Cashmere High School’s boys and girls wrestling teams have officially started this 2025-2026 season, returning with increased participation, new athletes, and a focus on building technical skill and competitive consistency. They’re especially focusing on CHS Junior Jance Novak, who was the State Champ last year.
This year’s focus extends beyond wins and losses, building a tight-knit environment where athletes support each other through the hardest practices and longest tournaments. This remains a central goal for both the girls’ and guys’ teams.
Athlete Spotlight
Jance Novak
Jance Novak has been wrestling since he was young, and over time, the sport has become a defining part of his life. Coming off a state championship title last season, he enters this year as one of Cashmere’s strongest returning athletes and a leader on the team. This season, he’s looking forward to the team moments, the bus rides, the pictures, and spending hours training together. Making weight comes easiest to him, but staying mentally steady is his biggest challenge. He admits he tends to overthink, especially in the long grind of the season.
Victoria Black
Victoria Black joined the team to stay active and to push herself out of a lazy routine. The sport quickly became something she wanted to stick with. She says the worst part is getting through the daily practice motions, but the hardest part is maintaining a positive mindset during high-pressure tournaments.
Rafael Rojas
Rafa joined wrestling because of his friends and because the sport looked fun and easy to get into. This year, he’s most excited about the possibility of going to state and believes the team has a strong shot of winning a title. For Rafa, the easiest part of wrestling is running and drilling, while the hardest part is getting through tough conditioning sessions.
Mack and Marshall Pell
Mack and Marshall Pell grew up around wrestling, inspired by their dad. After watching him and seeing how good he was, they wanted to follow in his footsteps. Both Pells say they’re excited about the possibility of winning state champ this year, especially since they feel this group has a real chance. The easiest part of wrestling is showing up and having fun, and the hardest part is staying mentally locked in during such a long season.
Coach Spotlight
Coach Van Winkle -Girls wrestling
Coach Van Winkle credits his start in coaching to the supportive, motivating coaches he had growing up. He said he wanted to give back in the same way they helped shape him.
He’s seen countless forms of coaching over the years and says it’s impossible to pick just one standout example. Growth shows up differently in every athlete. This season, he believes the girls’ team is strong and ready to compete with a deep roster of dedicated student athletes.
A major focus for him is culture.” We are working hard on building a good team environment, one where everybody supports one another,” he said
