the state has given Wexler a leg up in wrestling competitions, as he believes it makes his opponents more intimidated.
Although being ranked comes with its share of pressure, Wexler focuses on himself rather than his opponents, which helps him excel in his matches and alleviate pressure.
“I handle the pressure by not looking at brackets or the opponent I’m wrestling,” Wexler explained. “Not thinking hard about my matches makes it easier for me to perform.”
Wexler emphasized the importance of a strong relationship between coaches and players, as well as within the team.
“My coaches have talked me through matches, went over them, explained my mistakes and successes. Most importantly, they’re always there for me whether I get my hand raised or not,” he said. “Wrestling is hard, but being there for that person makes the difference.”
Despite being ranked highly in the state, Wexler is still motivated to achieve more.
“My goal for the rest of the season is to be at the top of the podium in the [Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association] state championships,” said Wexler.
Wexler was introduced to wrestling in 2018, when he did the sport for one year. He later solidified wrestling as his main sport when he was in 8th grade. Wexler’s brother, Shimma, was also a successful Poolesville wrestler, as well as his twin brother Asa.
“I was inspired to wrestle again by my dad and brother Shimma,” Wexler said. “I was pushed to try [wrestling] again and leave other sports behind.”
By taking wrestling seriously, Wexler used lessons he has learned in areas outside of the gym.
“One of the most important lessons I have learned from wrestling is that you can do all the right things, go to practice, eat well, extra workouts, watch film, and whatnot, but you can still fall short,” said Wexler. “You have to love what you do, [and] you have to believe.”
