Eighth grade wrestler Titan Ginger has had an interesting few weeks.

The California State qualifier is a multisport athlete, in wrestling and football. This past fall Ginger was on the Super Bowl-winning Stampede football team. This winter he has been wrestling in the 112-pound weight division and this past weekend, he won the Northern California Championship.

Ginger has been wrestling for five years and enjoys the physicality of the sports.

“My favorite part of wrestling is just taking the guy down and over working him,” said Ginger.

However, the young grappler showed his softer side at a meet in Patterson earlier this month.

“When we walked in the gym we saw this kid, who was a wrestler with Down syndrome;” Ginger explained.

As action wound down near the end of the meet, Ginger could tell that the wrestler, from Creekside, was disappointed due to not having wrestled a match.

“Towards the end of the meet, I went over to my coach and asked if it was okay to wrestle him,” said the eighth grader.

After speaking with the Creekside coach and officials Ginger and the young wrestler got to take that mats and face off.

“It was his first match ever and he was excited,” Ginger said.

During their match, Ginger coached his opponent by giving him some instruction and walking him through the match.

“I would just show him how to do certain things and moves. He was having a great time,” said Ginger.

Their match lasted three minutes. By the end of the match the crowd was chanting the Creekside athlete’s name and applauding the show of sportsmanship. As an extra gesture, Ginger gave his opponent a medal out of his bag.

Last year, Ginger placed sixth in the state overall.