Published: Feb. 6, 2023 at 11:36 AM EST|Updated: 4 hours ago
WAYNESBORO, Va. (WHSV) – A wrestler at Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro has made history becoming the first student at the school to be nationally ranked.
Saba Mushkudiani has been ranked 10th in the country by the National Prep Wrestling Association.
“It’s a good feeling to feel that I’m up there, and I’m competing good enough to be recognized 10th in the nation. I’m just really happy, but I’m not done yet. I’m working for the number one spot,” Mushkudiani said.
Mushkudiani came to Fishburne as a freshman a couple of years after he moved to the U.S. from the country of Georgia.
In his sophomore year, Mushkudiani won the state championships. He’s now a Junior and is set to graduate in 2024.
Head Wrestling Coach, Terry Waters, said over the last year he has shown great improvements, not just athletically but also in the classroom.
“We worked on his academics, his maturity, and then we moved on to his athletic skills,” Waters explained. “He’s got all the tools to do whatever he wants to do athletically at the next level.”
Waters said he’s the kind of guy you want on your team.
“He’s a happy, go-lucky guy. He’s the kind of cat that like to joke around, but once that whistle blows, he’s all business,” Waters said. “You don’t always get what you see, but when he’s ready, he gives you more than what you’d expect.”
“I just think about how I’m going to pin the guy who’s in front of me, and how I’m going to win and be number one at what I do. It’s my mindset to be aggressive and put hard work into the match and not just slack around,” Mushkudiani said.
Mushkudiani said he’s dedicated to putting in the hours and work after class to continue being the best he can be.
“We have wrestling from 4 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. and during that, I don’t take any breaks. There’s no breaks, there’s no excuses. There’s just work, work, and nothing else but work. You can’t think about anything but wrestling when you’re on that wrestling mat, that’s the number one thing you have to put in your mindset,” Mushkudiani said.
But he’s not just a good competitor, he’s a good teammate. Mushkudiani helps keep things light on the mat and during practices. Waters said if a teammate loses a match, Mushkudiani is the first one to go up to them and put his arm around them.
Mushkudiani also plays football at Fishburne and he hopes to continue both sports at the collegiate level when that time comes.
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