Opponent’s words drive SWR grappler

ASHEBORO — Motivation can come from a wide variety of sources when a high school student-athlete has a goal to achieve. Motivation combined with an impressive work ethic will more often than not lead to obtaining the loftiest of goals.

Southwestern Randolph High School wrestler Jose Flores has plenty of motivation as the 2025 NCHSAA individual regionals begin Friday at various host schools. 

And with the motivation Flores has used for another incredible regular season and the work ethic he continues to have to drive him toward his ultimate goal, he’s focusing on just two things the rest of his senior season: To win a regional title and then, more importantly, a second state championship.

“It’s his work ethic in the room that separates him from everyone else,” said first-year SWR head coach Chris Ferguson. “He is working in the room from start to finish. Having Jose there just to set the tone in the room and set an example of what it takes to become a state champion and a state qualifier. They see that level of intensity they have to bring every day.”

Flores will be attempting to qualify for the state 2-A tournament for the fourth straight time. 

He finished fourth in the regionals and went 2-2 in state tournament action his freshman year. His sophomore year was one that will never be forgotten as he finished 31-2, placed first in the regionals and then went on to win the state 220-pound championship.

He then decided to alter his approach for his junior year.

“My plan going into my junior year, if I did wrestling year round, I would get better,” Flores said. “But that had a negative effect. I got burned out and last year was a down year. This year has been my redemption. Mentally, my state of mind was entering this season with a chip on my shoulder.”

Flores admits last year he had to wrestle not only quality opponents, but he was doubting himself.

“When I got the news that (Trinity High School’s) Gavin Hardister, someone I had wrestled against at the Eyes on the Prize club level, was in my weight class, I already was defeated,” Flores admitted. “I went to regionals and had already lost mentally. It was just me saying to myself that I was defeated mentally.”

Flores finished second in the regional, and although Hardister finished first in a different regional, Flores said he realized what awaited him at the state tournament. Flores ended up fourth at the state tournament, finishing with a 40-7 record.

It was there, while accepting the fourth-place award, he said he received some motivation for this year from an unlikely source.

“I recall a conversation I had with the guy who finished runner-up, he was from Bandys,” Flores said of Matthew Cranfill, who lost to Hardister in the 215-pound state championship match last year. “He said ‘Mr. Flores, I’m a senior and it’s over for me. You’re a junior. Come back and win it all next year.’ 

“I remember that conversation every time I go to the gym. I’m not going to be mentally beat this year. I’m going back to work and try my hardest.”

Backed by the support of family, friends and his coaches, Flores is 33-1 heading into regional action Friday at Morehead High School. His only setback this year came to a 4-A state qualifier at a tournament at Asheboro High School.

 “All year I felt I was pretty undersized for that big of a weight class,” said Flores, who is 6-foot-0 and 255 pounds in a weight class that goes up to 280. “I’m pretty happy I’ve been able to keep up with a lot of the bigger guys. It’s been a little bit of a shocker to me. I’m pretty undersized.”

Ferguson, who helped coach wrestling at the middle school for several years prior to taking over the head position at the high school, knows what it takes to be successful on the mat. He was an assistant coach under Chris Waddell, when Waddell was the head coach at SWR.

“The biggest thing last year is that he cut down to 215 and cutting that weight hampered his performance,” Ferguson said. “Now he’s up to 255 and he’s such a strong kid. He’s focused and chomping at the bit for regionals. He’s going to the gym and working out. He has a great work ethic.”

Combined with the motivation he received from a fellow competitor last year, the support from his family and friends and the determination to prove that last season was a glitch, Flores continues on his path to wrestling excellence.