Junior London Hudnall becomes girls wrestling captain her first year at Mac, encouraging team motivation, pride and self-reflection

Hudnall hopes for state shield the

Girls wrestling captain values leadership, self-motivation, pride, on the mat and off

The Shield: What’s your favorite part about wrestling?

London Hudnall: It’s like my escape. I consider myself to be a very nice person, and that’s my time to get out [my emotions]. I can release everything that I have on the inside. And the community is really great. Honestly, it seems like everyone might be scary, but everyone is really friendly and open.

TS: What kind of relationship do you have with your McCallum teammates?

LH: We’re a family. That’s what it feels like. That’s your home away from home, and it’s really nice to have that.

TS: How long have you been wrestling? LH: Since seventh grade, and I’m a junior now so I think like five or six years.

TS: How do people react when you tell them that you wrestle?

LH: A lot of people [are] really shocked. I feel like womens’ wrestling is really looked down upon in a way. It’s not seen as the same as men’s wrestling when we’re doing the exact same workouts [and] the exact same moves. A lot of people are like, “Oh, you’re a girl wrestler; that’s nothing.” They just see it as “You’re just going out there to cat-fight,” when it’s not. It’s a lot more intense than people like to believe that it is. But they’ll never know because they aren’t me, and they don’t go out there and do it themselves.

TS: How did you become girls wrestling captain during your first year here? LH: Well, last year, at my old school [Lubbock Monterey], I was the captain as well, as a sophomore, which was kind of a big deal because normally that role is for seniors or upperclassmen. Some people think that being captain means that you’re really awesome at what you do, or you’re the best at what you do, but I don’t think that’s the case. Being a captain shows that you’re a good leader and that you can work through your losses and work with your team and motivate them and motivate yourself. ... I wanted to help [my teammates] and be a leader to them and show them how to be better, not even on the mat, but just in general.

TS: What motivates you to do all that you do? LH: Mainly myself. I’ve always been very big on self-motivation. I have other support systems like my family and my friends and my teachers, but in the end, you only have yourself. I do these things because it makes me proud of me. It makes me proud of who I am. Pushing myself to go as far as I can will just bring self-happiness. I try to be as optimistic as I can.

TS: Do you have a favorite memory from this year? Or any memory in your wrestling career?

LH: Honestly, no. There [aren’t] too many things that really stand out to me, which may sound bad, but it’s like, in some ways I do and I don’t like to look back on the stuff I’ve done. I like to look back on the stuff that I’ve done wrong to help fix it. It’s like every match, you’re on a clean slate because not only are you getting better, but your opponent’s also getting better. You’re never going to wrestle the same match twice. So if anything, all of them have stood out because they’ve all been very different. But I did have a match a few tournaments ago where I went against [the] No. 5 [girl] in the state, but she has since been knocked down to No. 7 in the state. ... When I wrestled her, I think she was very surprised to get someone who actually challenged her and who she didn’t pin in like 30 seconds. I ended up going all three rounds with her, and she won only by a few points. So that was a really big moment for me because I could tell she was very frazzled by that when she normally isn’t. TS: How do you feel in the moment when you’re on the mat wrestling?

LH: There’s a lot of different emotions that I feel. And I guess that also depends on the match. Before my match, ... I get into a zone. When I’m warming up, I don’t talk to people. I get in my own head and then my own little world. You have to tell yourself, “Hey, you’ve got this. You just have to go out there and wrestle your match.” ... If you have that negative mindset, then you’re already defeated. I was guilty of that a long time ago, so now that’s what I try to combat when I warm up. I’m like, “Yes, you got this” and then in the middle of the match depending on how it’s going, that’s when I start to tell myself, “Keep on fighting. Keep on doing what you’re doing; you’re doing awesome London.” You have to also remember, that’s not going to be the last time that you see that person and you have a chance for redemption for yourself. Overall, though, yeah, “Wrestling is like a language, just with your body. It’s a physical art.”

—London Hudnall

SPORTS PROFILE: London Hudnall

I feel empowered and I feel motivated and very grateful that I’m there doing the sport and showing what I got.

TS: Have you ever suffered any injuries? LH: Yes, nothing serious that has completely taken me out, but I did. I had a pretty bad back injury in middle school. I was having to go to the chiropractor, like once or twice every week for over a few months’ span because my back was really, really hurt and my nerves were getting pinched really bad. Shoulder injuries are very, very common amongst wrestlers. I can’t even tell you how it happened. With all the fighting that you’re doing, your muscles start to wear out. So last year, we had to bring our own personal trainer with us, and they had to bring a whole electrotherapy kit to help my shoulders keep their strength. Even right now, it’s actually starting to kind of catch up to me again, like my shoulders are starting to feel a lot more sore than they should, and for a lot longer than they should. But if you want an interesting story, we did have a girl last year get paralyzed from the waist down. It can be a dangerous sport. Someone fell on her and she did something to her neck and then it pinched a nerve and did something to a nerve to where she could not move her legs. So, it’s scary, and I’ve

Junior London Hudnall (above) defeated Myah Alvear from Glenn High School, 6-2, at the district meet at Delco Event Center on Feb. 7. Photo by Elisha Scott. Hudnall poses outside the mat room in the field house (left). She placed second overall at the tournament, which qualified her for regionals back at Delco, on Feb. 14-15 . Photo by Dave Winter. seen people’s arms get broken and stuff like that. It can be intense, but me personally, no. TS: So, what makes it worth it? LH: For me, it’s just fun [and] I enjoy it. Wrestling is like a language, just with your body. It’s a physical art. It’s something that I can be satisfied with in myself. It’s something that I can look back on when I’m older and be like, “London, you were this really bad-ass wrestler.” The wins are awesome and then the [losses] are also awesome. The experiences make it worth it. The joy that I get from it is worth the fun [and] the knowledge [I’ve gained.] Everything makes it worth it.

TS: What are your plans? What are you hoping for the team for the rest of this year and maybe next year, as captain?

LH: I just want my team to be proud of themselves. I want them to see that they actually know what they’re doing. I want them to be proud of their work and what they have done, and I want them to make it as far as they hope to and want to. I truly believe that we have a very, very talented team this year. My hope for all of them is to go to regionals, but what’s most important to me is that they’re happy doing what they do, and they’re pleased with how they performed in their matches and throughout the whole entire year. I don’t want anyone leaving this season feeling disappointed in themselves or feeling like they could have done better. I want them to come into next season feeling motivated to get even further.

TS: Do you have any personal goals, like in your performance?

LH: I want to make it to state. That’s my biggest goal. I guess personally, I need to get more aggressive. I’m a pretty defensive wrestler. I’m good at getting reversals and stuff, but I’m usually not the one to make the first move. So that’s something that I want to try to get better at. Hopefully, in getting more aggressive, I can start to dominate more. And then hopefully make it to state because that’s been my goal the last two years and we still haven’t made it. So, that’s what we’re hoping for this year. That’s my goal.

—interview by Evelyn Griffin and Elisha Scott

Being a good teammate trumps all shield the

As senior year unfolds, veteran defender Jimmy Walker settles into a leadership role

The Shield: When did you start playing soccer? Jimmy Walker: I’ve been playing soccer as long as I can remember. Since kindergarten I’ve been playing on rec teams and stuff. Soccer has kind of always been a part of my life, and I’m interested to see what kind of place that soccer holds in my future.

TS: How long have you been playing for McCallum? JW: I made the McCallum team in my freshman year, and I played all four years, but I didn’t make varsity until my sophomore year.

TS: What position do you play? JW: I play right defense, but in our formations I work as a winger as well because I get to push up a lot and help attack.

TS: Your name was mentioned in an article published in the Statesman, in which they described you as a player who brings “speed and an offensive threat to the wings.” How did you work to ensure that you were a notable name on the varsity roster?

JW: I’ve been working hard and keeping a good attitude as long as I’ve been on the team. Soccer is something I have enjoyed for a long time now, and I’ve always been super dedicated to the team and it’s been an important part of my life for a long time now.

TS: How did seeing your name in that article make you feel?

JW: It felt really good. I feel like there are other players on the team who are more notable, but I was still really proud to be a part of it.

TS: What is your favorite memory from being on the team? JW: We had a tournament freshman year that we got to miss a day of school for, and me and my friends got to play and watch games all day, and just hang out. Last year, we headed to the third round of the playoffs, which was the farthest our team has made it in 20 years. We worked really hard last year, and it paid off, because we ended up doing really well and building a reputation for our team that hadn’t been achieved in such a long time.

TS: What have you provided the team that makes you unique as a player? JW: I’m quick, and I’m good at defending. Over the last three years, I’ve been working on my performance as an individual, as well as my performance as a team member. I can interact and kind of flow with my team members, which is a skill that takes a lot of work and a lot of practice. As a defender, I have a fast reaction time, and I’m able to back my teammates up and make sure everyone is where they’re supposed to be. Having that solid defense that you can trust and feel secure with is really important for a team, and I feel like I’ve definitely worked hard to provide that for us.

TS: Who’s your idol in the world of soccer? JW: My idol is probably Gareth Bale. He played as a defender, a similar position to what I play, and he kind of worked his way to being a forward. I really respect the way he plays and he plays a position I really like. He put his all into his career, and it paid off, which is really cool. He’s also from Wales, which is where I’m from as well.

TS: What the best part of playing soccer? SPORTS PROFILE: Jimmy Walker “We don’t have a lot of the superstar players that we had last year, but we have far more chemistry as a team”

—Jimmy Walker

SEASON OPENER: Senior defender Jimmy Walker shields the ball from an oncoming opposing player in the district opener against McCallum rival LB.J. “The game against L.B.J was a rough one,” Walker said. “We weren’t as well-organized as a team, and we didn’t handle the ball as well as we should have. But it was kind of eye-opening, learning experience for all of us and we figured out how to improve from it.” Photo by Ale Luera.

STARTING OFF WITH A BANG: Walker stands on the sideline during halftime and prepares to head back on the field during the Knights’ 2-1 loss at Lockhart on Jan. 28. In including Walker among his “players to watch” this season, Stateman sports reporter Thomas Jones wrote: “This starter on last year’s 5A regional quarterfinalist team brings speed and an offensive threat to the wings.” Since district play starter, the Knights have struggled earning two draws and suffering four losses. Despite these struggles, Walker is confident the team will turn its season around. The Knights battle Navarro on Saturday. Photo by Esme Moreno.

JW: I like that it’s a team sport, and that I get to play and bond with my friends. That’s always been an important part for me, and was actually one of the big reasons why I chose to play soccer initially. I’ve also always been good at it, and so playing with them, and being able to put the work in on the field has been really fun for me.

TS: Has being a senior changed your outlook on anything?

JW: I feel like being a senior has helped me start to be more of a role model for the younger kids, but honestly not much has changed because I’ve always tried to be helpful and hard-working during practice and in our games. So not a whole lot has changed now that I’m a senior, but it’s definitely provided me with some new insight.

TS: It’s your last soccer season at McCallum. Have you felt like this is a good season to end your career at McCallum yet?

JW: I’m feeling good about it. Our record hasn’t been as good as we’d hoped so far, but I have no doubt we’ll be coming back. I also really like the team that we’ve put together this year, and how everyone plays and interacts with each other. I’m really excited to see how the team performs this year and how we grow as a unit. We definitely lost some talent on the field last year with the graduating seniors, but we’re bringing our all to this season and improving with every game we play. TS: What are your plans for the future? Do you plan to play in college?

JW: The colleges I’m looking at don’t really have a division team, but most of them have club teams, so I’ll probably try out for a club team, see if I like the guys there, and the energy there, and see if that’s something I’d want to do. I haven’t decided on anything just yet. I’ve been looking at the University of Oregon and the University of Washington. TS: What are your goals for the season? JW: Our team hasn’t been doing as well as I’d hoped, so I want to turn that around. ... We don’t have a lot of the superstar players that we had last year, but we have far more chemistry as a team, and I’m pretty confident that we can get some wins this season because of that.

—interview by Cohen Johnson-Dye

shield the Knights sports round-up

Swim sets 10 school records at districts, 11 at regionals

Fresh off a historic district meet in which the team set 10 school records, the swim team did one better at regionals at College Station by setting 11. The McCallum Knights finished the region meet in sixth place out of the 21 teams competing. Two of the relay teams qualified for state: the team of junior Jack Hester, senior Cole Kershner, freshman Luke Gordon and junior Izak Zaplatar qualified in the 200-yard medley relay, and the team of Kershner, junior Kyle Larson, Alex Lynch and Zaplatar in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

The Knights also had multiple individuals qualify: Kershner in the 50-year freestyle, Zaplatar in the 100-yard breast, Zoe Lynch in the 200-yard IM and the 100-yard breast, and Alex Lynch in the 200-yard IM and 100-yard breast.

Two weekends before regionals, the swim team dominated at the District 20-5A meet on Jan. 18 at UT’s Lee and Joe Jamail swim center, setting 10 new McCallum records in the process, as well as winning district titles in six events, finishing second in five events and third in six. Coach Jeff Rudy told MacJournalism on Friday that he has never had so many strong relay teams in one calendar year.

Sophomore Zoe Lynch competes in the 200 IM in the District meet on Jan. 18. Lynch finished first in this race, setting a new McCallum record and beating her own personal best at the same time. Photo by Daniela Morrow.

As of the regional swim meet, McCallum has two swimmers ranked in the top 10 in our region: siblings Alex Lynch and Zoe Lynch. Alex is ranked third out of 88, and Zoe is ranked seventh out of 86. —Sarah Slaten

Girls basketball loses finale

The varsity girls basketball team hoped to complete a season sweep of the Navarro Vikings to end its 2019-2020 season, but it was not to be as the host Vikings avenged their earlier loss with a 38-35 home victory on Tuesday night.

Junior Abby Robison and sophomore Fayth Schumann led Knight scorers with 13 points. Robison also led the team in rebounds with 14.

The close game was reminiscent of the Knights’ Feb. 11 home victory over the Vikings earlier in the season. In that game, Schumann delivered a game-winning assist to teammate Natalie Suri who squared up and sank a jump shot with 20 seconds remaining to deliver the Knights a 33-31 victory. The Knight also defeated Northeast in district play, 45-43, on a late bucket by Abby Soto on Jan. 31. —Sarah Slaten

Sam, Takai sink Vikings, 66-31, on Senior Night

Senior Sam Werkenthin nails a 3-pointer over a Viking defender in the third quarter of the Knights’ home win on Tuesday. Photo by Dave Winter. Appropriately led by two seniors on Senior Night, the Knights routed Navarro on Tuesday, 66-31, to snap a threegame district losing streak.

Forward Takai Satberry and guard Sam Werkenthin led all scorers with 19 points apiece. Werkenthin closed the third quarter with eight straight points on a pair of identical 3-pointers and a slam dunk.

The Knights (5-7) face LBJ in their final home game of the season on Friday. —Sarah Slaten

During the Knights’ 4-1 loss to Travis last Friday at Nelson Field, sophomore Michael Alverson makes a run up the field. The Knights face Navarro on Saturday morning at Noack #1. Photo by Ale Luera.

Tigers tame Knights, 4-0

Coming off a 4-1 loss to Travis last Friday, the Knights hosted Dripping Springs at House Park on Tuesday. The varsity lost, 4-0. The varsity has four losses and two draws in its first six district games. The Knights hope to reverse course when they play Navarro Saturday morning at Noack.

In sub-varsity action on Tuesday, the JV-A team lost to Dripping Springs, 2-1, while the JV-B team earned a 1-1 draw. Goal scorers: Milo Froese for JV-A and Tomas Diago Leon for JV-B. —Sarah Slaten

Bowling tops in district play After losing the first two Baker games to Weiss on Friday Jan. 24 at Spare Time Lanes in Pflugerville, the boys bowling team was looking at its first district loss of the season, but the team rallied to win the third Baker game and had a chance to win the final one and the match if Bruno Cioci could roll a strike in the 10th frame. He did, and the Knights prevailed, 9-8, after a 142-126 final Baker game victory. Bowling matches begin with a round of two individual games and end with four Baker games, in which each bowler rolls one frame in frames 1-5 then again in frames 6-10. After a bye in the three-team district on Jan. 31 at Dart Bowl to get to 4-0 on the season, the Knights were back in action last Friday night at Spare Time Lanes against Pflugerville Co-op, whom they defeated, 14-3, on Jan. 17. In the Friday rematch, the Knights were not as fortunate. After falling being in the individual round, 6-1, the Knights split the Baker games but lost the two bonus points for total pins for a final score of 12-5. It was the first loss of the Austin

Knights fall to second place after loss at Dripping Springs Junior forward Avery Miller shoots during McCallum’s 3-1 victory over Crockett on Feb. 1. Photo by Caleb Melville.

In a rematch of 2019 co-district champions on Tuesday in Dripping Springs, the Lady Knights came up short, losing to the host Tigers, 2-0. The Tigers scored a first-half goal to take the lead and added an insurance goal in the second half.

“I think we played a good game,” sophomore centerback Lily Dickey said. “We got tired and didn’t mark tight enough in the middle. That let them get shots off. We have work to do to win the next one, but this loss gives us a bigger drive to win next time.”

After Tuesday’s loss, the Knights stand in second place in District 25-5A with a record of 5-1. The first-place Tigers are 6-0. The Knights face Navarro on Friday at Nelson Field. The rematch with Drip will go down March 7 also at Nelson.

—Sarah Slaten

5 wrestlers make regionals

At the District 13-5A wrestling tournament last Thursday, five wrestlers qualified for the regional meet: senior Gabe Felan, freshman Erik Lopez, junior London Hudnall, junior Sontriya Gilbert and freshman Ruby Cloke.

Hudnall (see page 22) placed second in district out of 12 wrestlers in her weight class. The boys earned a sixth-place team finish while the girls were seventh out of 12.

The five Knight wrestlers will compete at the Region 4-5A meet at the Delco Center on Friday and Saturday for the right to compete at the 5A state wrestling meet on Feb. 20-22 at the Berry Center in Cypress.

—Sarah Slaten

Junior Miles Lee, junior Bruno Cioci, Coach Dave Stanton, sophomore Keegan Langley and junior John Pratt. Photo by Frances Arellano. Capital District season for the Knights (4-1), who remain in first place ahead of Weiss (3-2) and Plugerville Co-op (3-2). Over the past three weeks, the girls (5-0) remained undefeated in district play. Second-place Hendrickson has been steadily improving. Last Friday, the Hawks earned two points Friday in both the individual and Baker rounds but still lost, 13-4. —MacJournalism Sports Team