NCS SHINES - WILLITS HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAMS & COMMUNITY

Shoutout to the Willits wrestling community for going above and beyond at the NCS Division 3 Wrestling Championship.

When they learned there was no podium available for the tournament, team captains Emelia Velasquez-Owsiany and Brian Bowles took initiative—rallying teammates, families, and community members to build one just days before the event.

Along the way, adversity struck when part of the podium was lost and damaged in transit. But in true team fashion, the community responded immediately. Lake County Woodcrafters, the local Lakeport cabinet shop, stepped in to rebuild the missing piece using the remaining half as a template, while parents, students, and athletes came together to repaint and finish the podium—just in time for the awards ceremony.

This incredible effort is a testament to leadership, resilience, and community pride. This is what high school athletics is all about