Myrtle Beach’s Mako Musilunas excels on mat and in the ocean
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Gunner “Mako” Musilunas, junior at Myrtle Beach high school, helped claim the school’s sixth individual wrestling state championship title for the 113lbs weight class. In addition, he helped the Seahawks clinch their first 4-A Region 6 title in school history and he finished the 2023-2024 season with a 38-1 record.
While being an elite wrestler, Mako is also an elite surfer and explained how training for the two sports helps benefit each sports differently.
“Surfing, wrestling, they seem a lot different but they’re actually pretty much the same,” Musilunas said. “As far as balance, the surfing helps with wrestling and the conditioning for wrestling helps with the surfing, and you know vice versa. When you’re in the water and you’re diving down, it really helps with the lungs.”
Mako was named a 2023 All-Star for the ESA (Eastern Surfing Association), which highlights the best up and coming surfers along the east coast.
“My dad used to surf when he was younger,” Musilunas said. “When I was younger, he put it on me to surfing and ever since then it just sort of clicked.”
His dad also helped him get into wrestling at a young age. His experience in the sport has led him to be a great leader for the Myrtle Beach wrestling program.
“He’s not a ‘rah rah’ yell and scream type athlete, but do as I do, not as I say,” Ken MacIver, Myrtle Beach wrestling coach. “He’s tremendous because the other ones see how hard he works and also he’s a good student. He’s a good role model in the school.”
Mako explained what keeps him coming back to wrestling and why he loves the sport.
“Definitely that its man-on-man,” Musilunas said. “I don’t really have to rely on a team, its individuals. You verse another person, so it’s kind of personal.”
His life goal is to either become a pro surfer or to wrestle at a top university after he graduates in 2025.
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