For Penn High School Senior Leo Santigo, qualifying for the Indiana State Wrestling Championships was the culmination of years of hard work, sacrifice, and faith. The moment he secured his place at state was one he’ll never forget.
“It feels pretty exciting that I was able to qualify and finally hit that goal,” Santiago said. “Mainly just wanting that jacket and that I was able to do it with my friends, especially Malachi Evans. God bless me though it.”
The Road to State
Getting to this level required intense training and dedication. The journey was filled with early morning workouts, strict dieting, and hours of drilling on the mat.
“As much as the physical is very difficult, is’t like, it’s more of the training mentally,” he admitted. “I struggle with confidence and courage as a wrestler. And it’s been a struggle throughout the whole year, but it’s definitely improved throughout the whole year.”
As he stepped into the state tournament, his motivation was clear: his faith, his family, and his relentless drive to prove himself.
“My biggest motivation is being able to have an opportunity to glorify God in the best way possible, whether it’s talking to somebody or being able to get an interview,” he said. “Being able to speak about God in some way, shape or form. But just like giving glory to God is the best. That’s what motivating me to perform well”
Strengths and Strategy
His clubs, hands, and blocks are what he believes are his most prominent moves on the mat, Santiago relied on his strengths while preparing for the toughest matches of his career.
Going into state, he prepared mentally trying to avoid getting in his head.
“I struggle with confidence, and I think too much, and so I stray away from looking at the brackets or looking at things like, who am I going against.” he explains.
A Career to Remember
Looking back on his high school career, one moment stands out as the most memorable.
“Just qualifying for a state, but like, like seeing my teammates succeed. I wasn’t too worried about my success, but it was really joyful to see everybody.”
Leaving his friends will be hard but Santigo has made memories that he will cherish forever.
“My favorite memory was last year when I went to state, just to watch.
We were trying to go to hacienda, but we stopped at this place to help these people out and they gave us a free pizza. and it was super cool, and it was like an arcade, we got to help them move these tables and chairs when it was freezing outside, too. And that was one of the best memories ever.” Santiago expresses.
For younger wrestlers who dream of reaching the state championship, his advice is: focus on your mental game, perfect at least one move, and never lose faith.
Now, as he looks ahead to the future, whether in college wrestling or another path, he carries with him the lessons learned on the mat—resilience, perseverance, and faith. And with that, his impact on Penn wrestling will be felt for years to come.
