COLUMBUS — The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science wrestling team ended its inaugural season on the podium at the Mississippi Wrestling state championships last weekend, with Nina Weinstein taking home the gold.
Weinstein won first place in the 152-pound weight class, becoming the school’s first state champion in the sport in the team’s first year competing.
“I remember when I first got up from the mat it didn’t feel real,” Weinstein said after her victory. “I had injured my MCL earlier in the season, and for a while, I didn’t think I would be able to even finish the season. But when I saw my teammates and family cheering for me, and my coach had the biggest grin on his face, I knew that all the hours I spent training and conditioning were all worth it.”
Weinstein and teammates Shaw Prewitt, Jayden Wagner and Enoch Clardy already helped the school make history by qualifying in the top eight at the North Half competition. Weinstien battled through another four rounds of knockout round action at St. Martin, defeating North Pontotoc’s Ashley Montafour in the final match.
“My final match with Ashley was a full 3-period match,” Weinstein said of the final matchup. “I was definitely more nervous because the whole gymnasium was watching us, and there was just one mat instead of four. During the whole match, my coach’s previous instructions raced through my head. I was thinking about her posture, her moves, and moves she could be doing. There were definitely openings for cool, flashy moves I could do but I stuck with what I knew worked.”
Head coach Jerry Brauer only arrived at MSMS in January, but he’s seen the buy-in needed for a successful program.
“I wasn’t here when the program first started, but I was told that the initial group of wrestlers were so motivated that they had their first practices on the grass outside,” Brauer said. “We now have a practice room with limited equipment. But we worked with what we have and we make no excuses in this sport. The heart, desire, and passion for wrestling are what drives this team.”
Brauer, a former sheriff’s deputy, has 32 years of experience as a wrestler in his native Florida. He has a strong foundation to build the program at MSMS and is already thinking about next year in terms of establishing a booster club and expanding the roster.
Weinstein’s title is a great starting point for the team, and Brauer expressed his pride in her commitment to her craft as well as her commitment to learning and growing as an athlete under his tutelage.
“My initial response to Nina’s championship title was how proud I was that she accomplished what she set out to do, convincingly,” Brauer said. “Nina’s trust in me has been unwavering, and that speaks volumes. She did everything I asked her to do, both in practice and competition, and it’s paid off. Nina is the epitome of what this team represents: heart, drive, and a willingness to learn.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
