Junior wrestler Ramil Islamov took fourth place in state championships over the weekend, the highest place ever achieved by a Baldwin wrestler.
Islamov is also on track to become the all-time win leader in Baldwin wrestling victories next season.
“It feels good that I broke a record for the school. Hopefully next year I can beat the record for the highest wins,” he said.
Senior Owen Klodowski also competed at state championships. It was Klodowski’s second year at states. Last year, he had been the first state qualifier from Baldwin since 2005.
This was the first time since 1983 that Baldwin had two wrestlers qualify for states.
“Guys like Keith Mincin, guys like Owen Klodowski, who’ve been with me since fourth grade, I’ve practiced with them my whole life. Those are my boys,” Islamov said.
This was a big year for the wrestling team. It was the first year since 2005 that the team made it to WPIAL playoffs.
Three Baldwin wrestlers reached 100 career victories this season: Mincin, Klodowski, and Islamov. Next year, Islamov has a chance to become the school’s all-time win leader with 111 victories.
Islamov emphasized the importance of not only practicing, but taking time to recover.
“I was practicing at least two times a day for like five days a week,” he said. “Just practicing a lot, just relaxing and recovering, really takes the victory.”
Islamov’s coaches and teammates helped him to achieve this success, he said.
“They’ve definitely made me so much better, as a wrestler and a person.”
He said that the secret to success is believing in yourself and believing that you belong.
“Just believe that you belong with the best in the state — in the country — and you would be surprised with how you’ll be able to do,” Islamov said.
