Brandywine senior wrestler Charlie Rodriguez got off to a rough start in his journey to 109 career wins.

“He was thrown in there as a freshman at 215 pounds,” Brandywine wrestling coach Rex Pomranka said. “He had state placers and state champions that he wrestled. He’s been with the big boys.”

Rodriguez, who wrestled at 215 pounds as a freshman, sophomore and senior and competed at 189 pounds as a junior, summed up his career after his team’s match Wednesday against Buchanan.

“My freshman and sophomore year were really hard,” said Rodriguez. “My junior year I got all my stuff together and got a lot better and started winning matches. My senior year I’m trying to put it all together and get to the Palace (for the state finals).”

Rodriguez, who qualified for the regionals as a junior, appears to be putting it all together as he winds down his high school wrestling career. He improved to 24-2 this year after posting two wins on Wednesday. He defeated Buchanan’s Eddie Washington, 12-6, and he pinned River Valley’s Eric Boswell in 1:50.

The Bucks beat the Bobcats, 39-26, and Brandywine rolled past River Valley, 54-18.

Those were the last two dual matches at home for Rodriguez, who’s the lone senior on the Brandywine wrestling team.

Rodriguez’s win against Buchanan snapped a string of 33 straight points by the Bucks. The Bobcats jumped out to an 11-0 lead after getting wins from Kaci Lintz (125), Jesse Lochmondy (130) and Ryan Buchar (135).

In its win over River Valley, Brandywine got pins from Lochmondy (130), Corbin Eckenberger (145), Kristian Hertsell (160), Aaron Casto (285) and Lintz (125).

“It was good for him to go out with two wins on Senior Night,” Pomranka said about Rodriguez.

“I wrestled pretty good, but I could have wrestled better,” Rodriguez said. “I was all right tonight.”

Rodriguez is being rewarded for not getting discouraged during his first two years on the varsity.

“He’s a workhorse,” Pomranka said.

Opponents have seen Rodriguez become sharper with his wrestling techniques.

“My takedowns have gotten a lot better and I’ve gotten better on my feet and I’m really good on the bottom,” Rodriguez said. “I just have to work on getting better at the top.”

Rodriguez understands the struggles that young wrestlers face and that has helped him provide leadership to a young Bobcat wrestling squad.

“We’re just a young team,” Rodriguez said. “I have to talk to them a lot more because they get down when they lose. But they’re only freshmen and sophomores. They have years ahead of them.

“The next couple of years this team will be really good.”

Rodriguez hopes he get the opportunity to lead by example for several more matches.

“I want to go the regionals and, hopefully, make it out and make it to state and place at state,”  he said.

Rodriguez has the right attitude and moves to accomplish that feat.