Rancho Bernardo’s Marcus Caro had to make the ultimate sacrifice — ice cream.
Wrestling all year at 150 pounds, a month ago coach Joe Eddie Terribilini and Caro decided it was time to return to the weight where he competed a year ago, 144 pounds.
“That’s how I was able to lose weight, giving up ice cream, which is my favorite food,” said Caro. “It really wasn’t that hard. I feel comfortable at both weights, but I think it will be an advantage because I’ll be stronger (against 144-pounders).”
Not that wrestling at 150 was a problem.
His 35-5 record includes losses to wrestlers from Arizona, Alaska and Colorado. The only California setbacks came in the Division I finals last weekend to Poway freshman Mario Carini, whom he had beaten earlier, plus a narrow setback in the Doc Buchanan Tournament to Noah Reynolds of the host school, Clovis.
Even though he’s focused on the state qualifying Masters Meet this weekend in El Centro, his eventual goal is returning to Bakersfield for the state championship.
A year ago, at 144, he finished seventh despite entering the meet as the 15th seed when he posted a 4-2 record, with one of the losses coming to the No. 2 seed and eventual champion, Frontier’s Miguel Estrada, the other to the fourth-place finisher, St. John Bosco’s Joseph Antonio.
“The biggest win I had a year ago was against the fourth-seeded wrestler (Buchanan’s Devin Alexander),” said Caro of the 3-1 victory. “That gave me a lot of confidence. Since my only losses were to the eventual champ and fourth-place finisher, I was where I wanted to be.
“I knew where (Alexander) was seeded, but it was exciting because I focused on pushing myself through. I know my technique was good and I got more aggressive and started asserting myself. I knew if I put my mind to it, good things would happen.
“I realized if I trained hard, everything would fall into place.”
Caro comes from a wrestling family. His dad, Carlos, competed for Imperial High School, his freshman brother is on the Broncos’ team and his sister, an eight-grader, will wrestle at the high school next year.
“I started when I was six years old,” said Caro. “My dad got me into it as soon as he could. I played some football but wrestling has been my sport.”
Caro has a 4.14 cumulative GPA and is part of the group that was affected by COVID, which eliminated the state meet his freshman year.
“I trained at home and since I’m a bit of an introvert, I didn’t mind missing school that much,” he said. “I really didn’t worry about (catching COVID) because I was in great shape.
“My sophomore year I went to state and I was a little intimidated, but I knew that was where I wanted to be.”
Terribilini, who recently won his 300th match after 21 years at RB, says Caro is among the top five athletes he’s coached.
“I call him a ‘goer’ because he goes after it,” Terribilini said. “He goes all out, he’s relentless. He has totally bought in to the program and if you ask him to work on something, he does it. He’s technically very sound but he’s quick to the punch, very calculating.
“He studies film but mostly of himself so he can work on things to get better. It isn’t like he lives in the weight room, but he’s one of the strongest kids on the team.
“He’s got some colleges looking at him but doing well at state will increase that number.
“I like to say he’s the total athlete.”
But not just an athlete, as Caro looks forward to getting back to his favorite hobby, cooking, once the season ends.
“Pasta, spaghetti, is my favorite meal to make,” said Caro who says the extra time he had while sitting at home during COVID allowed him to indulge his hobby, resulting in a growth spurt that not only made him taller, but added 20 pounds.
Pasta can do that.
“I make my own pasta,” said Caro. “I like making food and then enjoying the outcome. I don’t plan to be a chef, it’s a hobby, but it might happen.”
For now, cooking up a trip to the State Championships is on the front burner.
