Serving the High Plains
QCS Senior Writer
The Tucumcari Rattlers Wrestling team will use the strong performances by their underclassmen during last weekend’s tournament at Santa Fe to excel even further this Saturday at Pecos, Rattler head wrestling coach Eddie Enincias said.
“It was a tough tournament maybe even tougher than our tournament before the break,” Encincias said.
The Rattlers competed Friday and Saturday at the Saint Michael’s tournament in Santa Fe, which featured 22 teams including 6A Cleveland.
“Coming out of the break and jumping right into a tough tournament like Saint Michael’s is exactly what these guys needed,” Encinias said.
Encinias said the tournament had six 6A teams, eight 5A teams and eight 4A teams. That gave each of the Rattler wrestlers several hard matches to contend with. The young wrestlers, who make up most of the team, showed a lot of heart in the tournament. The Rattler wrestlers include four sophomores, five freshman and two eighth graders.
“That’s what you want as a coach,” Encinias said, “for your players to compete with all their heart.” Encinias said.
Encinias said the younger Rattlers have now dispelled the theory of being a young raw team. They are truly coming into their own, he said.
The Rattlers’ Paul Lucero had a fourth place finish in the 132 pound division, the same placing he had in Tucumcari’s tournament on Dec. 20.
Lucero defeated the current 132-pound state runner-up Mikey Quintana of Pecos for the fourth place finish at Santa Fe.
“It was a great tournament, I feel that the younger wrestlers gain a lot of experience from it,” Lucero said.
Lucero said he is looking forward to the upcoming invite at Pecos that will give him and the other Rattlers a chance to see much of the competition they will see come district and in state.
Game time: 9 a.m. Saturday at Pecos.