February 2016 was a gut-wrenching time for Issaquah Eagles 220-pound grappler Terry Zaragoza.

Zaragoza, who captured fifth place at regionals as a junior, was an alternate to the 2016 Mat Classic Class 4A state tournament. The top four grapplers in each weight class at regionals clinch a berth at the state tourney.

“I was an alternate at state but I didn’t get in,” Zaragoza said.

This year, Zaragoza is determined to right last year’s wrong. The senior grappler, who has a long-term aspiration of becoming a neurologist, said being voted as one of the Eagles’ team captains at the beginning of the 2016-17 season has been a blessing in his quest to wrestle at the Mat Classic.

“Being voted as a captain really has pushed me and made me feel more responsible. I feel like I have to get further than I did last year. I think it’s certainly pushed me toward going to state this year. That is my goal. I must get to state because it’s my last year. I don’t know if I’m going to wrestle in college,” Zaragoza said. “If I win two matches (at state tournament), I will place and leave my mark on this program.”

Zargoza hopes his dream will become a reality this weekend. He captured fifth place at the KingCo tournament on Feb. 5 and will be an alternate at regionals this weekend.

Zaragoza is a huge fan of longtime Issaquah wrestling head coach Kirk Hyatt. Hyatt’s old school approach resonates with his wrestlers.

“He is probably one of my favorite coaches of all time. He is very passionate about what he does,” Zaragoza said of Hyatt. “He has devoted his life to the sport. He is a very technical coach and he knows what he is doing. He is very respected in this community.”

Issaquah Reporter: What is your favorite movie of all time?

Terry Zaragoza: It would have to be “Patch Adams.” It inspired me to pursue my career choice, which is to be a doctor. He (Adams) brought a new light to what medicine was. It was based on a true story back in the 1970s. Many doctors were all serious and didn’t really have any real human contact with patients. They just did the medicine and that was it. He brought up the idea that he wanted to take care of the patients’ emotions as much as the physical health. He created relationships to make them feel better inside while they may be dying or worse.

IR: What is your favorite eatery in Issaquah?

TZ: Garlic Crush. It is top notch Mediterranean food.

IR: Who was your idol growing up?

TZ: Obi-Wan Kenobi (fictional character in the “Star Wars” series). He was such a great leader and was really wise. I just love “Star Wars.”

IR: How many text messages do you send per day?

TZ: Not many, maybe like 20 depending on the day. I usually use SnapChat or Instagram.

IR: Who was your favorite sports team growing up?

TZ: The Minnesota Vikings. I’m from Minnesota originally and my family are diehard Vikings fans. We hate the Green Bay Packers. I realize the Vikings haven’t done that well in the past decade except with Brett Favre (2009 season). Adrian Peterson (Vikings running back) all the way! Randy Moss back in the day was great.

IR: If you could pick one person to go to dinner with, who would it be?

TZ: Barack Obama. He is a great idol. He was the first African-American president. He just paved the way for so many great new ideas and brought back internationalism. He reached out to all the countries. He handled the eight years (two-term presidency) really well. I’m going to miss him.