Wrestlers finish second at meet

The Tucumcari wrestling team finished a strong second with a 4-1 dual-meet record at the Shush Duals tournament Wednesday at Fort Wingate.

The Rattlers lost only to perennial powerhouse Los Lunas at the tourney. Tucumcari improved to 13-5 in dual meets.

For Tucumcari, Joe Martinez at 170 pounds, Julian Vargas (138), Caleb White (152) and Colt Garcia (182) each went 5-0 at the meet. Charles Prieto, wresting at 120 pounds for Tucumcari, went 4-1 on Wednesday.

Vargas was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Wrestler in the middle-weights division. Tucumcari coach Eddie Encinias said Martinez also should have won MVP in the upper weights.

“Those guys did what they needed to do,” Encinias said of his dominant upperclassmen. “That’s where we were going to get our points. The leadership of Joe and Julian has been fantastic.”

Encinias also praised the performances of several younger wrestlers — Zach Bradfield, Isaiah Lopez and Isaiah Garcia.

Tucumcari scored relatively easy wins over district opponents Wingate, Newcomb and St. Michael’s on Wednesday.

Encinias noted his team had wrestled 14 matches in 11 days.

“Our guys have wrestled their butts off,” he said. “They’ve been on a grind. But they’re in such great shape, it didn’t affect them at all.”

The Rattlers’ next competition is at the Robertson Cardinal Classic tournament at Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday.