Gulf Breeze's Ryder Cohen wins PNJ Athlete of the Week award after earning region crown
Another week, another Gulf Breeze wrestler named the PNJ Athlete of the Week.
Ryder Cohen won the PNJ Athlete of the Week award, sponsored by Florida Power and Light. The freshman capped off his first varsity season in a strong way.
During the week of Feb. 24 through March 1, Cohen was the area's lone region champion in boys wrestling at the Region 1-2A meet, hosted by Lincoln High in Tallahassee.
Cohen pinned his way – literally – to the championship bout. He pinned Elias Lawson at :54 before winning by fall at :34 against Andrew Arsenault. Then he pinned Jason Marsala at 4:49 in the semifinals, before defeating New Smyrna Beach's Patrick Mayfield at 5:16 by pin to claim the title.
At the state championships, Cohen fell in the wrestlebacks in the 106-pound weight class, though did pick up a first-round 16-11 decision victory over Jacob Rhodes.
After his postseason run at regionals, Cohen won the Athlete of the Week award, claiming 60.79% of the poll's votes on the PNJ's website the following week. Each weekly winner is awarded a one-of-a-kind PNJ Athlete of the Week shirt.
Here's a question-and-answer session with Cohen after he spoke with PNJ Sports Reporter Ben Grieco.
Q&A with Gulf Breeze wrestling's Ryder Cohen
PNJ: Now that your freshman season is complete, what was your first season like at the varsity level?
Ryder Cohen: "I thought it was fun. I had good coaching. I learned a lot, more than I ever have in my wrestling career. I had a lot of opportunities to get extra work to get better."
PNJ: Was there anything unique about this season for you?
RC: "Coaches gave us a lot more opportunities to do extra. We were able to have those opportunities outside of high school."
PNJ: What do those extra reps do for you, just getting that work in?
RC: "It helps me jump levels and get better."
PNJ: How was it getting the experience at state this year as a freshman?
RC: "It was fun. I learned from watching other people. It was a really cool experience."
PNJ: Does it give you that motivation to get back to state?
RC: "Yeah. I feel like I can win it next year. I'm excited to go back."
PNJ: For the rest of the postseason, how did it feel to win district and region titles along the way?
RC: "They definitely boosted my confidence. The skill-level definitely jumped from districts and regionals to state."
PNJ: What's the biggest thing you took away from states?
RC: "Probably watching my teammates. It's cool see everyone else do well."
PNJ: What does your offseason look like now?
RC: "I don't want cut weight anymore like I did this past season. I'm going to be lifting a lot and practice every day."
PNJ: Not cutting weight, are you looking to get into a bigger weight class?
RC: "For sure."
PNJ: Is that a lot of watching what you eat and workouts?
RC: "I can eat what I want, but I have to make sure it's clean."
PNJ: Now for some quick ones. Do you have any pre-match superstitions or traditions?
RC: "Not really. I like to listen to music and look good while wrestle. Maybe (the tradition of) having some nice stuff on."
PNJ: What type of music do you listen to before a match?
RC: "Usually calm music. I have Rihanna on there a good amount. 'Stay' is a good song."
PNJ: Do you have a go-to pre-match meal or snack?
RC: "A peanut butter and jelly, and a lot of Vitamin Water. ... I like the dragon fruit one."
PNJ: Are there any wrestlers that you follow pretty heavily, or do you have any wrestling influences?
RC: "I follow a lot of college wrestling. I like Bryce Andonian, he used to wrestle for Virginia Tech. I like the way he wrestles."
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Gulf Breeze's Ryder Cohen wins PNJ Athlete of the Week award
Topics
-
FSU earns pair of Player of Week selections
FROSTBURG — Two athletes across Frostburg State sports were named the Player or Athlete of the Week in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) earlier this week. Softball junior Arden Miller earned ...Yahoo Sports - 23h -
Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week: Newman's Briar Ivey
Mar. 14—Name: Briar Ivey School: Newman Central Catholic Sport: Wrestling Year: Senior Why he was selected: He was the state runner-up at 157 pounds in Class 1A after winning the Oregon Sectional ...Yahoo Sports - 18h -
Horseheads' Megan Wolf and other Athlete of Week winners for winter season
Megan Wolf of Horseheads was ninth person to earn Gannett Newspapers Athlete of Week honors for winter season.Yahoo Sports - 14h -
Riverside Prep’s Trent Bourgeois is the Victorville Chevrolet High School Athlete of the Week
Did you vote for him? Receiving 56.55% of 58,708 votes, Riverside Prep’s Trent Bourgeois is the Victorville Chevrolet High School Athlete of the Week.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
This Timnath track & field winner is the Blue Federal Credit Union Athlete of the Week
Timnath senior runner Natalie Washburn is the Blue FCU Athlete of the Week, picking up where she left off last year with a season-opening race win.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Two Exeter High School standouts are Seacoast Athletes of the Week for March 3-8
Exeter hockey player Chase Barbour and girls basketball player Nicole Melick win Seacoast high school Athletes of the Week honors.Yahoo Sports - 16h -
Dumas powerlifter Hannah Hernandez voted Happy State Bank High School Athlete of the Week
Hernandez was selected among athletes from West Plains, Canyon, Palo Duro, Caprock, Randall, Valley and Perryton.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
William Byron claims Busch Light Pole Award at Phoenix
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Daytona 500 winner William Byron climbed out of his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on Phoenix Raceway pit road with a huge smile after claiming his first pole position in ...Yahoo Sports - 6d -
Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard named finalist for Lute Olson Award
Mar. 13—Two days after winning his first West Coast Conference Tournament, Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard was one of 30 players named a finalist for the Lute Olson Award, presented to the top player in ...Yahoo Sports - 1d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Four-star edge rusher to visit Georgia football
Georgia is set to get an official visit from elite four-star edge rusher Dre QuinnYahoo Sports - 25m -
Kristin Juszczyk posts an emotional video after Kyle Juszczyk re-signs with the 49ers
Kyle Juszczyk is back with the San Francisco 49ers and his wife Kristin celebrated on Instagram.Yahoo Sports - 27m -
Ohtani hits home run in Dodgers' Tokyo exhibition game
Shohei Ohtani fever in Tokyo reached boiling point Saturday as the Japanese baseball superstar hit a home run in his first game in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform in his home country.But it was his ...Yahoo Sports - 29m -
Porter inherits talented West Virginia RB room
West Virginia has a new running backs coach, in the experienced Larry Porter. Porter, a 27-year coaching veteran, came to Morgantown after previously serving as the running backs coach and special ...Yahoo Sports - 29m -
Mekhi Becton to Chargers: Lineman joins LA after his Super Bowl win
Mekhi Becton had his best season as a pro in 2024Yahoo Sports - 29m
More in Sports
-
Michigan State vs. Wisconsin odds, how to watch, prediction, free 2025 Big Ten Tournament semifinal picks
SportsLine's proven computer model has revealed its best bets for Wisconsin Badgers vs. Michigan State Spartans Saturday on CBS and streaming on Paramount+CBS Sports - 19m -
2025 Players Championship purse, prize money: Payouts for golfers, winner's share out of $25 million pool
The biggest prize fund of the PGA Tour's season is up for grabs this week during its signature event at TPC SawgrassCBS Sports - 21m -
UFC Fight Night odds, predictions, time, Las Vegas card: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2 free picks by proven MMA expert
SportsLine's Daniel Vithlani reveals his picks for the UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2 fight card from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on SaturdayCBS Sports - 23m -
Four-star edge rusher to visit Georgia football
Georgia is set to get an official visit from elite four-star edge rusher Dre QuinnYahoo Sports - 25m -
Men's Bracketology: UNC is still in, plus more updates from a busy Friday
It's going to be a weekend-long debate: North Carolina, with good metrics and few quality wins, versus Texas, which has plenty of really good wins but a so-so record.ESPN - 27m