Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The Rattlers’ wrestling team has qualified 10 members to compete at the 4A state tournament Friday and Saturday at Rio Rancho.
link The Rattlers’ wrestling team has qualified 10 members to compete at the 4A state tournament Friday and Saturday at Rio Rancho.
QCS Senior Writer
Ten Tucumcari Rattler wrestlers have qualified for the 4A state wrestling tournament that will be held Friday and Saturday at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho.
“I can’t help but be proud of these guys,” said Eddie Encinias, Rattlers head wrestling coach.
Encinias said eight wrestlers qualified by placing third or higher Saturday at the district tournament.
The winners include Paul Lucero, who won the district championship in the 132 pound division.
“There have been a lot of ups and downs throughout the season but I think I have a chance at a state title,” Lucero said.
Encinias said this year’s Rattler squad may have been put through the hardest level of conditioning in the history of the program.
“I haven’t made it easy for the team this year,” Encinias said. “What has truly impressed me is no matter how hard I pushed them they accepted the challenge and rolled with it.”
Encinias said throughout the year the younger wrestlers continued to show improvement and worked hard to reach the level of their peers.
Two such wrestlers are eighth graders Jonathan Clark and Rod Dunlap who both qualified for the state tournament.
“The upperclassmen have helped to push me to get better and reach a higher level of competition and skill,” Dunlap said.
Encinias said it was fitting that the district tournament took place on Valentine’s Day because his team has shown nothing but heart all season long. He said it was that heart and constant push to win matches that gave Joey Ulibarri and James Griego a chance to compete in the state tournament, he said.
Ulibarri and Griego did not qualify for state at the district tournament. However a wild card rule that takes a wrestlers wins and performance throughout the entire season into consideration gave the two Rattlers a second chance at state.
“The guys have been pushing themselves all year for this and now that its here its time for them to shine,” Encinias said.
Rattler wrestlers who qualified for state:
Dunlap, 106 pounds
Clark 113 pounds
Ulibarri, 120 pounds
Lucero, 132 pounds
Xavier Garcia, 138 pounds
Michael Shelton, 152 pounds
Jose Sandoval, 170 pounds
Antonio Norton, 195 pounds
Griego, 220 pounds
Isaiah Valverde, 285 pounds.
State tournament starts: 8 a.m., Friday and Saturday at Rio Rancho
